Bible Missing Texts

1 2 SHORT PREFATORY NOTE Why have we done this translation? Because we think the Orthodoxy as being the most complete way to worship God in his plenitude, as much as it is allowed to the human being. We have tried also to express the perfume, the scent of good flavor of the verses, as they sound in Romanian Language, because they were translated at the beginning from original Hebrew and Greek, and that translation was filtered through a pure faith and a whole dogmatic knowledge and, maybe the most important of all, a life in truth. The purpose of this translation is to show to the reader, once more, the beauty of the Romanian Orthodoxy as the way for finding God. We dedicate this work to our spiritual guide, the venerable archimandrite Nestor Iovan, the abbot of the Bodrogul Nou Holy Monastery. Marius Golea ! " # $ % & ' ( ! %! ) 3 & ! ' ! * +, /. (. *- + TITLE IN THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX BIBLE Cartea lui Tobit Cartea Iuditei Cartea lui Baruh Epistola lui Ieremia Cântarea celor trei tineri Cântarea a treia a lui Ezdra Cântarea ÎnŃelepciunii lui Solomon (ÎnŃelepciunea lui Solomon) Cartea ÎnŃelepciunii lui Isus, fiul lui Sirah (Ecclesiaticul) Istoria Susanei Istora omorârii balaurului @i a sfărâmării lui Bel Cartea întâi a Macabeilor Cartea a doua a Macabeilor Cartea a treia a Macabeilor Rugăciunea regelui Manasseh ,-+ -+ * (+ '# PAGE no. in ROB 917 927 942 947 950 952 968 * +- .+#+ 0 1* TRANSLATION The Book of Tobit The Book of Judith The Book of Baruch The Epistle of Jeremiah The Son of the Three Young People The Third Song of Ezra The Son of the Wisdom of Solomon (The Wisdom of Solomon) 985 The Book of the Wisdom of Jesus, the Son of Sirach (The Ecclesiastes) The History of Suzanna The History of the Killing of the Dragon and of Bel`s Braking Down The First Book of the Maccabees The Second Book of the Maccabees The Third Book of the Maccabees The Prayer of King Manasseh 1027 1029 1031 1061 1084 1094 Note: 1. KJB = King James Bible 2. ROB = Romanian Orthodox Bible 4 2 ( 3 The nation of Tobit. The fear of God and the affliction of the old Tobit. 1. The book of the history of Tobit, the son of Ananiel, of Aduel, of Gabael, from the nation of Aisiel, from the tribe of Naphtali, 2. Who in the days of Shalmaneser, the king of Syria, has been taken in slavery from Tisbe, which was at East from Cades Naphtali, in the Upper Galilee, above Hathor, withdraws westwards and at North of Shephathiah. 3. I, Tobit, all the days of my life I walked in the ways of the truth and of righteousness and I have done many benefactions to my brothers and to my people, who had came together with me at Nineveh, in the country of Assyria. 4. When I was living in my country, in the land of Israel, still being young, all the tribe of Naphtali, my ancestor, separated itself from the house of David and from Jerusalem. This one had been chosen from all the tribes of Israel for their sacrifices; there had been built the temple in which dwells the Most High and Sanctified for all the future generations. 5. All my brothers and the house of Naphtali were being sacrificed to the Baal`s calf, which was made by Jeroboam, the king of Israel, at Dan, on the mountains of Galilee. 6. I have been going alone to Jerusalem, at feasts, to fulfill the law which indebts all Israel for ever. I have been going to Jerusalem with first fruit from crops and animals, with the tithe from cows and from the first tonsure of the sheep. 7. And I gave them to the priests, the sons of Aaron, for the altar, and a tithe from wine and wheat, from olives, from pomegranate and from the other fruits of the land I gave it to the sons of Levi, who were ministering in Jerusalem; a second tithe I sold it and each year I have been going and spending it at Jerusalem; 8. And the third one I gave it to the orphans, widows and strangers, who live with the Israelites; I brought it to them as a gift every three years. We ate it, faithful in the same time to advises of Deborah, the mother of my father, Ananiel, because I, after the death of my father, I remained orphan. 9. Having reached the age of manhood, I took Ana as wife, from our nation, and she has Tobijah begotten to me. 10. And when I have been taken in slavery at Nineveh, all my brothers and they who were of the same nation with me, they ate the foods of those ones. 11. And I guarded my soul and I didn`t eat, 12. Because I remembered God with all my heart. 13. And the Most High gave me the mercy and the benevolence before Shalmaneser and I was his trustful man. 5 14. I went in Media and I gave to Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, from Media`s Ranghes, ten silver talents to keep them. 15. And when Shalmaneser died, become king in his place his son, Senaeherib; the roads of Media have been closed, and I couldn`t go to Media. 16. In the days of Shalmaneser I have been doing many benefactions to my nation`s brothers: 17. To the hungry ones I gave my bread, to the naked ones, my clothes, and if I saw somebody from my nation dead and cast down from the walls of Nineveh, I had buried him. 18. And I even buried secretly them who king Senaeherib slain, when they come back as fugitives from Judaea. Senaeherib had slain many Israelites in his wrath. And the king searched for the bodies and he didn`t find them. 19. And one of the Ninevites and sold me out, that I have buried them, and then I have hidden myself. But finding out that they search for me to kill me, I fled from the city for fear. 20. And then was plundered all my wealth and nothing left to me, except Ana, my wife, and my son, Tobijah. 21. But there didn`t pass forty days and the king was killed by his two sons, who fled in the mountains of Ararat. In his place was made king Asarhaddon, his son, who put Ahikar, the son of my brother, Anael, over all the revenues of the kingdom, and over entire governing of his house. 22. And Ahikar mediated for me and I came back to Nineveh. But Ahikar was also cupbearer and the keeper of the seal, governor of the house and treasurer. And Asarhaddon put him second to himself, and he was the son of my brother. ( 3 4 3 ! 23. And when I came back to my house and were given back to me Ana, my wife, and my son, Tobijah, in the day of the Pentecost, the feast of the Weeks, a good lunch has been prepared at my place and I sit at the table. 24. And I, seeing so many foods, I said towards my son: “Go and bring to eat with us a poor man with a faithful heart, from among our brothers, bondsmen from Nineveh, and I`ll be waiting for you”. 25. And he came back and said: “Father, one from our nation has been strangled and cast in the marketplace”. 26. And I, instead staying and eating, I came out hastily and I brought him in a house until sunset. 27. And then, coming back, I washed myself and I ate my bread with sorrow. 28. Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, who says: “Your feastings will be transformed into mourning and all your songs in weeping”. And I cried. 29. And whether the sun set, I went, and digging a grave, I buried him. 6 30. My neighbors, however, laughed on me and said: “He still doesn`t fear to be killed for this deed; he was a fugitive before, and look at him, he starts again to bury the dead people”. 31. And just in that night, after I returned from the burial, being unclean, I laid myself down to sleep outside the wall of the courtyard, with my face uncovered. 32. And I didn`t notice that on the wall there were sparrows. And while I have been staying with my eyes opened, the sparrows let down from above filthiness in my eyes and I have caught wall eye. And I went to doctors, for cure. They anointed my eyes with an unguent, but I remained blind. My brothers were deeply saddened for this. Ahikar took care for my treatment for two years, before going at Elimaida. 33. And then Ana, my wife, hired herself as worker, to spin fleece and to waive cloth. 34. She brought the done work and it was paid to her; and once, besides the payment, she had been given a lamb for meat. 35. And coming home, the lamb started to cry out; and I asked the woman: “From where is this lamb? Isn`t it stolen? Give it to his master, because it is not lawful to eat something stolen”. 36. Then she answered to me: “It was gifted to me besides the payment”. And I didn`t believe her and I said her to give the lamb back to its master, and I went red at my face before her. However, she answered to me: “Where are your alms and good deeds? Everybody knows what they have brought to you”. ( 3 3 5 1. And with the soul deeply saddened, I sighted, I cried, and I prayed painfully, saying: 2. “Righteous are you, Lord, and all Your things are righteous, and Your ways are mercy and truth, and You are the Judge of the world. 3. Remember me and look at me and do not punish me for my sins and for the faults of mine and of my parents. For we sinned before You! 4. And we transgressed Your commandments, and You have given us towards plunder to slavery and to death, to be the example to mockery and revilement to all the nations among which You have scattered us! 5. And now all Your decisions are righteous, when You are dealing with me according to my sins and of my parents, because we didn`t fulfill your commandments and we didn`t walk into truth before You. 6. Do therefore with me whatever You want! Command to be my ghost taken, to be myself detached and to return in earth, for it is better to me to die than to live, because unjust accusations have been made to me and a am exceedingly sorrowful. Command to be relieved from this burden in the eternal dwelling, and do not turn away Your face from me”. 7 7. In the same day happened also that Sarah, the daughter of Reuel from Equitana of Media, to endure revilement from one of her father`s housemaid, 8. Because she has been given in marriage after seven men. And Asmodeus, the evil ghost, killed them all before she lived with them! And the housemaid said: “Yea, are you the one who killed her husbands, because you have been given in marriage to seven, and you had no luck of any of them! 9. Whether died all your husbands, you mustn`t punish us. God yourself After them, to not see from you, son or daughter, ever!” 10. Hearing these things she had got saddened very much, crying with sobs, and went up in her father`s chamber, with the thought to hang herself, but thinking her, she thought: “I am alone to my father. If I do this, it will be dishonor for him and I will descend his old age with sorrow in the dwelling place of dead. I will better not hang myself, but to ask the Lord to give me death, to not hear reproaches in all my life”. 11. And in that moment, stretching her arms through the window, she prayed like this: “Blessed are You my Lord God, and blessed to be Your Holy and Glorified name forever! Be you blessed by all Your creatures forever! 12. And now towards You, Lord, I turn my eyes and face and I am praying. 13. Take me from this earth and do not give me to hear anymore reproaches! 14. You know, Lord, that I am clean and no man touched me. 15. And I did not dishonor my name, neither the name of my father in the land of my bondage. I am the only one to my father, he hasn`t any other child to inherit him, neither any brother alongside of him, nor a relative, for whom to be I kept for being his wife. Until now I have lost seven men. Why would I live for? And if You do not deign to make me die, then deign to look towards me and have mercy on me, to not hear reproaches anymore!” 16. And the prayer of both of them was heard before the glory of the Mighty God. 17. And Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the wall eye of Tobit, to see with his eyes the light of God and to give Sarah, the daughter of Reuel, in marriage to Tobijah, the son of Tobit, tying Asmodeus, the evil ghost; because Tobijah has been destined to inherit her. And in the same time Tobit, after coming back, entered in his house, and Sarah, the daughter of Reuel, descended from his upper room. ( 3 $ 6 7! % 2 3 87 ! $$ $ ! 1. In that day Tobit remembered about the silver that he entrusted it to be kept by Gabael in the Reges of Media. 2. And he said in himself: “I asked death for myself. I better call my son Tobijah, to tell him about these talents before I die!” 8 3. And calling him, he said to him: “My son, when I will die, bury me and do not forsaken your mother; honor her in all the days of your life, do whatever she likes and do not cause her bitterness! 4. Remember my son, that she faced many dangers for you, when she bore you in her womb. And when she will die, bury her next to me in the same tomb. 5. Remember in all the days, my son, our Lord God and do not wish to mistake and transgress His commandments. Do good deeds, in all the days of your life, and do not walk in the path of the injustice. 6. Because if you work into the truth, you will succeed in all your works, as all the ones who search for the truth do! 7. Give alms from your wealth and to not have your eye sorrow when you give alms. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, and neither from you the face of God will be turned away. 8. When you have much, give much; if you have less, give less, but do not hesitate to give alms. 9. And you will gather through this a rich mercy for hard days, 10. Because mercy delivers from death and doesn`t let you to descend into darkness. 11. Before the Most High, mercy is a rich gift for all the ones who have it. 12. Guar yourself, my son, against any fornication! Marry woman from your father`s tribe, and do not marry foreign woman, for we are sons of prophets. Our ancient fathers are: Noah, Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Remember my son that they all took women from the middle of their brothers and they were blessed in their sons, and their descendants will inherit the earth. 13. Therefore, my son, love your brothers, and do not be pride in your heart that before your brothers and before the sons and the daughter of your people, than not taking in marriage woman from them, for from pride springs out perdition and great disorder, laziness and great lack, because the laziness is the mother of hunger. 14. Do not postpone for tomorrow the payment of the ones who work with you, but give it at once, for you will be also rewarded, if you will serve God. Take heed, my son, in all your works, and be wellOmannered in all your behavior! 15. What yourself hate, that do not do. Do not drink wine to drunkenness, and the drunkenness to not travel with you on the way! 16. Give to the hungry one from your bread and to the naked one from your clothes. From all that you have plentiful, give alms, and your eye not to be sorrowful when you give alms! 17. Be beneficent with your bread and wine at the tomb of the righteous ones, but do not give to the sinners! 18. Ask advice from every wise man and do not despise the useful advice. 19. Bless the Lord God all the time and ask from Him to guide your ways and all your thoughts to be successful, because the wisdom is not give to every nation, and the Lord gives all the good and, whomsoever He wants He rises him or He descends him in the dwelling place of the dead. 9 Remember, so, my son, my commandments and to not they be erased from your heart. 20. And now I am unveiling you that I have ten silver talents in the keeping of Gabael, the son of Gabrias, from the Reges of Media. Do not fear, my son, that I`ve become poor! You have a great richness, if you will fear the Lord and, getting far from all sin, you will do the pleasant ones before Him!” ( 3 4 - 8 8 9 !! $3 $ 8 1. And answering, Tobijah said: “Father, I will do everything that you have commanded to me! 2. But how will I be able to receive the silver? He doesn`t know me, and I don`t know him. What recognition sign will I give to him, to believe me and to give me the silver? And I don`t even know the roads for this trip in Media”. 3. Then the Father gave him the written prove and said to him: “Find out a man to accompany you and i will pay him and go after the silver while I am still alive!” 4. And Tobijah went to search for the man and he met Raphael. This was an angel, but Tobijah didn`t know. 5. And he said to him: “Do you want to go with me in the Media`s Ranghes? Do you know those places?” 6. And the angel said to him: “I can go with you and I know the places; and I even dwelled at Gabael, our brother!” 7. Then Tobijah said: “Wait for me, I will tell to my Father”. 8. And that one said: “Go, but do not tarry”. 9. And he came and said towards his father: “Behold, I have found companion for me!” And the father said: “Call him to me to see from what tribe is he and if he is a trustful man to go with you”. 10. And he called him and that one came and they embraced eachOother. 11. And Tobit asked: “Tell me brother from what tribe you are?” 12. And the angel said: “Tribe and nation are you searching for or a hireling, to accompany your son?” And Tobit said towards him: “Brother, I want to know your nation and your name!” 13. And that one said: “I am Adzharia, of Ananias the great, from your brother`s tribe”. 14. And then Tobit said: “Brother, have a good trip, and do not get upset that I have asked you about your tribe and nation! You are a brother to me from a good and honored nation. I have met Ananias and Jonathan, the sons of Shimei the Great; we have been together in Jerusalem, to worship, with first fruits and with tithes from everything, because we 10 didn`t allowed ourselves deceived by the errancy of our brothers. You, brother, are of an honored and good nation. 15. But tell me: what payment must I give you? I give you a drachma per day and all the needed things for you and for my son, 16. And I will also ad payment, if you will turn back well”. 17. And so they agreed. Then father said towards Tobijah: “Be ready for the trip and leave well”. And his son prepared the necessary ones for the trip and, and the father said also: “Go with this man, and God, the One Who lives in heaven, will strengthen your way and his angel will go together with you!” And both of them came out to leave and went with them also the god of the young man. 18. And Ana, his mother, cried and said towards Tobit: “What have you sent our son for? Wasn`t him the staff of our old age, when he entered and exited before us? 19. Do not give priority to the silver. Let it be as the trash before our son. 20. Because as long it is ordered from God to live we have enough for this”. 21. And Tobit said towards her: “Do not be upset, sister! For he will come back safe and sound and your eyes will see him, 22. Because good angel will go together with him, and he will have the achievement in the trip and he will come back in good health!” 23. And she stopped crying. ( 3 : 3 9 8 ) ! 7! ! 8 8 $ 2 8 8 1. The travelers reached the Tiger River in the evening and they stopped there over night. 2. And the young one went to wash himself in the river, but from the river jumped out a fish and tried to swallow the young man. 3. Then the angel said towards the young man: “Catch this fish!” And the young man grabbed the fish and dragged it on the shore. 4. And the angel said to him: “Cut open the belly of this fish and take its heart, the liver and the gall and keep them!” 5. And the young man done as the angel asked him, and he fried the fish and they ate it. 6. And they both departed further and reached at Ectabana. 7. And the young man said towards the angel: “Brother Adzharia, what are good for the liver, and the heart and the gall of this fish?” 8. And that one answered to him: “If somebody if tormented by a demon or an evil spirit, that man or woman is smoked with the heart and the liver and that spirit will torment him or her no more. 9. And with the gall is anointed on the eye the man who has wall eye, and he will be cured”. 10. And whether they came close to Ecbatana, 11 11. The angel said towards the young man: “Brother, we will tarry now to Reuel, your relative, who has a daughter named Sara. 12. I will speak of her to be given in marriage to you, because is for you to inherit her, because you are from her nation, and the girl is beautiful and smart. 13. So, listen to me, for I will speak to her father, and when we will come back from Ragues, we will make the wedding. I know Reuel. He wouldn`t want to give her after a strange man, against the Law of Moses, because he will be found guilty of death, because the inheritance is lawful to you to receive and to nobody else. 14. Then the young man said towards the angel: “Brother Adzharia, I have heard that this girl has been married with seven men and that all of them perished in the wedding room. But I am only me at my father and I am afraid that lest entering to her to die like the others. She is loved by a demon which doesn`t do any harm to anybody, except to the ones who come close to her. 15. And that`s why I am afraid that I am going to die and to descend the life of my father and of my mother in the grave through the sadness after me, because they do not have another son to bury them”. 16. And the angel said to him: “Have you forgotten the words told by your father, to marry a woman from you nation? So, listen to me, brother. She must be your wife, and about the demon, do not get unrest! Even this very night they will give her in marriage to you. 17. So, when you will enter in the wedding room, take the incense burner, put in it the heart and the liver of the fish and smoke with them; and the demon will sent the smell and will go away and will never come back. 18. And when you will have to get close to her, get up both of you and cry out towards the Merciful God and He will save you and have mercy on you. Don`t be afraid, because her is meant from ever for you and you will save her, and she will go with you, and I know that you will have children from her”. 19. And listening to these, Tobijah loved her and his soul stuck with her very. ( 3 - % 9 $ 4 & 7! 8 87 %8 1. And arriving them at Ecbatana, they went to the house of Reuel, and Sarah welcomed them and saluted them, and they saluted her, and her brought them into the house. 2. And Reuel said towards Edna, his wife: How well resembles this young man with Tobit, my brother. 3. And Reuel asked them: “Where are you from, brothers?” And they answered: “We are the sons of Naphtali, who are slave at Nineveh. 12 4. And Reuel asked them also: “Do you know our brother, Tobit?” And they answered: “We do”. And then he asked them: “Is he in good health?” 5. And they answered: “He is alive, he is in good health”. And Tobijah added: “He is my father”. 6. Then Reuel fell at chest and embraced him and cried. 7. And then he said: “Blessed be you, my child! You are the son of a very good and honest. But hearing that Tobit has lost his sight he got sad and cried. 8. And cried also Edna, his wife, and Sarah, his daughter. 9. And so he received them very well, and they stabbed a ram and they gave them plenty of food. 10. And Tobijah said towards Raphael: “Brother Adzharia, speak about what you have said to me on the way and to be done also this thing”. 11. And he said this word to Reuel, and Reuel said: “Eat, drink and get merry, because it is lawful to you to take my daughter in marriage! But I will tell you the truth. I have been given my daughter with seven men before, but when they entered to her, they died even in that night. But be you merry now”. And Tobijah said: “I will not eat anything here until you will negotiate and agree with me”. And Reuel said: “Take her as wife right away, because it is lawful to you. You are her brother, and she is your sister! Be the Merciful God making part to you of all the good things!” 12. And he called Sarah, his daughter, and holding her by hand, he gave her to Tobijah as wife and said: 13. “Behold, according to the Law of Moses, take her and bring her to your father!” And he blessed them. 14. And calling Edna, his wife, and taking a piece of paper, we wrote down the agreement and sealed it; and then they started to eat. 15. And Reuel called Edna, his wife, and said to her: “prepare, sister, the other chamber for sleep, and bring her there”. 16. And doing as he said, she brought her there, and this one cried, and sharing also the mother the tears of her daughter, said: 17. “Dare, daughter! The Lord of the heaven and of the earth will give you joy instead of sadness. Dare, daughter!” ( 3 $ ; 8 9 & 1. And after they finished the dinner, they led Tobijah to Sarah, into the chamber. 2. And this one, going, remembered the words of Raphael, and he took the incense burner and put in the heart and the liver of the fish and smoked. 3. And feeling the demon this scent, he fled in the upper part of Egypt, and the angel tied him up. 4. And when only they two remained into the chamber, Tobijah get up from the bed and said: “Get up, sister, to pray to God to have mercy on us!” 13 5. And Tobijah started saying: “Blessed are You, the God of our fathers, and blessed is your holy name and glorified in all ages! Blessed be You by the heaven and by all Your creatures! 6. You did make Adam, and Eva, his wife, to be help and support to him, and from them the human kind was born. You said: “It is not god to be the man alone; let`s make to him a help alike him”. 7. And now, Lord, I am not searching for the pleasure, taking my sister as my wife, but I am doing this with a clean heart. Deign, so, to have mercy on her and on my and to bring us together to the old age!” 8. And she said also with him: “Amen!” 9. And they slept after peacefully in that night. 10. And Reuel, getting up, went and dug a tomb, saying: “Will this one die also?” 11. And coming into his house, Reuel said towards Edna, his wife: 12. “Send one of the housemaids to see if he is alive; and if not, let`s bury him without anybody knowing”. 13. And opening the door the housemaid saw that they both were sleeping. 14. And coming out she told them that he is alive. 15. And Reuel blessed God and said: “Blessed are You, God, with all kind of pure and holy blessedness! Be You blessed by Your righteous ones, and by all Your creatures, and all Your angels, and all Your chosen ones be blessing You forever! 16. Blessed are You for You gladdened me and didn`t happen as I reckoned, but you have done to us according to Your great Mercy. 17. Blessed are You that You had mercy on two children, the only ones at their parents! Have mercy on them, Lord, and give them to finish their life in good health, in gladness and mercy!” 18. And then he commanded to his servants to fill up the tomb. 19. And he made them a wedding feast for fourteen days. 20. And Reuel said towards him a oath, before the days of the wedding feast to be finished: “Do not leave until are finished these fourteen days of the wedding. 21. And then, taking a half from the wealth, go in good health to you father, and the other half you will receive it when I and my wife will die”. ( & 3 9 < * = 8 $ 8 1. And Tobijah called Raphael and said towards him: 2. “Brother Adzharia, take with you a servant and two camels and descend to Gabael in the Media`s Ranghes, and bring me the silver and bring also him here to the wedding, 3. Because Reuel tied me with oath not to leave, 4. And my father will count the days; and if we will have tarried much, he will be very sorrowful”. 14 5. And went Raphael and was accommodated to Gabael, and gave him the written prove; he brought the sealed purses and gave them to him. 6. And the next day, in the early morning, they get up and come together at the wedding. And Gabael blessed Tobijah and his wife. ( 3 % 9 3 & & & 8 & & 1. And Tobit, his father, counted each day; and when the days reckoned for the journey were finished, and Tobijah didn`t come, 2. He said: “Have they been ceased there? Or maybe Gabael died and is there nobody to give them the silver?” 3. And he got very sorrowful. 4. And his wife said to him: “Our son perished, that`s why he is late!” And she started crying and said: “How sorry I am for I did let you go, my son, the light of my eyes!” 5. And Tobit said to her: “Be quiet, do not trouble yourself anymore, for he is good health”. 6. But she, however, answered to him: “Be you quiet, and do not deceive me anymore! My little child perished!” And she went each day outside the city on the road on which he left. In the day time she did not eat bread and during the night she didn`t cease to weep her son, Tobijah, until the fourteen days of the wedding finished, on which Reuel asked him to spend them there. 7. Then Tobijah said towards Reuel: “Let me go, for my father and my mother do not hope to see me anymore”. 8. And the father in law said: “Stay with me and I will send to you father and it will be brought to him the news about you”. 9. And Tobijah said: “No, but let me go to my father!” 10. Then Reuel got up, and gave him Sarah, his wife, and a half of the wealth, servant and cattle and silver, 11. And letting them go pleased, he blessed them, saying to Tobijah: “Good health, my child, and good trip! The lord of the heaven to be in your help, to you and to your wife, Sarah! I hope to see your child before I die”. Then he said towards Sarah, his daughter: “Honor you father in law and your mother in law! For now on, they are parents to you! I wish to hear good news from you!’ And he kissed her. 12. And Edna said towards Tobijah: “Beloved brother, be the Lord of the heaven elevating you and to give Him to me to see your children from Sarah, my daughter, to be me rejoicing before God. Behold, I am giving to you my daughter to take care of her; do not upset her”. 13. The Tobijah left, blessing God, for He straightened his way, and he blessed Reuel and his wife Edna. 15 ( 3 9 3 7 9 & % 8 1. And they walked until they got close to Caserin in front of Nineveh. 2. And Raphael said towards Tobijah: “You, brother, don`t you know how you have left your father? 3. Let`s go home before your wife to prepare the house”. 4. Take with you the gall of the fish”. And they went and after they went the dog. 5. At that time Ana sit and behold on the road to see her son. 6. And seeing him coming, she said towards his father: “Behold, your son is coming with his travel companion”. 7. And Raphael said: “Tobijah, I know that the eyes of your father will be opened, to see. 8. Anoint his eyes with gall and he will feel a burning sensation, and he will rob them and the wall eye will fall down and he will see you”. 9. And running in front of him, Ana fell on the chest of his son and said: “Good to see you, my son! For now on I can die!” And they cried both of them. 10. And then Tobit came out in the door whole and stumbled. His son ran in towards him. 11. He supported up his father and anointed his eyes with gall, saying: “Have trust, father!” and let him for a while. 12. And his eyes started to burn him and he robbed them and the wall eye detached from the edge of his eyes. 13. And seeing his son he fell on the chest of his son 14. And cried and shouted out: “I am seeing you, my son, and the light of my eyes!” And he said: “Blessed are you, God, and blessed is Your name forever, and blessed and all Your holy angels, 15. For You have punished me and You have had mercy on me. Behold, I am seeing now Tobijah, my son!” And the son entered with joy and told to his father about the wonderful things which happened to him in Media. 16. And Tobit came out for welcoming his daughter in law, rejoicing and blessing God. And the ones who saw him walking wondered how he sees. And Tobit confessed before them that God had mercy on him. 17. And when Tobit got close to Sarah, his daughter in law, he blessed her and said: “Welcome, daughter! Blessed is God, the One Who has brought you to us! Blessed be your father and your mother! Blessed be my son Tobijah and blessed be you, my daughter! Be welcomed in your house, in joy and blessedness! Enter, my daughter!” 18. And in that day all his brothers from Nineveh rejoiced. 19. And came Ahikar and Nadab, his relatives, and they feasted with joy the wedding of Tobijah for seven days. 16 ( 3 $ 8 - 3 & 8 4 & 33 ! 7 $ & 7 8 8 1. And calling Tobit him son, Tobijah, he said: “Son, prepare the payment for the man who were with you. We have to add something more to it”. 2. And he answered: “Father, I reckon that I will not be on loss if I will give him a half from all I have brought; 3. Because he has brought me to you in good health and he cured my wife; and he has brought the silver and he healed you!” 4. And the old man said: “It is lawful to him!” 5. And he called the angel and said to him: “Take half of what you have brought and of in good peace!” 6. Then the angel called both of them apart and said to them: “Bless God, glorify Him and know His glory and confess in front of all the living what he has done to you! Good thing is to bless God, to exalt His name and and to herald, glorifying the deeds of God! And you do not get lazy in glorifying Him. 7. The secret of the king it is lawful to keep it and the things of God it is praise to herald them. Do good deeds and the evil will not prevail. 8. More valuable is the prayer with fasting and mercy and with righteousness, than with richness and injustice; better is to give alms than to gather gold, 9. Because the alms delivers from death and cleans every sin. They who give alms and righteousness they will live longer. 10. I won`t hide anything from you and I have told you: “The secret of the king it is lawful to keep it, and the things of God it is praising to herald them”. 11. When you were praying, you and your daughter in law Sarah, I have been bringing your prayer before The Holy One, and when you have been burying the dead ones I still was with you. 12. And when you wasn`t lazy to get up from your lunch and to take the dead one, your benefaction wasn`t hidden from me, but I was with you. 13. And now God has sent me to heal you and your daughter in law, Sarah. 14. I am Raphael, one from the seven holy angels, who raises the prayer of the saints and elevates it before The Holy One”. 15. Then both of them got afraid and fell on their faces, because they were engulfed by fear. 16. But he said to them: “Do not fear! Peace will you have! Bless God forever! 17. Because I haven`t come by my will, but after the will of our God, and that`s why be you blessing Him forever! 18. In all days I was seen by you, but I didn`t eat, nor drink, but only to your eyes this seemed to be. 19. Therefore, glorify now God, because I raise myself up to The One Who sent me, and write in a book all that was done”. 20. And getting them up, they didn`t see him anymore. 17 21. And they started to tell the great and wonderful things of God and how the angel shown himself to them. ( 3 33 5 8 3 1 % 8 $ 8 1. Then Tobit wrote joyfully this prayer and said: “Blessed is the eternal alive God and blessed is His kingdom. 2. For He punishes and has mercy, sends down to the dwelling place of the dead and raises again, and there is nobody who would escape from His hand! 3. Sons of Israel, glorify Him before the nations for He scattered us among them. 4. Herald there His glory and exalt Him before all the living ones, for He is the Lord, God and our Father in all ages. 5. He will punish you for your injustices, and will have mercy on you and will gather you from all the nations among which you have been scattered. 6. If you will turn yourselves back to Him with all your heart and all your soul, to walk before Him with righteousness, the He also will turn towards you and won`t hide His face from you. You will see what will be done with you. Glorify Him with loud voice and bless the Lord of the justice and exalt the King of ages. I will glorify Him in the land of bondage and I will herald His power and glory to the people of the sinners! Turn back, you sinners, and make justice in front of Him! He might be benevolent to you and will show mercy. 7. I will exalt my God, and my soul will exalt the King of the heaven and will rejoice of His glory. 8. Let Him be heralded by everybody and be glorified in Jerusalem. 9. Jerusalem, holy city, He will punish you for the sins of your children and will have mercy again on the sons of the righteous ones. 10. Diligently glorify God and bless the King of the ages, to be build again His dwelling place, with joy, in your middle, for He rejoice in your middle the ones that were taken in slavery and to love the miserable ones of yours from all the nations of the time. 11. The nations of the Gentiles will praise You in shouting of joy. Cursed be all the ones who hate You, and the ones who love You be they blessed forever! 12. Rejoice and be glad about the sons of the righteous ones, for those ones will gather themselves together and will bless the Lord of the righteous ones. 13. Oh, blessed are them who love You, for those ones will enjoy Your peace! Blessed are the ones who were saddened of all Your punishments, for those ones will rejoice of You, when they will see Your glory, and they will rejoice eternally. 18 14. Be my soul blessing God, the Great King, because the Jerusalem will be built again, with sapphire, with emerald and with precious stones! 15. And your walls, towers and fortifications will be made from pure gold! 16. On all the streets will sound “Halleluiah!”, and will be song: “Blessed is the God of Israel! Into You will be blessed You holy name forever!” ( 3 6 1. And Tobit finished his song of praise. 2. When he lost his eyesight he was fifty eight years old, and he saw again after eight years. And he gave alms, and he always blessed God and praised His glory. 3. When he was about to die he called his son Tobijah, and his seven sons of him, and said to them: “Son, take your sons; behold, I got old and I am at the end of my life. 4. Go in Media, my son, because I am entrusted that Nineveh will be break down, as Jonas the prophet said, and in Media there will be peace for while. Our brother, who are in the country, they will be scattered out from this precious land, Jerusalem will be deserted, and the temple of God from it will be burnt and will be left deserted for a while. 5. But God will have again mercy on them and will turn them back into the country; and the temple of God will be erected, but not like the previous one, until the times of the age will not be fulfilled. And after that they will turn back from the slavery and they will build he Jerusalem wonderfully, and the temple of God will be again build in it for all the nations of the age – mighty building, as the prophets spoke about it. 6. And all the people will turn back and they will truly worship the Lord God and they will shatter down their idols. 7. And all the nations will bless God, and also His people will bless God, and the Lord will exalt His people. And all the ones who truly and rightly love the Lord God will rejoice and they will have mercy with our brothers. 8. So, my son, leave Nineveh, because what Jonah said will be fulfilled flawlessly. 9. Observe the Law and the commandments; be gentle, merciful and righteous, to be well to you. 10. Bury me as is ought, and your mother next to me, and after that do not stay any longer in Nineveh. 11. Son, see what has done Nadab with Ahikar, who has raised him. How he brought him from light to the darkness and how it was rewarded to him. But God saved Ahikar, and that one received the fitted reward descending into darkness. Ahikar gave alms and he was delivered from the trap of the death, and Nadab fell aside and perished. 12. So, children, look at what the mercy does and how the righteousness delivers”. 19 13. And after he said these things, his soul came out. And then he was of one hundred and fifty eight years old and his son buried him with honor. 14. And after Ana died too, he buried also her next to his father. And after that Tobijah with his wife and his children left for Ecbatana, to his father in law Reuel, and he reached at a honorable old age, and he buried with honor his father in law and his mother in law, and he received as heritage their wealth and the wealth of Tobit, his father, and he died at the age of one hundred and twenty seven years, in Media`s Ecbatana. 15. But before he died he heard about the perish of Nineveh, which was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus, and he rejoiced before his death about Nineveh. 20 2 ( 1% 3 The fortification of Ecbatana city and the victory of Nebuchadnezzar over Arphaxad. 1. It was in the twelfth year of Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled over the Assyrians, at Nineveh, the big city. Arphaxad ruled then over the Medians in Ecbatana. 2. He encompassed this city with a wall of stones, cut in four corners, with six cubits in length, and of three cubits in width, and made to it wall of seventy cubits height, and thick of fifty cubits. 3. He erected at the gates towers of one hundred cubits in height and sixty cubits at the foundations. 4. And he made to it gates of sixty cubits in height and wide of forty cubits, through which to come out the army and the pedestrians. 5. At that time Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Assyrians, waged war against the king Arphaxad in the great plane from the Reu County. 6. On his side were gathered all the nations from the mountains, from Euphrates, Tiger and Hydaspes, and from the planes obeyed to Airoh, the king of Elimees. And in this way many nations were gathered up to take part at the battle of the sons of Heleus. 7. But Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Assyrians, sent notice to all the inhabitants of Persia, and to all the inhabitants from the West, to the inhabitants of Cilicia and Damascus, of Lebanon and of Antilebanon, and also to the ones who live on the shore of the sea, 8. And to the nations dwelled in Carmel and in Galahad, and in Upper Galilee and in the great plane of Esdrelon, 9. And to all of them who were in Samaria, and in its cities, and to them who were beyond Jordan, to Jerusalem, Batan, Helios, Cades, the river of Egypt, Tahpanhes, Ramses and the county of Goshen, 10. To beyond Tanis and Memphis, and to all the inhabitants of Egypt to borders of Ethiopia. 11. But the inhabitants of these counties disregarded the word of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Assyrians, and didn`t joined with him at war, because they didn`t fear him, but they reckoned him as equal with them. So they sent back his heralds empty handed and ashamed. 12. Then Nebuchadnezzar got very angry against all these countries. He swore on his throne and on his kingdom, to avenge himself and to desert with the sword, the countries of Cilicia, Damascus, Syria, as also the ones of Moab, of Ammonites, Judea and Egypt, to the borders of the two seas. 13. In the seventeenth year he started war against the king Arphaxad, defeating him. He overthrew all his army, his cavalry, his chariots, 14. And he subdued his cities and he reached at Ecbatana. There he encompassed the towers, deserted the stones, making a shameful things from all its adornment. 21 15. And he apprehended Arphaxad in the Reu Mountains, pierced him with the spears, and in that day he destroyed him totally. 16. And he went back at Nineveh with his army and with a great multitude which joined it, as numerous boodles of armed men. And there they indulged in feasts, him and his army, for one hundred and twenty days time. ( 3 %! == . 3% 22. In the eighteenth year, in the day twenty two of the first month, were rumors in palace that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Assyrians, is going to avenge himself on whole that county as he said before. 23. So he called all the servants, all the beneficiaries, the chieftains and all his warriors, and held with them a secret council. 24. And they decided to destroy everybody that wouldn`t follow his command. 25. And after the council finished, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Assyrians, summoned Holofernes, the chieftain of his army, who was the second in government after him, and said to him: 26. “This is the command of the great king, the master of the world: Depart and take with you trustfully man regarding their power, one hundred and twenty thousand pedestrians, and horses and riders twelve thousands; 27. And direct yourself towards the entire county from West, for they didn`t listen the command of my mouth. 28. And tell them to prepare for me the earth and the water, because in my fury I will depart against them and I will cover the entire surface of the country with the feet of my soldiers, and I will give it to be plundered. 29. Their wounded to fill up all the precipices and all the rivers, Euphrates to be full of corps, when you`ll be to cross it, 30. And I will drag their servant to the end of the earth. 31. So, depart and obey to me the entire county. And if they will surrender to you, keep them to me for the day of their punishment. 32. On them who do not want to obey to me, let your eye not to spare them, but everywhere give them to death and plunder. 33. For on my life and on my kingdom I swore and with my hand I will accomplish the oath. 34. You, therefore, do not transgress any of the commandments of your master, but accomplish them as I have told you and to not tarry! 35. And after Holofernes came out from the king, he summoned to him all the leaders, chieftains and all the high ranks of the Assyrian army. 36. He counted the chosen troops for the battle, one hundred and twenty thousand pedestrians and twelve thousands of mounted archers. 37. He set them in order, as an army ready for war 38. And he took a great multitude of camels, donkeys and mules for carrying their burdens, and sheep, oxen and goats, countless, for their food, 22 39. As also plentiful of foods for each soldier, and very much gold and silver from the palace of the king. 40. And he departed in his way, him and his entire army, to walk before the king Nebuchadnezzar, then with the chariots and with the riders and with the chosen pedestrians to cover the entire face of the earth towards West. 41. And the multitude which accompanied them was numerous as the locusts and the sand of the sea; their multitude was countless. 42. And he went out Nineveh and directed himself towards the Bectelet plane, three days` journey. And he settled his camp from Bectelet close to the mountain which was at North of the Upper Cilicia. 43. After this he took his entire army, the pedestrians, the riders and the chariots, and he went from there on the mountain. 44. And he scattered away Put and Lut and plundered the sons of Arsis and the sons of Ishmael, who dwell at the edge of the desert, southwards of Hittites` country. 45. He crossed the Euphrates, and travelled Mesopotamia and destroyed all the fortified cities on the Abronah River and reached at the sea. 46. He apprehended the entire county of Cilicia and destroyed everything in his way and he reached at the southern borders of Japheth, in front of Arabia, 47. And he surrendered all the sons of Midian, burnt their settlements and plundered their sheepfolds. 48. Then he descended in the plane of Damascus, at the time of harvesting, and he burnt all the crops and destroyed all the sheep flocks and all the cattle herds, he plundered their cities and he deserted all their fields, and passed the young people through the sword. 49. Then all the inhabitants from the shore of the sea were engulfed by fear, from Sidon, Tyr and Aco, and all the inhabitants from Jamnia, from Ashdod and from Ashkelon, they were horrified by him. ( . 3 5 % % 1. Then they sent to him messengers carrying peace offers, saying: 2. “Behold we stand in front of you as servants of the king Nebuchadnezzar; do with us what it seem good before your face. 3. Behold, our houses, our flocks and herds and all the sheepfolds of our settlements are before you to do with them whatever you`d like. 4. Behold, also our cities and the servants from them are your servants! Come and do with them whatever you believe that is good in your eyes!” 5. And the messengers came to Holofernes and told him their peace offer. 6. He descended with the army of the shore of the sea, put guards in the fortified cities, and took from them chosen men for the army. 7. And the inhabitants of these cities and of the cities from around them welcomed him with crowns, with dances and with drums. 23 8. Despite all these, he deserted all their county and hewn down all their groves, having in his mind to destroy all the gods of the earth, for all the people to worship Nebuchadnezzar and all the tongues and nations to pray to this one as to a god. 9. And so he reached at Esdrelon, near to Dota, which was in front of a big plane of Judah, 10. And he settled hi army between Geba and Scythe, where he tarried for a month to gather the burdens of his army. ( 3 6 . ! % 8 $ ) 2 8 3 1 ! $ 3 1. When the sons of Israel, who were living in Judea, of all what Holofernes, the chieftain of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Assyrians, has done to the nations and how he plundered all their temples and destroyed them, 2. They have been utterly terrified in front of him and they were troubled for Jerusalem and for the temple of their Lord God, 3. Because there was not so long from when they turned back from bondage and only recently the entire people of Judea gathered together and, after the defilement which happened, the holy jewelry, the alter and the temple were sanctified again. 4. And they sent in the county of Samaria and in the villages and to BetO Horon and to Balmain and to Jericho and to Hobah and to Hathor and in the Salem`s valley; 5. And they occupied all the pick of the highest mountains and they fortified all the villages of the mountains, and they gathered up foods in the villages, preparing themselves for the war, because their crops have been recently harvested. 6. Joachim, the great priest in those days at Jerusalem, wrote to the inhabitants from Bethulia and from Betomestaim, from near to Esdrelon, towards the plane near to Dothan, 7. To reinforce the passages of the gorges of the mountain, because through them the road crossed towards Idumaea, and was easy to impede the passage, for a gorge was narrow, as for two people aside. 8. And the sons of Israel did exactly according to the commandment of the great priest Joachim and of the elders of the people of Israel, who held council in Jerusalem. 9. Then the whole Israel cried out towards God with great zeal and humbled themselves with ardor. 10. Both them and their women and children, the cattle and the strangers and the hirelings and the bought servants girdled with sackcloth over their hips. 11. And all Israel, men, women and children, fell on their faces into the temple, and they scattered ashes on their heads and stretched their hand before God. 24 12. They also dressed the altar with sackcloth and cried out towards the God of Israel with one thought and fierily to not let their children pray to slaughter and their women to kidnapping, the cities of their heritage to the destruction, and the temple to the defilement and revilement and to the mockery of the gentiles. 13. And the Lord heard their voice and saw their grief, and the people from all Judea and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fasted for many days in front of the temple of God Almighty. 14. And together with the chief priest Joachim, together with all the priests staying and ministering in front of God, girdled with sackcloth over their hips, they brought the daily burnt offerings and the oaths and the willing gifts of the people. 15. And with ashes scattered over their tiaras cried out towards the Lord from all their power, to look with mercifulness at the entire people of Israel. ( . 3 % $ * & ! 3 3 1. To Holofernes, the chieftain of the Assyrian army, arrived the news that the sons of Israel prepare the battle, that they have closed the gorges of the mountain and that they fortified any high pick, and in the planes they placed obstacles. 2. Then, troubled with anger, he called all the chieftains of the Moab and all the captains of the Ammonites and all the satraps from the shore of the sea, 3. And spoke to them: “Tell me you sons of Canaan, who is this people which dwells into mountain, what sort of cities are these in which he dwells, which is the number of his army and on what leans against his power and resoluteness, and who is the king leading his army? 4. And for what only this people despise me from all the inhabitants of the county from westwards and doesn`t come to welcome me?” 5. Then Ahior, the chieftain of the sons of Ammon, take the word and said: “be my master listening the word from the mouth of his servant, because I want to tell you the truth about this people, which dwell on the mountain next to you, and to not be there coming out lie from the mouth of your servant! 6. These people are the descendant of the Chaldeans, 7. And before time they dwelled in Mesopotamia, and because they wanted to worship the gods of their fathers, who lived in the land of Chaldeans, 8. They rejected the law of their parents and they worshiped the god of the heaven, the God that they knew. And for this reason they parents banished them from the land of the gods that they left, and then they flew in Mesopotamia, where they lived for a long time. 25 9. Then their God commanded to them to leave the dwelling places and to leave for the land of Canaan. And they settled in it and they become rich with gold, silver and countless flocks. 10. Then they descended in Egypt, for the reason that a famine haunted the land of Canaan, and they settled there, as long as they found food, and they become a numerous people; their nation was countless. 11. Then the king of Egypt arose and with cunningness he humiliated them, he persecuted them with the bricks making and put them in the row of the servants. 12. But they shouted out towards their God, Who beat the land of Egypt with cureless plagues, for which reason the Egyptians banished them from their land. 13. Then God dried out the Red Sea in front of them. 14. And He led them on the road towards Sinai and towards Cades – Barnea, and the banished all the people living in the desert. 15. And they dwelled in the country of Amorites and through their power they destroyed all the inhabitants of the Heshbon; then, after they crossed the Jordan, they hold mastery on the entire mountainous county. 16. After than they banished from their front the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the inhabitants of the Sechem, and also all the Ghergheses, and they dwelled there for a long time. 17. And as long as they didn`t commit sin against their God, they took part of happiness, because there is with them a God, Who hates the injustice. 18. But when they got astray from the path that he ordered to them, they were bitterly destroyed by many wars, they have been taken slaves in the foreign country and the temple of their God was destroyed and the enemies took hold on their cities. 19. But then, turning back with repentance to their God, they came back from the countries where they were scattered and took hold on Jerusalem, into which was their temple, and they settled in the mountainous county left deserted. 20. And now master and lord, if this people has committed lawlessness and committed sin against his God, we will understand that in themselves stay the cause of falling and then let us raise up to attack them. 21. But if in this nation there is not lawlessness, be my lord passing forwards, lest their Lord and God to stretch the shield on their side and to be us mocked by the entire world!” 22. And after Ahior finished his speech, the entire multitude gathered around the tent, started niggling, and the beneficiaries of Holofernes and all them who lived on the shore of the sea, and Moab, they raised against him to cut him in pieces, saying one to another: 23. “We are not afraid of the sons of Israel! Behold, they are a people without power and without strength to resist. 24. That`s why we will go against them and they will be like a morsel for your entire army, master Holofernes”. 26 ( . 3 : 8 % ) 8 * ! $ 3% $ $ 3 $ 3 1. And after the ado of the men who stayed around at the council appeased, Holofernes, the head of the Assyrian army, said to Ahior, before the entire multitude of strangers and Ammonites: 2. “Who are you, Ahior, and you the hirelings of Ammon, to play the prophet with us, and to advise us not to start war against the nation of Israel, for their God will defend them? And who is god except Nebuchadnezzar? He will send his army and will destroy them from the face of the earth, and their God won`t be able to save them. 3. But we, his servants, we will crumble them as a single man and they won`t be able to resists against to the power of our horses, 4. Because we will burn them. The mountains will get drunk with their blood and their planes will be full of their corps. And they won`t be able to resist against us, but they will be totally destroyed, O says Nebuchadnezzar, the master of the world – for he said: “Do not let my word be unfulfilled!” 5. But you, Aion, the hireling of Ammon, who have said today such words of defamation, you won`t see my face starting from today until I will avenge myself on this nation which came out from Egypt. 6. Then the sword of my army and the spear of my warriors will pierce you and you will fall down with their killed ones when I will turn myself against Israel. 7. My servant will bring you in mountain and will let you in one of the cities from there. 8. And you won`t perish without taking part at their ruin. 9. But because you hope in your heart that they won`t be defeated, do not be sad, because I said and none of my words will remain unfulfilled!” 10. And Holofernes commanded to his servants, who were in the front of the tent, to take hold on Ahior and to take him in Bethulia and to give him in the hand of the sons of Israel. 11. And then his servant took Ahior and brought him outside the camp from the plane, and brought him on the mountain and they reached at the water springs from bellow Bethulia. 12. But when the inhabitants of the city from the top of the mountain saw them, they took their weapons and came out from the city on the top of the mountain and all the slingers took hold on the slope, throwing stones upon them, 13. And they, hiding themselves in the back of the mountain, they tied Ahior, left him at the foot of the mountain and turned back to their master. 14. But the sons of Israel descended from the city and went to him, untied him and brought him in Bethulia and presented him in before the chieftains of the city, 15. Who were in those days: Ozias, the son of Micah, from the tribe of Simeon, and Habris, the son of Othniel, and Harmis, the son of Melchiel. 27 16. And they called all the elders of the city and to the assembly ran the young people and the women. And the put Ahior in the middle of the entire people, and Ozias asked him about what happened. 17. Then he answered and made known to them the plans of the Holofernes`s council and all the words that he spoke in front of the Assyrian chieftains and the bragging of Holofernes against the house of Israel. 18. Then the people fell on their faces and worshipped God and shouted, saying: 19. “Lord, the God of heaven, look at their haughtiness and have mercy on the humility of this nation and look with mercifulness today to the face of your sanctified ones!” 20. After that they comforted Ahior and they praised him a lot. 21. And Ozias took him from the assembly and brought him at his home and there was a feast made for the elders. And they cried out to the God of Israel the entire night to help them. ( 3 3 % 8 % 8 % ! % 8 ) ! % 33 8 8 $ & $ += 1. The next day Holofernes gave the commandment to his entire army and to the entire multitude of his allies to start against Bethulia, to take hold on the gorges of the mountain and to start the battle with the sons of Israel. 2. And in that they left for the battle all his soldiers and his entire army, composed by one hundred and seventy thousands of pedestrian soldiers, and twelve thousands riders, except the ones who carried the burdens and of the huge multitude which accompanied them on foot. 3. And they camped in a valley next to Bethulia, at the water spring, and they stretched themselves in width from Dothan to Balmain, and in length from Bethulia to Chiammon, which is in the front of Esdrelon. 4. When the sons of Israel saw their multitude, they got very afraid, and they said one to another: “Now they will pillage all the face of the earth, then no high mountains, nor valleys, nor the pick will hinder them!” 5. And taking each of them his weapons, they lit fires in towers and in that night they kept vigil. 6. The second day Holofernes put out the riders in front of the eyes of the sons of Israel from Bethulia. 7. And they searched for the paths leading to the city and they searched for the water springs of which they took hold and, placing at each of it a guard, they turned back to the army. 8. Then the chieftains of the sons of Esau came to him and the leaders of the Moab and the chieftains of the army from the shore of the sea and said to him: 9. “Be our lord deigning to listen to us and the army won`t have any wound. 28 10. Because the sons of Israel they do not base themselves on their spears, but on the heights of the mountain in which their live, and it is not easy to penetrate on those picks. 11. And now, our lord, do not make war to them according to the rule of the war, and none of your soldiers will fall, 12. But remain in your camp and keep all your soldiers at shelter. But be your servants taking hold on the water spring from the foot on the mountain, 13. Because there come to drink water all the inhabitants of Bethulia. The thirst will force them to surrender the city. And we, together with our army, will climb up the pick of the pick of the mountains from nearby and we will camp there and will take vigil and won`t let anybody to come out from the city. 14. And they will melt down with hunger, and their women, and their children, and before the sword will bring them down, they will be brought down on the streets and in front of their houses. 15. And in this way you will bitterly reward them, because they resisted against you and didn`t come out to welcome you with peace!” 16. And their words were pleasant to Holofernes and to his beneficiaries, and he gave commandment to be done exactly according to their advice. 17. And so, the army of the Ammonites together with fifty thousand of Assyrians took hold on the sons of Israel`s water springs. 18. And the sons of Esau and the sons of Ammon they climbed up and placed their camp on the mountain, about Dothan. A part of it they sent southwards and eastwards in the front of Ecrebel, near Husi, on the Mohmur River, and the other Assyrian army placed its camp in the plane and covered the entire county. Their tents and their burdens, many in number, and their army from the camp, formed a great multitude, because they were many. 19. Then the sons of Israel cried out towards their Lord God, because they panicked, when they saw themselves surrounded by their enemies, and there wasn`t any escape. 20. And all the army of the Assyrians, the pedestrians, the war chariots and the riders, kept them surrounded for thirty four days, then all the inhabitants of Bethulia finished all their water reserves. 21. But also the cisterns were emptied and they had not with which to appease their thirst not even for a day, because they were given to drink with portion. 22. Both the man and the women lost their courage, and the youngsters fainted with thirst, and fell on the streets of the city, and in the shelters of the gates, and no vigor has been left in them. 23. Then the entire people, the youngsters, the women and the children, gathered at Ozias and at the chieftain of the city and they said in front of all the men: 24. “God be judge between us and you, because you have caused a great harm to us, not making a peaceful understanding with the Assyrians. 29 25. And now we don`t not have help from anywhere, because God surrendered us in their hands, to perish broken down by thirst before them and to totally perish. 26. So call them right now and give the city prey to Holofernes and his army, 27. Because is better to fall prey in their hands. In this way we will end slaves and will escape alive than to see with the eyes the death of our children and how our children and our women die with thirst. 28. And now we swear on heaven and on earth and on the Lord God of our fathers, Who punishes us for our lawlessness and for the lawlessness of our parents, to not do to us today according to our words!” 29. And a great weeping was made in the middle of the assembly of all of them and they cried out with a loud voice towards the Lord God. 30. But Ozias said to them: Be on good faith, brothers! Let`s endure five more days, in which the Lord our God will turn Himself towards us, because he won`t let us to the end. 31. And if, after these days will pass, no help will come to us, then I`ll do precisely according to your advice!” 32. And he scattered the people, each one at his place. And they went of the wall and in the towers of the city, and he sent the women and the children at their houses. And in the city there was a great humility. ( 3 ; 2 8 7! 1% & 3 3 1. And in that time such words reached at the ears of Judith, the daughter of Merari, the son of Ox, the son of Josef, the son of Oziel, the son of Elai, the son of Ananiah, the son of Gideon, the son of Rafa, the son of Ahito, the son of Melchor, the son of Enan, the son of Nathanael, the son of Salamiel, the son of Sarasadai, the son of Israel. 2. And her husband, Manasseh, from her tribe and nation, died at the time of barley harvesting. 3. He has been supervising the barley reapers when the hit of the sun stroke him, and he died in Bethulia, his city, and they buried him in the land of his parents, between Dothan and Balmain. 4. And Judith remained widow; she lived in her house for three years and four months. 5. And she made a tabernacle on the top of the house and worn sackcloth around her hips and worn the clothing of her widowhood; 6. And she fasted in all the days of her widowhood, except the eve of the Sabbaths, and of the Sabbaths, except the eve of the fool moon days, and of the fool moon days, except the feasts and the celebration days of the nation of Israel. 7. And she was beautiful in stature and charming at face. And Manasseh left her gold and silver, servants and housemaids, which she owned now. 30 8. And nobody would dare to tell her an evil word, because her utterly feared God. 9. And she heard the evil speaking of the people against the chieftains, because for the lack of water they panicked. But Judith heard also the words of Ozias which he spoke to the people and how he swore that after five days he will surrender the city into the hand of Assyrians. 10. So she sent her housemaid whom she established over her entire wealth, to call at her Ozias, and Habris and Harmis, the elders of the city. 11. And after they came, she spoke to them: “Listen to me, you, chieftains of the Bethulia`s inhabitants. Because it isn`t right the word that you spoke before the people, when you swore on God and promised to surrender the city to the enemy in five days term, if until then the Lord won`t come in our help. 12. And now who are you, the ones who tempt God in this day and who from you stays instead God among people? 13. And now you tempt the Almighty God, but you will forever know nothing. 14. Even if to the depth of the man`s heart you can`t find its bottom and neither can you comprise the line of its cogitation, how could you, I wonder, to penetrate God, Who has made all of these, and to comprise His mind and to understand His thoughts? Never, brother! Do not provoke the Lord your God. 15. Because, if he doesn`t want to help you in five days terms, He has power to defend us whenever He wants, or to destroy us in front of our enemies. 16. Do not put covenant on the plans of your Lord God, because God can`t be menaced as a man, nor can be as a earthly one submitted to our judgment. 17. That`s why let` wait for His help and cry out for our deliverance, and He will listen to our voice, if He has mercy on it. 18. Because there won`t be found anybody from our nation and today there isn`t any tribe, family, nor people, neither city, which to worship idols made by the human hand, as aforetime this happened. 19. For this cause our parents were passed through the edge of the sword and plundered, or they suffered a great defeat from our enemies. 20. We don`t know other God except Him, and for this we hope that He will not look over neither on us nor our nation. 21. Because if our city will fall, the entire Judea will fall and our temple will be plundered, and, for its defilement, the Lord will hold us accountable. 22. And the killing of our brother and the enslavement of the country, the deserting of our heritage He will turn it upon our head, in the middle of the nations where we`ll be slaves, and we`ll end the mockery and the revilement of them who will master upon us. 23. Because our slavery, the Lord won`t direct it towards good, but the Lord our God will transform it into revilement. 24. And now, brothers, let`s show to our brother that our life hangs on us, and of what we have the most holy, the temple and the altar, lean on us. 25. For these ones let`s give thanks to our Lord God Who tries us exactly as He did on our parents. 31 26. Remember who many He did with Abraham and how many times He tried Isaac and how many things Jacob encountered in Mesopotamia, while he shepherded the flocks of Laban, the brother of his mother. 27. For as He tempted those ones, to examine their heart, in the same way He tries us, but not for revenge, but rather the Lord strikes them who touch Him”. 28. Then Ozias said towards her: “Everything that you have spoken, you have spoken it with a good heart, and nobody can resist against your words. 29. Because not from today your wisdom is known, but from the beginning of your life all the people recognized your skill and the wisdom of your heart. 30. But the people is very hard tormented with thirst and it`s forced us to do as we have promised and submitted us to oath, which we won`t be able to break. 31. And now pray for us, because you are a pious woman, for the Lord to send to us rain, to fill up our vessels and to not lack anymore the water to us. 32. But Judith answered to them: “Listen to me! I want to do a deed which to remain in the memory of the children of our tribe from generation to generation. 33. In this nigh you will stay at the gate of the city and I will go out with my housemaid, and in the days in which you have promised that you will surrender the city in the hand of your enemies, the Lord will deliver the city with my hand. 34. But you don`t not try to penetrate with the mind my deed, because I won`t tell you anything until I will accomplish why I want to do”. 35. Then Ozias and the chieftains said to her: “Go in peace, and the Lord God to be with you, to avenge us on our enemies.” 36. And leaving her room, they went to their places. ( 3 3 $ < 1% & 2 8 . 3 ! 8 1. Judith fell on her face and scattered ashes on her head and got off the sackcloth with which she was clothed. And in that evening has been brought in Jerusalem, in the temple of God, the sacrifice of incense. The Judith shouted out with loud voice and said towards God: 2. “Lord God of my father Symeon, to who You gave the sword in his hand, to revenge on the one of a strange nation who uncovered the belly of the virgin towards defilement and covered her hips towards shame and her breast they defiled it towards insult. You said: “This will not be!”, but they done it. 3. For this You gave their chieftains to death, and their bed, which was defiled by their deceitfulness, you transformed it in a lake of blood and you stroke the servants and the masters, and their chieftains, 32 4. And their women you gave them to kidnapping and their daughters to slavery and their jewelry to the plundering of your beloved sons, who were fiery because of the zeal for You and terrified by the defilement of their blood, and they called You at their help; God, my God, listen to me, the widow one! 5. The one that were before these ones, You made them, but also the ones from now and from latter. The present and the future You knew them, and the fulfilled ones You thought them. 6. Your thoughts came in front and said: “behold us, we are present!” All Your ways are prepared and Your decisions given with Your foresight. 7. For, behold, the army of the Assyrians is numerous and they brag themselves with horses and riders, and they are haughty with the strong arm of the pedestrians, and put their hope in the shield, in the lance, in bow and sling, and they do not know that You are the Lord, Who put an end to the wards. 8. The Lord is Your name! Brake with Your power their violence and in You wrath crumble their strength, because they have taken thought to defile Your holy places and to defile the tent of the dwelling of Your glorified name and with the sword to hew down the horn of your altar. 9. Look down to their haughtiness and send Your anger over their heads, and give in my hand, the widow one, power for what I have put in my mind to do. 10. Strike with the cunning lips servant and master, master and servant. Destroy their haughtiness by the hand of a woman! 11. Because You power doesn`t stay in the big number, neither Your strength in the power of the horses, but You are the God of the humble ones, the help of the little ones, the support of the weak ones, the shelter of the forsaken ones, the deliverer of the despaired ones. 12. Oh, God of my father and God of the heritage of Israel, the Master of the heaven and of the earth, the Builder of the waters, the King of all the creatures, listen to my prayer, 13. And give me deceiver word to wound and crush them who plotted so darkened plans against Your covenant and of Your holy dwelling place, of the mount Zion and Your house of Your sons! 14. And make that entire Your people, as well also every tribe, to know that You are the God of the powers and of strength and that there is no other to defend the nation of Israel besides You!” ( 3 1% ! 8 % ! $ 8% % $ 8 % & % $ . 1. So shouts out Judith towards God of Israel. At the end of the prayer, 2. She get up from where she felt on her face and called her housemaid and they went in the house where she spent the days of rest and the feasting days, 33 3. And, getting out the sackcloth, she disrobed her widowhood clothes, she took a bath and anointed herself with fragrances, combed her hair and dressed herself with her clothes of joy, with which she have been clothing herself while her husband, Manasseh, was alive. 4. Then she put in her feet sandals, and put on the necklaces, the bracelets, the rings, the earrings and all the jewelries. And she made herself beautiful as much as to be able to conquer the sights of all the men who will see her. 5. And she gave to her housemaid a goatskin with wine and a pitcher with oil, and she filled in a bag with barley and with cake of olives and bread of clean wheat, and tied together all of these and put them on the back of her housemaid. 6. And they headed towards the gate of Bethulia City and they found there Ozias and the elders of the city, Habris and Harmis, sitting next to the gate. 7. When they saw Judith, for her face was changed and her clothes as well, they remained astonished by her beauty and they said: 8. “The Lord God of our fathers to be giving you grace to reach your goal, towards the pride of the sons of Israel and for exaltation of Israel!” And they prayed to God. 9. Then she said: “Give command to be opened to me the gate of the city, to do what I have spoken to you!” And they ordered to the guards to open according to her word. 10. And they did exactly. And Judith together with her housemaid went out. And the inhabitants of the city watched after her until she descended the mountain and crossed the valley and the lost her from their sight. 11. And she crossed the valley straight ahead until she met a guard of the Assyrians. 12. They stopped her and asked her: “Who are you, where are you coming from and where are you going to?” And she answered: “I am a daughter of Jews, and I am fleeing away from them, because they will be given to you as food, 13. And I am going to Holofernes, the chieftain of your army, to unveil him the truth and to show him a path on which to go and take hold on the entire mountain, without perish any of his men!” 14. When the men heard her words and gazed in her eyes / because she was in their eyes unspoken beautiful they said to her: 15. “You have saved your life; hurry and descend to our master and head towards his tent; behold, some of our men will accompany you and will give you in his hands! 16. And when you will be shown to him, your heart not to be afraid, but show him as you have said and he will behave well with you!” 17. Then they chose on hundred from them to accompany her and her housemaid and to bring them to the tent of Holofernes. 18. And a murmur has been stirred up in the camp, because the news about her arrival reached into the tents. And they came and surrounded her, for she was staying outside the tent of Holofernes to be announced. 34 19. And they marveled about her astonishing beauty and for her they wondered about the sons of Israel and said one to another: “Who can despise such a people which have among him such women? There is no way for them to escape, because if they would, they will deceive an entire world!” 20. And the ones who kept guard at the ten of Holofernes and the captains come out and brought her in the tent. 21. And Holofernes has been resting on his bed, placed under a curtain of porphyry, waived with golden treads, with emeralds and with precious stones. 22. And when he was announced about her, he came out on the porch of the tent, and his servants walked around him with silver candlesticks. 23. And when he and his captains met Judith, they wondered about the beauty of her face. And she, falling on her face, worshiped him, and his servants raised her. ( 3 $ 8 1% & . ! % 7! 7! 1. The Holofernes said: “dare, woman, and do not be afraid, because I haven`t done any harm to nobody who chose to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the whole world. 2. And now if your people, which lives on the mountain, wouldn`t despised me, I wouldn`t have raises my spear against them. But they alone have done it to themselves. 3. But tell me now: What have you fled and come to us for? Because you have come for your deliverance. Dare! In this night you will escape your live, as well as from now one. 4. Nobody will harm you, but will do well to you, as it happens with the servants of my master, the king Nebuchadnezzar.” 5. Then Judith told to him: “Regard with clemency the words of your servant, and as your servant to speak in front of you. And no liar word I will tell you to my master in this night. 6. Just follow the words of your servant and God will accomplish with you your thing, and my master won`t mistake in his works. 7. Long live Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the whole world, who has sent you to bring every living soul on the right way, and long live his power! For because of you, not only the people who serve him will live, but also the wild beasts, the cattle of the land and the fowl of the sky will live by your power, for Nebuchadnezzar and for whole his house. 8. I have heard about your wisdom and about the skillfulness of your spirit, and everybody knows that you are not only good in the entire kingdom and very skilled, but you are also unsurpassed in the craftsmanship of the war. 35 9. And the words that Ahior told in your council, we also know them, because the inhabitants from Bethulia spared his life, and he has told them that entire he has told to you. 10. For this reason, master and lord, do not despise his words, but put them into your heart, because they are true. Our nation cannot be punished and the sword cannot defeat it, if doesn`t commit sin against its God. 11. And now for my lord to know neither rejection, nor defeat, death will fall upon their heads. Because the sin took hold on them, and with this sin they provoke God every time that they indulge themselves to lawlessness. 12. And after they finished their foods and ran out of water, they have decided to take put their hand of the cattle, and they have in their mind to eat everything that God forbad to be eaten. 13. Even the first fruit of the wheat and the tithe from the wine and oil, which they keep it for the priests which minister in Jerusalem in front of our God, they have decided to eat them, things that nobody from the people is allowed to touch them, not even with the hand. 14. But because the inhabitants from there have done it the same, they have sent to Jerusalem the accord from the part of the council. 15. And immediately that it will be brought to their knowledge and they will commit such things, even in that day will be they give to you for perdition. 16. So, when I, your servant, have found out all these things, I fled from their front, and God sent me to let you know the deed which, when they will be heard, the entire world will be afraid, 17. Because your servant if afraid of God, and day and night prays to the God of heaven, and now I will remain at you, master, and I, your servant, I will get out in the night in the cave of the rock, to pray to God, and He will tell me when they will have committed these sins. 18. And then I`ll come to you and unveil to you everything, and you will depart with your army and nobody from them would be able to resist against you. 19. And I will lead you through the middle of Judea, to the front of Jerusalem. I will make for you to be placed in the beautiful middle of the city. Then you will bring them as the sheep which have no shepherd. And no dog will grunt before you. Such things have been discovered to me, and have been heralded to me, and I have been sent to let you know!” 20. And Holofernes liked her words and all his chieftains did, insomuch that they wondered about her wisdom and said: 21. “Such a woman beautiful at face and wise in words is nowhere to be found, from an end to the other end of the earth!” 22. Then Holofernes said to her: “God has done well to send you before your own people. In our hand will be the power and to the ones who despised my lord, the ruin. 23. And you are as beautiful as you are skilled in words. If you will do as you have said. your God will be my God also and you will live in the palace of the king Nebuchadnezzar and you will be know in the entire world. 36 ( 3 ! 8 8 1% . . . 3 $ > 3 1. And he gave commandment to bring her inside, where the silverware has been placed, and to set the table for her to eat from his food and to drink from his wine. 2. But Judith said: “I do not eat from these ones, to not produce some offence, but let to be brought to me from my foods that I have brought with me!” 3. Then Holofernes said: ”And if the ones that you have brought with you will finish, where from will we bring other to you? Because we haven`t anyone from your nation with us.” 4. And Judith said: “Be living in peace, master. I, your servant, won`t finish my supplies until the Lord will fulfill through me His plans!” 5. After that the captains of Holofernes brought her in the tent, and she slept to the middle of the night and woke up to the early morning, 6. And sent to Holofernes to say him: “Let my master command to be let his servant to go out to the prayer”. 7. Then Holofernes commanded to his guard to not impede her. And she remained in the camp for three days, and each night she went out in the cave of the rock near Bethulia, and washed herself at the spring where the guard post was. 8. And after that she prayed to the Lord God of Israel, to straighten her way for the deliverance of her people. 9. And turning back clean, she stayed in the tent until evening, when the food was brought to her. 10. And in the fourth day Holofernes made a feast, only for his servants, and did not invite any of the beneficiaries. 11. And he said to Bagoas, the eunuch, who was put chief on all his things> “Go and convince this daughter of Jews, that one who is at you, to come and eat and drink with us, 12. Because it would be a shame for us to let such a woman to escape without living with her. And if we won`t succeed to convince her, the entire world will laugh on us”. 13. And Bagoas came out from the front of Holofernes and entered at her and said to her: “Let not this beautiful young woman tarry to come to my master, to be honored in front of him and to delight herself drinking wine with us, and in this day to be as one of the daughters of Assyria who are in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar”. 14. And Judith said: “Who am I to resist against my lord? For everything is pleasant to his eyes I will hurry up to do it, and this will be a joy for me to the day of my death!” 15. And getting up, she adorned herself with her vestments and with all kind of womanly jewelry, and her housemaid went before and laid her fur 37 before Holofernes, which Bagoas gave to Judith for the daily need, to lay down on it to eat. 16. And Judith entered and sat down. And the heart of Holofernes was totally kidnapped and his mind totally troubled, for he wanted much to be with her. And from the day he first saw her he has been searching for the occasion to lure her. 17. Then Holofernes said: “Drink and rejoice with us!” 18. And Judith said: “I drink joyfully, master, because today my life has been honored more than any day starting from by birth”. 19. And she ate and she saw in front of him from what her housemaid has prepared. 20. And Holofernes was under her charm and he drank so much wine than he has never drunk from his birth. ( 3 5 8 . 8 ) 3 8 8 % 2 87 8 3 1. And in the late night the servants hurried to leave. And Bagoas closed the tent from outside and removed the guests from his master. And all of them were Tired by the prolonged feast. 2. And Judith has been left alone with Holofernes, laid on his bed, overwhelmed by the wine. 3. And Judith has commanded to her housemaid to stay outside and to wait for her coming out, as in each day, because she said that she will go to pray, but she told the same thing also to Bogas. 4. And after everybody left, and were nobody in the Talamus, neither from the big ones nor from the small ones, Judith came close to the bed and said into her heart: “Lord, the Almighty God, look in this hour at the deeds of my hands, for the glory of Israel!” 5. For now is the time to take care of Your heritage and to bring to fulfillment my thought, towards the perishing of the enemies who raised up against us”. 6. And heading towards the pillar of the bed which was at the head of Holofernes, she took his sword 7. And, getting closer to the bed, she grabbed Holofernes by the hair and said: “Strengthen me, Lord, God of Israel, in this day!” 8. And then she hit him over the neck twice and beheaded him. 9. She rolled down the body from the bad and took the curtain from the pillars and after a little time she came out and gave to her housemaid the head of Holofernes. And she put it in her food bag. And both of them went out as usual to prayer. And they crossed the camp, took around the cave of the rock and took the road up to the mountain of Bethulia and reached at the gates of the city. 38 10. And from far Judith shouted out to the guardians of the gate: “Open, open gate! With us is God, our God, to show His power and strength in Israel against our enemies, as He has done it in the day today”. 11. And when the inhabitants of the city heard her voice, they hurried to descend at the gate of the city and they called also the elders of the city. 12. And then ran all of them, from the smallest to the biggest, because they haven`t expected her. The people opened the gate, received in the two women, made a fire to see and surrounded them. 13. And she said to them with loud voice: “Praise God! Praise Him! Glorify God, Who hasn`t lack Israel of His mercy, but He crushed in this night by my hand our enemies!” 14. And she took the head out from the bag and showing it, she said: “Behold the head of Holofernes, the chieftains of the Assyrian army; behold also the curtain under which he laid in his drunkenness. And God killed him by the hand of a woman. 15. Alive is the Lord, Who guarded me in the way on which I went, for my face lured him to his death, and he didn`t do any sin towards defilement or shame”. 16. And the entire people got very afraid and, falling in their knees, worshipped God and said with one voice: “Glorified are You, our Lord, Who has destroyed today the enemies of our people!” 17. And Ozias said to Judith: “Glorified be you, daughter, by God the Most High, before all the women from the earth, and glorified be the Lord God, Who has made the heaven and the earth, and Who led you, to behead the chieftain of our enemies. 18. And how will be ended the remembrance in the hearts of the people about your hope in God, but forever they will remember the power of God. 19. And be God keeping an eternal memory and to bless you towards good, for you didn`t spare your life when did come about the humiliation of our people, but you have raised us up from our falling, walking of the straight path, before our God!” And all the people shouted: “Amen! Amen!” ( 3 6 7! % 1% * % % 8 7 * $ % ) 1. Then Judith said: “Listen to me, brothers. Take this head and hang it on the top of your walls. 2. And at dawn, after the sun will rise up, each of you take the weapons for the battle and the skilled ones in battle go out from the city with a captain in front of you, as you would have in mind to descend towards the guard of the Assyrians, but do not descend. 3. Then the Assyrians, taking their weapons, will enter into the camp and will awake the chieftains of the Assyrian army, who will run together at the tent of Holofernes, but they won`t find him. And then they will be engulfed by fear and they will run from before you. 39 4. After that, you and all of them who live on the mountain chase them and kill them on your roads. 5. But before do that, call Ahior the Ammonite, to see and know the one who was despising the house of Israel, the one who sent him among us as a man given to death from before!” 6. And they called Ahior out from the house of Ozias. And when he came he saw the head of Holofernes in the hands of a man from the assembly of the people, he fell on his face and fainted. 7. And after they rose him up, he fell at the feet of Judith, worshipped her and said: “Blessed are you in every dwelling place of Judas and to all the nations, which, by hearing your name, will be afraid. 8. And now tell me what have you done in these days?” Then Judith said in the middle of the people all she has done since she left and to that instant when she was speaking to them. 9. And after she finished speaking, the people burst into shouting of joy, than the shouting was heard in the city. 10. And being entrusted Ahior about all that were done by God of Israel, he believed unshaken in God and circumcised his body and he was definitively received in the house of Israel. 11. And at dawn, they hung the head of Holofernes on the wall and then they went out in bands towards the gorges of the mountain. 12. And when the Assyrians saw them, they sent after their chieftains, and those ones went to the captains and to the over three thousands and to all their chiefs, 13. And after than they reached at the tent of Holofernes and said to the chief from there: “Wake up our Lord, because the servants dared to rise up at war against us, to totally destroy us!” 14. And then Bagoas entered and knocked in the curtain of the tent, because he reckoned that Holofernes sleeps with Judith. 15. And because he didn`t hear anybody, he removed the curtain and entered in the sleeping room, and found him cast on the threshold, dead and beheaded. 16. And he started to shout from all his powers and to cry, shredding his clothes. 17. And then he went quickly in the tent where the dwelling place of Judith was, but he didn`t find her. And then he ran among the multitude and cried out: 18. “Oh, cunning servants! Only one Jewish woman abashed the house of the king Nebuchadnezzar. Holofernes lies on the ground, beheaded. 19. When the chieftains of the Assyrian army head this news, they rent their vestments and got totally confused. And the weeping and their big shouting intensified in the middle of the army. 40 ( 3 8 & 3 * 8 1% 87 1. When the ones who were in the tents found out what happened, they got afraid. 2. And engulfed by dread and fear, there couldn`t remain two together, but they scattered and got astray all of them on the paths of the mountain. 3. But also the ones who camped in the mountain, around Bethulia, they fled away. And then all the capable of fight men of Israel rushed upon them. 4. And Ozias sent heralds to Betomestaim, at Bibe, at Hobe and at Cola, as also in all the mountainous land of Israel, for heralding to them what has happened, and for all of them to rush upon the enemy and to destroy them. 5. When have heard about this, the sons of Israel, all together rushed against them and beat them to the Hobah. But also the ones from Jerusalem and from all the mountainous land came in their help, for also they were announced about what happened into the enemy camp. And then also the ones from Gilead and from Galilee, they took them from their part and hit them strong, until near to the Damascus and of its land. 6. And the other inhabitants of Bethulia rushes in the Assyrian camp, which they plundered and got rich. 7. And the sons of Israel who came back from the defeat of the enemy, they took hold on what was left. The people from the boroughs and villages, from the mountain and from the plane, they also took a great lute, because there was very much of it. 8. Then the great priest Joachim together with the great council of the sons of Israel, who lived in Jerusalem, went to see the victory which was given to Israel by God and to see Judith and to wish her for the victory as friends. 9. Reaching at her, all of them praised her in one thought: “You, the pride of Israel, you, the unset fame of our nation! 10. You have done all of these with your hand and you have brought the victory to Israel! God will deign into these ones! Blessed be you by the Almighty God forever!” And all the people cried out: “Amen!” 11. And all the people plundered the camp for a three days time. And they gave to Judith the tent of Holofernes and all the silverware, beds and pillows, as also all the things from it. And she, taking them, loaded her donkey, harnessed to the chariots, and piled up things into them. 12. And all the women of Israel ran to see her, and in her honor they danced around. And she took branches in her hand and gave them to the women who were accompanying her. 41 13. And they crown themselves with olive branches, both her and hers companions. And all the men of Israel, with weapons and crowned, were accompanying her with a song of praising. 14. Then Judith started to sing this song of praising in all Israel, and all the people sang after her this praising song. ( 3 8 2 87 : 8 7! 1 % 1% 3 $ 3 8 ! ! 1% 1. And Judith said: “Praise my God, in drums, sing to the Lord with cymbals, unite for Him the psalm with the singing, glorify and call His name! 2. God, Who puts an end to the wars, is the Lord, for, in the camp and in the middle of the people, He escaped me from the hand of the one who hunted me. 3. The Assyrian came from the northern mountains; he came with the tens of thousands of his army, and their multitude stopped the creeks and their horses covered the planes. 4. And they reckoned to burn down my lands and to pass my sons through the edge of the sword, and to cast my little children to earth, and to give my children to plunder and my virgins to kidnapping. 5. The Almighty God by the hand of a woman destroyed him, 6. Because their Holofernes wasn`t broke down by strong lads, neither the sons of the giants stroke him, nor tall men as the mountains stood against him, but Judith, the daughter of Merari, disarmed him with the beauty of her face. 7. For she disrobed herself from the garments of her widowhood and clothed herself with linen vestment, to lure him. 8. With the sandals she took his eyes, her beauty enslaved his heart, and with the sword she beheaded him. 9. The Persians dreaded by her daring and the Medians by her courage. 10. Then my humiliated ones shouted out and from all their powers cried out the exhausted ones, and they got scared and and rose up their voice and started running. 11. Children of your mothers pierced them with the sword and as some servants were they brought down to the ground; they perished in the battle of my Lord. 12. I will sing to my God a new song: Lord, great are You and glorified, wonderful in your power, and nobody can exceed You! 13. Be the entire creation serving You, for You said and everything has been done. You sent Your Ghost end everything has been build and nobody can stay against Your command! 14. The mountains as also the seas tremble from foundation, the stones melt and the wax melts before Your face, and with whom honors You, merciful are You to them! 42 15. Because any sacrifice with scent of fragrance values a little for You and the entire fat of the burnt offerings are even less valuable, but who fears God is always great. 16. Woe to the nations which raise up against my people, because the Almighty Lord will punish them in the day of judgment, and will give their body prey to the fire and to the worms, to cry out by pain forever!” 17. And when she reached at Jerusalem, everybody worshipped God, and after the people was cleansed, it brought burnt offerings, their willing first fruits and their presents. 18. And Judith consecrated to God as present all the things of Holofernes, as many as the people them gave to her, as also the curtain which she took up from his bed, she gave it as consecration to the Lord. 19. And the people rejoiced in Jerusalem for three months, before the temple, and Judith remained at them. 20. And after these days each of them turned back to his place, and Judith turned at Bethulia and lived her life at her house. And getting old she reached to be known in the entire country. 21. Many asked her in marriage, but she didn`t know man in all the days of her life, since her husband died and was added to his people. 22. Her fame was growing up the more, while she grew older in the house of her husband. She reached at the age of one hundred and five years. And she freed her housemaid. She died in Bethulia and was buried in the cave where was resting her husband Manasseh. 23. And the nation of Israel mourned her for seven days. And before her death she divided her wealth to the relatives of her husband Manasseh and to her relatives. 24. And as long as Judith lived, nobody dares to trouble the Israelites and also much time after her death. 43 2 ( %! 3 Baruch heralds and reads to the people from Jerusalem the book received from the Jews from Babylon who, making confessions, they ask prayers and sacrifices for expiation. 1. These are the words of the book that has been written by Baruch, the son of Neriah, the son of Manasia, the son of Zedekiah, the son of Asadia, the son of Helchie, in Babylon, 2. In the fifth year, in the seventh month, in the time then the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burnt it with fire. 3. And Baruch read the words of this book before IehOnias, the son of Joachim, king in Judah, and before of all the people who has come to hear the book. 4. And before the rulers, and the sons of the king, and before the elders and of all the people, from the smallest to the biggest, of all of them who lived in Babylon, on the bank of the river Sud, 5. Who were crying and fasting and praying before the Lord. 6. And he gathered silver as much as the each one could give. 7. And he sent in Jerusalem, the son of Helchie, the son of Shalom the priest, and to the priests and to all the people, who were with him in Jerusalem, 8. When he took the vessels of the temple of the Lord, which were brought out from the temple, to turn back in the land of Judas in the tenth day of month Sivan, silver vessels, which Zedekiah made them, the son of Josie, he king of Judah, 9. After Nebuchadnezzar brought out, the king of Egypt, from Jerusalem as slaves, IehOnias and the chieftains, the makers, with the rulers and with the average people, and brought them in Babylon, 10. And says: Behold, I have sent you silver with which you to buy burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin and incense, and to make fragrances and bring them on the altar of our Lord God. 11. And pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and for Belshazzar, his son, to be their days as the days of heaven on earth. 12. And the Lord will give you power, and the light of our eyes, and we will live under the shadow of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and under the shadow of Belshazzar, his son, and we will serve to them for many days, and we will find grace before them. 13. And pray for us towards our Lord God, for we have sinned against our Lord God, and His anger and His wrath haven`t turned from us to this days. 44 14. And you will read this book, which we have sent it to you, to read it in the temple of the Lord, at the feast of the tents and in the days of assembly in the temple, 15. And you will speak: Of our Lord God it is the rightfulness, and ours, the shamefulness of the faces, as it is shown in this days the Jew man both to them who inhabit Jerusalem, 16. And of our kings and or our rulers, and our priests and our prophets and our fathers. 17. For we have sinned in front of our Lord and we haven`t listened to Him. 18. We haven`t listened to the voice of our Lord God, to walk into His commandments, which he has given before our face. 19. From the day in which our Lord brought out our fathers from the land of Egypt to this day, we have been disobedient to our Lord God and to hear His voice. 20. And stuck to us the evilness and the curse which were commanded by God to His servant Moses, in the days in which He brought out our fathers from the land of Egypt, to give us land in which flows milk and honey, as it is in this day. 21. And we didn`t listen the voice of our Lord God according to the words, whom he sent to us. 22. And each of us went in the thought of his evil heart, to work for the foreign gods and to to evil before the eyes of our Lord God. ( 3 The Jews from bondage confess that for their sins the evil things have happened to them and they ask mercy from God. 1. And the Lord fulfilled His word, which He uttered against us and of our judges, who judged Israel and against our kings and of our rulers and against the people from Israel and from Judah, 2. To bring upon us big hardships, which haven`t been made under the entire sky, as He did in Jerusalem, after the ones that are written in the law of Moses, 3. For the man to eat the meat of his son and the meat of his daughter, 4. And gave them subjects to all the kings from around us towards disgrace and desolation, among the people from around, to which the Lord has scattered them. 5. And instead of being masters, they have been made servants, because we have sinned in front or our Lord God, not listening to His voice. 6. To our Lord God, the righteousness; and to us and to our fathers, the shamefulness of our daughters, as it is in this day. 7. All the evil uttered by the Lord against us, they have come upon us. 8. And we haven`t pray to the face of the Lord for each of us to turn back from the thoughts of his evil heart. 45 9. And the Lord watched upon the evil ones and has brought them upon us, because righteous is the Lord in all His things, which He has commanded to us. 10. And we haven`t listened to His voice, to walk after the commandments of the Lord, which He has given them before our face. 11. And now, Lord God of Israel, the One Who brought out Your people from the land of Egypt with a strong hand and with high arm, with signs and with wonders and with great power, and You have made to Yourself great name to the day from today, 12. We have sinned, we were outlaws, we were unjust, Lord our God, in all Your commandments; 13. Be your anger turning away from us, for we have lest a few among the gentiles, where You have scattered us. 14. Listen, Lord, to our prayer and to our request and pull us out for You and give us grace before the face of who has estranged us. 15. To know all the earth that You are the Lord our God, that Your name has been called upon Israel and upon his nation. 16. Lord, look from Your holy place and take head at us; lean down Your ear Lord, and hear, 17. And open Your eyes. Lord, and see that not the dead ones who are in the dwelling of the dead, from who was taken their ghost from the ones that are inside them, will give glory and righteousness to the Lord, 18. But the exceeding sad soul, he one who walks roundOshouldered and powerless, the weakened eyes and the hungry soul will give to You glory and righteousness, Lord. 19. Because not for the righteousness of our fathers and of our kings we ask mercy towards us before Your face, the Lord our God; 20. But because You have unleashed Your anger and wrath upon us, as You spoke through the voice of Your servants, the prophets, saying: 21. This says the Lord: Lean under the yoke your shoulder and work to the king of Babylon, for in this way to dwell the land that I gave it to your fathers. 22. And if you won`t listen to the voice of the Lord, to work to the king of Babylon, 23. I will make to cease, from the cities of Judas and from around Jerusalem, the voice of joy and the voice of the bride and all the land will end as desolation, without inhabitants. 24. And we didn`t listen to Your voice, to work to the king of Babylon and you strengthen Your words which You spoke through the voice of your servants, the prophets, that they will get out the bones of the kings and the bones of our fathers from their place. 25. And behold they are rejected to the heat of the day and to the frozen of the night, and our fathers died in hard sufferance, in famine and in sword and in slavery. 26. And You brought the temple, in which was called Your name, to the state in which it is in this day, for the evilness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judas. 46 27. And you have done with us, Lord our God, after all Your kindness and after all your great mercifulness, 28. As you spoke through the voice of Your servant Moses in the day in which Your commanded Him to write Your law before the sons of Israel saying: 29. “If you don`t truly listen to My voice, this big and many nation will turn back diminished to the nations among which I will scatter them. 30. Because I knew that they won`t listen to Me, for it is a headstrong people, but they will turn back into their heart and in the land of their estrangement. 31. And they will know that I am the Lord their God; and I will give them heart and ears to hear; 32. And they will praise Me in the land of their estrangement and they will remember My name. 33. And they will come back from their headstrongness and from their evil things, for they will remember the way of their fathers, who committed sin before God. 34. And I will turn them back in the land about I swore to their fathers, to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and they will master it, and I will multiply them, and they won`t be diminished. 35. And I will strengthen their eternal bond that I be their God and they will be people to Me and I won`t move My people Israel from the country that I have given to them”. ( 3 5 Israel enslaved for the forsaking of the wisdom of God. Prophecy about Messiah. 1. Lord All Keeper, God of Israel, the distressed soul and the tormented ghost shout towards You. 2. Listen Lord, and have mercy on us, for we have committed sin before You. 3. You reign forever and we perish ceaselessly. 4. All Keeper Lord, God of Israel, hear the prayer of the dead ones of Israel, and of the sons of the ones who sinned before You, who didn`t listen Your voice, of their God, and evil things stuck with us. 5. Do not remember the injustices of our fathers but remember You hand and Your name in this time. 6. That You are the Lord our God, and we will praise You, Lord, 7. For that you have given the fear in our hearts, to call Your name and to praise You into our estrangement that we have deviated from our heart all the injustice of our fathers, who sinned before You. 8. Behold we still are today in our estrangement, where You have scattered us towards reproach and curse, and towards the punishment behooved to all the injustices of our fathers, who got far from their Lord God. 9. Hear, Israel, the commandments of the life and take into ears to know the wisdom. 47 10. What it is, Israel, that you are in the land of the enemies? You got old in foreign land. 11. You defiled yourself together with the dead ones, you have been reckoned with the ones who descend in the dwelling of the dead. 12. You forsook the spring of wisdom. 13. In the way of God if you would have walked, you would have dwelled with peace forever. 14. Learn where is the wisdom, where is the strength, where is the power of understanding, to know also, where is the length of the days and the life, where is the light of the eyes and the peace! 15. Who has found its place and who has entered in its treasUriahs? 16. Where are the chieftains of the nations and the ones who master the beasts of the earth? 17. The ones who play with the fowls of the sky and gather silver and gold, in whom the people put their hope and of whose wealth was endless? 18. The ones who worked the silver and strived that their works to be unmatched? 19. They quenched and in the dwelling of the dead descending, other rose in their place. 20. The younger ones saw the light and lived on the earth, and the way of the knowledge they didn`t know. 21. Neither they understood its paths, nor they hold on it; their sons got far from their way. 22. Wasn`t head of it in Canaan, nor seen in Teman. 23. Neither the son of Hagar, the ones who searched for the wisdom on earth, nor the merchants of Midian and Teman and the parable tellers, and the ones who search for the skillfulness, they haven`t known the way of the wisdom, nor remembered its path. 24. Oh, Israel! How great is your temple and how wide the place of His mastery is! 25. Great it is and hasn`t any end, height and immeasurable! 26. There were the famous giants, tall in stature and skilled at war. 27. Not these ones has been chosen by God, neither the way of the knowledge he has give it to them; 28. They perished because they hadn`t had wisdom; they perished through their own insanity. 29. Who has crossed the sea to discover it and to buy it in exchange of the pure gold? 30. There is nobody to know its way or to comprise its path; 31. But the One Who know everything, He knows also the sea and finds it with His wisdom, He Who has built the earth for eternity and fills it up with beasts. 32. He Who sends the light and goes and calls it, and the light listen to Him with tremble. 33. Due to Whom the stars shine at their places and rejoice themselves. 34. He called them, and they answered: “Here we are!” They shine joyfully for the One Who has made them. 48 35. This is our God and nobody else is like Him. 36. He found the entire way of the knowledge and He gave it to Jacob, His servant, and to Israel, the beloved one by Him. 37. After this He shew Himself on earth and together with the people He dwelled. ( 3 6 Israel laments its desolation. Advice towards patience. Prophecy towards salvation. 1. This is the book of the commandments of God and the law which lasts forever. Everybody who keep it, will live, and the ones who have forsaken it, will perish. 2. Turn back, Jacob, and fear of it, walk through shyness about its light. 3. Do not give to somebody else your glory and the ones that are useful to you, to the one of another nation. 4. Happy are we, Israel, for the ones who are pleasant to God have been shown to us. 5. Dare, my people, the remembrance of Israel. 6. You have sold yourselves to the gentiles not for perishing, but, because you have angered God, you have given yourselves to the enemies. 7. For you have irritated the One Who has created you, sacrificing to the demons, and not to God. 8. And you have forgotten the One Who has created you, and the Eternal God, and you have saddened the Israel which nourished you. 9. He saw the anger which came to you from God and said: Hear, the daughter of the Zion, God has brought to me great sadness, 10. For I have seen the enslavement of my sons and of my daughters, which has been brought to them by the Eternal One. 11. For I nourished them with joy and left them with grief. 12. Nobody to rejoice of me, which I am widow and forsaken by many; I have been desolated for the sins of my children, deviated from the law of God. 13. And His judgment they didn`t know, nor they walked in the ways of the commandments of God, neither nor the paths of the teaching in His righteousness they didn`t went. 14. Come, neighbors of Zion, and remember the enslavement of my sons and of my daughters, which has been brought by the Eternal One. 15. That He has brought over them nation from far away, shameless nation and of another language. 16. For he didn`t feel shame of the old one, neither mercy on the little child and they took away the loved ones of the widow, and they left me alone, without daughters. 17. And how could I help you? 18. For the One Who has brought the evilness to you will pull you out from the hand of your enemies. 19. Go, sons, go, for I have remained deserted. 49 20. I have disrobed myself of the vestment of the peace and I have pout of the sackcloth of my prayer, and I will cry out toward the Eternal One throughout my days: 21. Dare, sons, cry out towards God and He will bring you out from the forced bondage and from the hand of the enemies. 22. For I have hoped from the Eternal One our deliverance and joy has come to me from the Saint One for the mercifulness which will come to us from Him in a hurry. 23. For I have sent you with crying and grief, and God will turn you back towards me, with joy and gladness forever. 24. For as the neighbors of the Zion have seen your enslavement, as so they will see your deliverance from your God, which will come to you with great glory and with the brightness of the Eternal One. 25. Sons! Long suffer the anger which has come to you from God. The enemy persecuted you but you will see in a short time his perdition and on his neck you will put your foot. 26. My spoiled children went on rough ways; they have been taken up as a flock preyed by enemy. 27. Dare, sons, and cry out towards God, the One Who has brought to you the trial and He will remember you. 28. For as your thought it was to deviate from God, turn yourselves back and search for Him tenfold stronger. 29. For the One Who has brought to you these misfortunes will bring to you gladness together with your salvation. 30. Dare, Jerusalem, the One Who has given to you a name He will comfort you! 31. Woe, to the ones who made to you much harm and enjoyed of your falling! 32. Woe to the citizens of whose servants were your children! Woe to the one who has received your sons! 33. For as she rejoiced about your falling and was happy about your ruin, so will be saddened for her own desolation. 34. Ad I will take from her joy of a city with much people and her haughtiness will be towards crying. 35. Because fire will come upon her from the Eternal One, for long days, and she will be dwelled by demons for a long time. 36. Look towards East, Jerusalem, and see the joy which comes to you from God. 37. Behold, your sons are coming, whom you have sent, they come from East to West, gathered through the word of the Holy One, rejoicing of the glory of God. ( 3 The calling of the Jerusalem towards joy for the return of its sons with gladness. 50 1. Disrobe yourself, Jerusalem, of the vestment of the sadness and of your sufferance, and put on forever the adornment of His glory. 2. Put on the vestment of the righteousness from God, put the crown of the glory of the Eternal One on your head, 3. Because God will show to everybody from beneath the sky your brightness. 4. Because your name from God will be called forever: “the Peace of the Righteousness” or “the Brightness of the Awe”. 5. Get up, Jerusalem, keep yourself at height and look eastward, see your sons gathered from East to West through the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that he has remembered them. 6. For they forsook you walking, guarded by enemy guards, but God will bring them to you carried on glory as the sons of king. 7. For God ordered to obey all the high mountain and the eternal rocks, and the valleys to be filled up, to be the earth plane, for Israel to walk fearless under the glory of God. 8. And will made shadow to Israel the forests and all the god smelling wood, at the command of God. 9. For the Lord will guide Israel with gladness to the light of His glory, giving to them as guard His mercifulness and His righteousness. 51 3 ! 3 $ 2 1 %8 $2 7 & & 1 $ $ 2 & ! $$ 8 $ & + & 1. For the sins that you have committed you will be brought in Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the BabylOniasns. 23. So, after you will be arrived in Babylon, you will remain there during many years and for a long time, to the seventh generation; but after that I will get you out of there in peace. 24. In Babylon, though, you will be able to see gods of gold and of silver and of wood which are carried on the shoulders and which inspire fear to the gentiles. 25. Guard yourself! You do not go, lest to resemble yourselves to the foreigners and to be comprised by the fear of these gods 26. When before and behind them you will see a throng which worship them; 27. But say in your heart: “You, God, we must worship!” Because My angel is with you; he is the one who will take care of your lives. 28. For their tongue has been polished by a master; they are clothed with gold and silver, but they are only lie and they cannot talk. 29. As for a virgin lover of adornment, so they make crowns on the heads of their gods. 30. Sometimes, even their priests end taking gold and silver and spend it for themselves, and even give for it to the harlots from the upper room. 31. As on some people they adorn them with vestments these gods of silver, gold and wood, but they cannot defend themselves neither of rust, nor of worms, 32. Despite of the purple coat which they put on them. They weep they face of the dust from the temple, which lays, thick, on them. 33. One of them wears a scepter as a master of a country, but he cannot kill the one who would offend him; 34. Other one holds on his right hand a sword or an ax, but would not be able to defend themselves by thieves. 35. Behold so that they aren`t gods; do not fear of them! 36. As a potter that once broken it is not useful anymore to the man, so are their gods; just being place into temples, 37. Their eyes are full of the sand sTyrered up by the feet of the ones who enter. 38. As the gates are closed behind the one who has defamed the king and he is brought to death, as so the priests strengthen the gates of these temples (gods) with gates, fasteners and grates, lest these ones to be stripped by thieves. 39. They enkindle lights – and even more than for themselves O, even the gods can see none of them. 52 40. They are as one of the girdles of the temple, about which it is said that they have the heart eaten by worms which come out from earth: they eat them and their vestments, without be they feeling that. 41. Their face is darkened by the smoke of the temple. 42. On their bodies and on their heads fly bats, swallows and other birds; there are on them also cats. 43. Behold so how will you know that these ones aren`t gods; do not fear of them! 44. The gold on them, destined to make them more beautiful, if nobody weeps the rust, do not shines anymore. When they were cast they didn`t feel anything. 45. You buy them on who know what price, and no breath is in them. 46. Not having legs they are carried on the shoulders, showing to the people that they are good for nothing; and the ones who serve them are ashamed: if these ones (gods) fall down to earth, they are the ones who pick them up. 47. If you put them on their feet, they cannot move by themselves; if you bend them, they cannot straighten by themselves; as to some dead people are brought to them offerings. 48. The animals for sacrifice are sold by the priests in their own benefit; and their women salt a part, but do not share anything to the poor or to the sick one. Women in unclean state and women in confinement after birth touch their animals for sacrifice! 49. Behold so through what you know that these ones aren`t gods; do not fear of them! 50. How could these ones to be called gods, while the women are the ones who bring sacrifices before these gods of silver, and of gold and of wood? 51. In their temples stand priests with their clothes torn apart, with unshaven head and beard, with the head uncovered; 52. And they shout out and cry out to their gods, as at the feasts for the dead ones. 53. The priests take their vestments for clothing up their women and children! 54. Whether you do well to them, whether you do wrong to them, they cannot pay! They cannot either to raise up a king, or to overthrow him. 55. Likewise, they cannot give wealth or silver. If somebody makes them a promise and doesn`t keep it, they cannot ask him accountancy. 56. They cannot deliver a man from death, nor to pluck him off the hand of the powerful one; 57. They won`t give back the sight to a blind man, nor will they deliver a man from a trouble; 58. They won`t have mercy on the widow, nor will they do well to an orphan. 59. These pieces of wood clothed in gold and in silver are like the rocks cut off from the mountains; the ones who serve them will be ashamed. 60. How can somebody think or say that these ones would be gods? 53 61. Even more: the Chaldeans themselves dishonor them; if they see a dumb man O who cannot speak – they bring him before Bel and ask him to give the voice back to that man, as this god could understand; 62. They aren`t able to think this and to forsake them (these gods), once they cannot understand anyway! 63. Women girdled with ropes sit along the roads and burn bran instead of incense; 64. And if one of them, picked up by a passerby, slept with him, she mock about her neighbor that she wasn`t found worthy of such a honor and her rope remained unbroken. 65. All it is done for them it is a lie. Therefore, how can somebody think or say that these ones would be gods? 66. Made by carpenters and silversmiths, they are nothing else but what those ones wanted them to be. 67. The ones who make them do not have much to live; how could be gods the things made by them? 68. They left nothing to their inheritors by lie and shame. 69. When war and disasters come upon them, the priests take council where to hide themselves together with their gods; 70. How could you not understand that aren`t gods those ones which cannot deliver themselves from wars or disasters? 71. Once they are of wood, clothed only with gold and silver, latter will be known that they aren`t but lie; for all of them, peoples and kings, will be clear that they aren`t gods, but things of human hands, and that within them there isn`t any work of God. 72. So, whom won`t be limpid that these ones aren`t gods? 73. They cannot put a king in a country, neither to give rain to the people. 74. Neither they can to judge their own cause, nor to deliver the one who suffers injustice; they are helpless as the crows between sky and earth. 75. If the fire falls on the temple of these gods of wood covered with gold and silver, their priests will run away and will escape, but they as some beams will burn in the middle of the flames. 76. They cannot resist against the king, neither to the enemies. 77. How can somebody think and say that these ones would be gods? 78. These gods of wood clothed with gold and silver can escape neither from thieves and plunderers; the bold ones pluck off their gold and silver and leave with the clothing that covers them, without be they able to help themselves. 79. It is better to be a king who deploys his courage of a necessary pot in a house, than to be one of these liar gods; or, in a house, a door which guards what it is inside, that one of these liar gods; or a pillar of wood in a palace, than one of these liar gods. 80. The son, the moon and the stars O which shine and which have a certain meaning – are obedient; 81. Likewise, the lightning, when bursts out, it is beautiful for sight; in the same time the wind blows all over the country; 54 82. And the clouds, when God commands them to cross the entire earth, they do what it was told them to do; and the fire, when it is sent from above to consume mountains and forests, it does what it was commanded to it; 83. But these poor objects do not resemble to them neither in beauty, nor in power. 84. Behold so, that nobody can think and say that these ones would be gods, once they aren`t able neither to judge causes, nor to do well to the people. 85. Therefore, knowing that these aren`t goods, do not fear of them! 86. Because they cannot either to curse or to bless the kings, 87. Neither to show to the nations signs of the sky; they don`t shine like the son and they don`t illuminate like the moon. 88. The beasts are more valuable than they are; they can run in a shelter and to help themselves. 89. Therefore, in no way it is proved to us that these ones would be gods; do not fear of them! 90. Like a bogy in a field of pumpkins, which defends nothing, like so it is with their gods of wood clothed with gold and silver. 91. Even more: their gods of wood clothed with gold and silver seem like a bush of bramble in a garden, on which sit all kind of birds; or as a dead man thrown in a dark place. 92. According to porphyry and mink which rot on them you will know that they are not gods; in the end, they will be eaten and they will reach as a shame in the country. More valuable is the right man who hasn`t any idols; far away will be him from all that is shameful. 55 8 ( 8 ? % 8' 3 3 In the oven of fire from Babylon. 1. And Azariah staying in the middle of the fire, and opening his mouth, he prayed like so, saying: 2. Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers, and praised and extolled is Your name forever. 3. For You are righteous in all You have done to us, and all Your things are true, and straight your ways and all your judgments are righteous. 4. You gave righteous decisions in all the evil things that You made to come upon us and upon the holy city of our fathers, the Jerusalem; for in truth and justice you have brought these upon us because of our sins: 5. For he have committed sin, for we have done lawlessness, departing away from You. 6. And we mistook in everything, and Your commandments we didn`t listen to them, nor kept them, nor done them, as you have commanded to us, to be good to us. 7. Ad how many you have brought to us and done to us in right judgment they are. 8. You have given us in the hands of our enemies, lawless men and the worst from the outlaws, to a unjust king, the worst one that is on earth. 9. And today we cannot open our mouth anymore; shame and insult we have been made to Your servants and to the ones who honor You. 10. Do not forsake us forever, for Your name, and do not break Your covenant. 11. And do not move away Your mercy from us, for Abraham the loved on by You and for Isaac, Your servant and for Israel, Your holy one, 12. To whom You have promised to multiply their tribes as the stars of the sky and as the sand from the shore of the sea. 13. For, Lord, Your have diminished us more than all the nations and we are humiliated today, all over the earth, for our sins. 14. And there is not in this time any chieftain, prophet, neither leader, nor burnt offering, neither sacrifice, nor tribute, neither incense, nor place where to bring before You our first fruit and to find out grace from You. 15. But with broken soul and with humiliated ghost to be us received by You. 16. As the burnt offering of rams and fatlings, as tens of thousands of fat lambs, so to be our sacrifice before You today and understanding to find out at You; for there is no shame to the ones who have hope in You. 17. And now we follow You with all the heart, and we fear of You, and search for Your face. 18. Do not make us ashamed, but do with us according to Your mercifulness and after the multitude of Your mercy. 19. And pull us out after Your wonders, and give glory to Your name, Lord; and to be ashamed all the ones who show evilness to your servants. 56 20. And to be ashamed by all Your power, and their strength to be broken in pieces. 21. And to know they, that You are Lord, the Only God, and glorified over all the world”. 22. And the servants of the king, who cast them into the oven, didn`t cease to heat up the oven with tar and pitch and with tow and birches. 23. And the blaze raised up above the oven, of forty nine cubits. 24. And bursting out it burnt the Chaldeans who were around the over. 25. And the angel of the Lord descended to Azariah and to the three friends of him in the oven and quenched the blaze of the fire. 26. And he blew to them in the middle of the oven a coldness of breeze and dew, so that the fire didn`t touch them; didn`t cause them neither pains nor fear. 27. And the three ones, with one voice, praised, glorified and blessed God in the oven, saying: 28. “Blessed are You, the Lord God of our fathers, and praised and extolled in all ages. 29. Blessed are You in the place of Your holy glory, and praised and extolled forever. 30. Blessed are You the One Who sees the depths and sit on cherubim, and praised and extolled forever. 31. Blessed are You on the chair of your kingdom and most praised and extolled forever. 32. Blessed are You on the canopy of the sky and most praised and extolled forever. 33. Bless the Lord all the things of the Lord, praise Him and extol Him forever. 34. Bless heavens the Lord, praise him and extol Him forever. 35. Bless angels the Lord, praise Him and extol Him forever. 36. Bless the Lord, waters and all the ones from above the sky, praise and extol Him forever. 37. Bless the Lord all the powers of the Lord, praise Him and extol Him forever. 38. Bless the Lord, sun and moon, praise and extol Him forever. 39. Bless the Lord, stars of the sky, praise and extol Him forever. 40. Bless the Lord, all the rain and the dew, praise and extol Him forever. 41. Bless the Lord, all the winds, praise and extol Him forever. 42. Bless the Lord, fire and heat, praise and extol Him forever. 43. Bless the Lord, cold and heat, praise and extol Him forever. 44. Bless the Lord, dew and snow, praise and extol Him forever. 45. Bless the Lord, nights and days, praise and extol Him forever. 46. Bless the Lord, light and darkness, praise and extol Him forever. 47. Bless the Lord, ice and frost, praise and extol Him forever. 48. Bless the Lord, rime and snow, praise and extol Him forever. 49. Bless the Lord, lightning and clouds, praise and extol Him forever. 50. Bless the Lord, you earth, praise and extol Him forever. 51. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills, praise and extol Him forever. 57 52. Bless the Lord, all the ones which spring up on earth, praise and extol Him forever. 53. Bless the Lord, water springs, praise and extol Him forever. 54. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers, praise and extol Him forever. 55. Bless the Lord, whales and all that move in the waters, praise and extol Him forever. 56. Bless the Lord, all the fowls of the sky, praise and extol Him forever. 57. Bless the Lord, all the beasts, praise and extol Him forever. 58. Bless the Lord, you sons of the men, praise and extol Him forever. 59. Bless the Lord, Israel, praise and extol Him forever. 60. Bless the Lord, priests, praise and extol Him forever. 61. Bless the Lord, servants, praise and extol Him forever. 62. Bless the Lord, you ghosts and souls of the righteous ones, praise and extol Him forever. 63. Bless the Lord, you that are gentle and humble in heart, praise and extol Him forever. 64. Bless the Lord, Ananiah, Azariah and Mishael, praise and extol Him forever; for He pulled us out from the dwelling of the dead, and from the hand of the death He snatched us off from the middle of the oven, and from the middle of the blaze He has delivered us. 65. Confess yourself to the Lord, for He is good, because forever is His mercy. 66. Bless the Lord, the God of the gods, all of you that worship Him, praise and give tanks, because forever is His mercy.” 58 %= ( 3 Two old men seek to commit sin with Suzanna; the judgment of death over Suzanna; her deliverance through Daniel. 1. There was a man with his name Joachim, who dwelled in Babylon. 2. And he took a wife, on her name Suzanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, very beautiful and with the fear of God. 3. And her parent, being righteous, they taught their daughter according to the Law of Moses. 4. And Joachim was very rich and he had the garden close to the house. 5. And there the Jews were gathering together, for he was more honorable then all. 6. And there were appointed two old men from the people in that year, of who the Lord had said that: “the lawlessness came out from Babylon, from the old judges, who seemed to be leading the people”. 7. These ones remained at the house of Joachim, and at them came all the ones who wanted to have judgment. 8. When the people left at noon, Suzanna was going out in the garden of her husband. 9. And the elder ones saw her every days getting out and walking, and they were lit with lust upon her. 10. They rebelled the thought, deviated their eyes from the sky, and neither they remembered the right judgments. 11. And both of them were hot for her and they did not tell one to another their ague, for they were ashamed to tell their lust, that they wanted to sleep with her. 12. And they guarded with toil in each day to see her. And they said one to another: “Let`s go home, for it is the time for lunch”. 13. And getting out, they separated one from another and, turning back, they came in the same place and, asking one to another what for, they confessed their lust. 14. And while they stoked for a favorable day, she entered as usual with two girls to take a bath, in the garden, for it was much heat. 15. And both them together decided the time when they will be able to find her alone. 16. And nobody was there, except the two elders hidden, who were stoking for her. 17. And she told to the girls: “Bring me oil and soap and close the gates of the garden for me to take a swim. 18. And the girls did as her said and, coming out sideward to bring what she commanded to them they did not see the two hidden elders. 19. And after the girls went out, the two elders rose and run upon her and said: “Behold, the gates of the garden are close and nobody can see us, and we are lit with lust upon you. 59 20. That`s why deign to sleep with us; and if not, we will confess upon you that a young man have been with you and that`s why you have sent the girls from you”. 21. And Suzanna sighed and said: “I am presses from all sides; 22. Because if I will do this, death is to me; and if I will not do this I will not escape from your hands. 23. Better is for me to not do it and to fall in your hands, than to commit sin in front of the Lord”. 24. And Suzanna shouted out with a loud voice and the two elders jumped upon her and running, one of them closed the gates of the garden. 25. When the ones from the house heard the shouting, they jumped into the garden through the back door to see what has happened to her. 26. And, after the elders spoke their words, the servants were very ashamed, for never was spoken a word like this about Suzanna. 27. And the next day, after the people gathered to Joachim, her husband, the two elders came full of evil thought upon Suzanna, to give her to death. 28. And they said in front of the people: “Send to Suzanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joachim, and they sent. 29. And there came her and her parents and her sons and all her kindred. 30. Suzanna was delicate and beautiful. 31. These lawless elders ordered to her to take of her clothes, for she was covered, for satisfy themselves of her beauties. 32. And cried the ones who were next to her and all the ones who knew her. 33. And getting the elders themselves up, they laid their hands on her. 34. She, crying, was looking to the sky, for her heart was hoping towards God. 35. And the elders said: “Being us walking in the garden, she went in with two housemaids and sent them away, closing the gates. 36. And came to her a young man who was hidden and slept with her. 37. Being us in the corner of the garden, and seeing us the lawlessness, we ran upon them. 38. And seeing them copulating, we could not stop him for he was stronger than us, and opening the gates he flew away. 39. And catching her, we asked her: “Who was that young man, and her did not want to tell us. 40. This is what we confess”. 41. And the assembly believed them, for they were old elders and judges, and condemned her to death. 42. And shouting out with a loud voice Suzanna said: “Eternal God, the Knower of the hidden ones, Who know all things before to be done, You know that they have told lies upon me. 43. And behold I am dying, not doing anything of what they cunningly said upon me”. 44. And God heard her voice and, while they brought her to be killed, He awakened the ghost in a young child, of whose name was Daniel. 45. And the child shouted out with a loud voice: “Clean am I of this blood”. 46. They turned over him, and said: “What do these mean?” 60 47. And standing, he said: “All the sons of Israel are so fools?” 48. For not inquiring, neither knowing the truth, you have condemned the girl of Israel. 49. Turn back to judgment, for they have said lies upon her”. 50. And all the people turned back quickly and the elders said to him: “Come and sit in the middle and tell us, because the Lord has given to you the honor of the old age”. 51. And Daniel said: “Separate them one from another, I will ask them”. 52. And after they were separated one from another he called one of them and said to him: “You old in evil days! Now your sins have come, which you did before, making crooked judgments, and blaming the innocent ones, and setting free the guilty ones, while the Lord says: Do not kill the innocent one and the righteous one. 53. And if you have seen this woman with that young man, tell under what tree have you caught them in fact?” He said: “Under the birch”. 54. Daniel said: “You have lied right upon your head. 55. Now, the angel of God, taking the commandment, with split you asunder”. 56. And placing him aside, he called the second one and said to him: “Seed of Canaan and not of Judah, the beauties have deceived you and the lust has upraised your heart. 57. So you did to the girls of Israel who, by fear, slept with you; but the face of Judah did not suffer you lawlessness. 58. Not tell me: under which tree did you catch them?” And he said: “Under the acacia”. 59. And Daniel said: “You have also lied right upon your head. 60. For the angel of God is waiting, having sword, cu cut you asunder, to totally destroy you”. 61. And all the assembly, with a loud voice blessed God the One Who delivers the ones who hopes in Him. 62. And He rose upon the two elders, for Daniel proved them through their own words, for they confessed crookedly and they done to them according to the Law of Moses, as with cunningness they thought to do to their neighbor, and they killed them and the innocent blood escaped in that day. 63. And Hilkiah and his wide praised God for Suzanna, their daughter, together with Joachim, her husband, and with all her kindred, for was not found in her ugly thing. 64. And Daniel was made great in front of the people from that day and since now forward. 61 2 ( = 3 About the Passover that Josiah feasted and about the following kings to the slavery of Babylon. 1. And Josiah feasted the Passover in Jerusalem in the honor of his Lord God and he sacrificed pasha in the fourteenth day of the first month, placing the priest according to their rank, adorned in the temple of the Lord. 2. And commanded to Levites, to the servants of the holy ones of Israel, to sanctify themselves to the Lord in the temple which Solomon built, the son of King David. 3. “Won`t be your call to elevate him on your shoulders, but now serve to the Lord your God and take care of the nation of Israel. 4. And prepare the lambs for Passover according to your relatives and your families, according to the order of David, the king of Israel, and according to the brightness of Solomon, his son. 5. And standing in the temple, according to the order of the fathers, lawful to you the Levites, the ones who stay in a row in front of your brother from Israel, 6. With order sacrifice the Passover, and prepare the sacrifices of your brothers, and make the Passover according to the commandment of the Lord, which has been given to Moses”. 7. And Josiah gave to the people that was present, from lambs and from kids thirty thousands, calves three thousand; these ones from the herds of the king was given, according to his promise, to the people, to the priests and to the Levites. 8. And Helchia and Zacharias and Jehiel the prefects of the temple of the Lord, to the priests for Passover, sheep two thousands and six hundred, calves three hundred. 9. And IehOnias and Semachiah and Nathaniel, his brother, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Joram, the ones more than thousands, they gave to the Levites for Passover, five thousands sheep, seven hundred calves. 10. And after these ones were made in goodOdecency, the priests and the Levites stood, having the unleavened bread after the tribes and after the heads of the families before the people, to bring to the Lord the ones written in the book of Moses. 11. And they roasted the pasha at the fire, as it is ought and the sacrificed they boiled them in cauldrons and in frying pans, with good smell, and they brought them to everybody from the people. 12. And after these ones they cooked for themselves and for the priests, their brothers, the sons of Aaron, because the priests brought the fats to the falling of the night, and the Levites cooked to them and to the priests, their brothers, the sons of Aaron. 62 13. And the singers from the temple of the Lord, the sons of Asaph, they were in their row, as David ordered. 14. And Asaph and Zacharias and Jeduthun, the clerk of the king, 15. And the door keepers stood each one at his door, for to no one it was allowed that his row to pass. And the Levites, their brothers, cooked for them. 16. And the ones for sacrifice to the Lord were committed, for in that day to be celebrated the Passover and to be brought the sacrifices on the altar of God, according to the commandment of king Josiah. 17. And feasted the sons of Israel as many as were present, in this time, the Passover and the feast of the unleavened bread, seven days. 18. And there wasn`t Passover like this celebrated in Israel, from the days of Samuel the prophet. 19. And all the king of Israel didn`t celebrate Passover like this, as Josiah and the priests and the Levites and the Jews, and the entire Israel, and they who were in their dwelling place in Jerusalem. 20. And the deeds of Josiah were straightened before his Lord, with the heart full of awe. 21. And the things about him were written in the times from before, about the ones who sinned and made lawlessness in front of the Lord, more than any nation and kingdom, and the ones who embittered his soul, and also the words with which the Lord rebuked Israel. 22. And after all of these things of Josiah, it happened that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to come with war in Charchemish, on Euphrates. 23. And Josiah went out in his way and the king of Egypt sent to him, saying: What is to me and to you, king of Judas? Not against you I am send from the Lord God, 24. But towards Euphrates it is directing my war. And now the Lord is with me, and the Lord is working with me. 25. Depart from me and don`t stay against the Lord. 26. And Josiah didn`t turn from him his chariot, but started war, not taking heed to the words of Jeremiah the prophet, word from the mouth of the Lord, and entered with him in battle in the plane of Megiddo. 27. And the rulers descended to king Josiah, and the king said to his servants: Take me out of battle because I weakened very. 28. And immediately the servants got him out from the row of the battle, and he mounted up on the second chariot of him and, reaching at Jerusalem, he ended his life and was buried in the tomb of his parents. 29. All over Judea they mourned Josiah and Jeremiah the prophet wept for Josiah; and the chieftains with the women cried for him to this day. 30. And this has been given to be always done to the entire nation of Israel. 31. And these ones are written in the book of the one told about the kings of Judas, and also the deed done by Josiah and his wisdom in the law of God. 32. And the ones done by him before and the ones from now they have been written in the book of the kings of Israel and of Judas. 63 33. And the chieftains of the people took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, put him king in the place of Josiah, his father, being him of twenty three years old. 34. And the king of Egypt moved him, to not reign in Jerusalem. 35. And he caused a lost to the people of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of Gold. 36. And the king of Egypt put Joakim king in Judas and Jerusalem, the brother of Jehoahaz. 37. And Joakim tied the high rulers, and on Zaraki, his brother, catching him, he brought him in Egypt. 38. And Joakim was of twenty five years old when he has been made king in Judas and Jerusalem and he did wrong in front of God. 39. And against this one went up Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and, tying him with bronze bindings, he brought him in Babylon. 40. And from the sanctified vessels of the Lord, taking Nebuchadnezzar and bringing them, he hanged them in his temple, in Babylon. 41. And the ones that were written about him and about his uncleanness and about his lawlessness, they were written in the book of the chronicles of the kings. 42. And in the place of Joakim, reigned his son, who, when he became king, he was of eighteen years old. 43. And he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem and done wrong before God. 44. And after a year, sending Nebuchadnezzar, moved him in Babylon, together with the holy vessels of the Lord. 45. And he put Zedekiah king in Judas and in Jerusalem, of twenty one years old. 46. And he reigned eleven years and he did wrong before the Lord, and he wasn`t ashamed by the word spoken through Jeremiah the prophet from the mouth of the Lord. 47. And being tied with oath by the king Nebuchadnezzar on the name of the Lord, he broke the oath and he was removed from reigning. 48. And his headstrongness becoming more callous in his heart, he transgressed the lawful ones ordered by his Lord God of Israel. 49. And the leaders of the people and the priest made many lawlessness, more than all the uncleanness of the gentiles, and they defiled the temple of the Lord the sanctified one in Jerusalem. 50. And the Lord of their fathers sent His angel to call them, for he took care of them and of His dwelling place. 51. And they mocked of His heralds, also in the day in which the Lord spoke; they mocked His prophets, until, getting Him angry on His people for the pagan deeds, he commanded to the kings of the Chaldean to go up against them. 52. These ones descended their young people with the sword around their holy place and they showed no mercy on the young one and on the virgin and of the old one, and of the youngest one of them. 64 53. But they gave all of them in their hands, and all the holy vessels of the Lord, the big ones and the small ones, and the vessels of the ark of God. 54. And taking the treasury of the king, they brought it to Babylon and they burnt the temple of the Lord. 55. And they demolished the walls of Jerusalem and its towers they burnt them with fire and they made useless all the glorified ones of it and brought the ones that escaped from the cutting edge of the sword in Babylon. 56. And they were servants to Nebuchadnezzar and to his sons, until the Persians came masters, to be fulfilled the word of the Lord which was in the mouth of Jeremiah, until the earth will rejoice of its rests in all the time of its desolation, resting until the fulfillment of the seventy years. ( 3 Cyrus, king of Persians, allows the enslaved Jews to build again the temple of the Lord and Jerusalem, and Artaxerxes stops them. 1. Reigning Cyrus over the Persians, in the year one, to be fulfilled the word of the Lord spoken through the mouth of Jeremiah, 2. The Lord elevated the ghost of Cyrus, the king of Persians, and he heralded throughout his kingdom through voice and through letters, saying: 3. This says the king of the Persians, Cyrus: On me, the Lord of Israel, the Lord Most High has put me king of the world. 4. And He commanded me to build Him a temple in the Jerusalem from Judah. 5. If there is somebody among you from Judah, his Lord to be with him, to climb up to Jerusalem from Judaea and to build again the temple of the Lord of Israel; for this One is the Lord, the One Who dwells in Jerusalem. 6. Therefore, how many dwells in those surroundings, in that county, help them, 7. With gold and with silver, with taxes, with horses and with cows together with the others, who are put at prayer in the temple of the Lord from Jerusalem. 8. And the chieftains of the tribes of Judah and Benyamin, the priests and the Levites, and all the ones whom the Lord awakened their ghost, to go up and build again the temple of the Lord from Jerusalem, 9. And the one from around them helped in everything with silver and gold, with horses, with beasts and with countless gifts given by them of whose ghost was awaken. 10. And King Cyrus brought out the holy vessels of the Lord which were brought by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem and placed on his temple. 11. And taking them out, Cyrus, gave them to Mithridates, his treasurer. 12. And through this one they were given in the care of Sheshbazzar, the ruler of Judaea. 65 13. And their number was: golden cup a thousand, and silver cup a thousand, silver incense burners: twenty nine, golden goblets thirty, of silver two thousands four hundred and ten, and other vessels one thousand. 14. And all the vessels that were brought, of gold and silver, five thousands four hundred and sixty nine. 15. And they were brought by Sheshbazzar to Jerusalem together with the ones turned back from slavery from Babylon. 16. In the time of the reign of Artaxerxes, the king of the Persians, Bilsam and Mithridates, Tabeel and Rheum the ruler, together with Shimshai the writer and their comrades who live in Samaria and in other places, they wrote against the ones who live live in Jerusalem and in Judaea a signed letter: 17. “To the king Artaxerxes, the Master: your servants, Rheum the chronicle writer and Shimshai the writer, and the other from their council, and the judges from CeleOSyria and Phoenicia; 18. Know to be now to our master, the king, that the Jews, coming up from you to us, Coming to Jerusalem, the rebel and cunning city, they build the marketplaces and repair the walls, and they lay the foundation of the temple. 19. So, if this city will be built and the walls will be finished, they won`t suffer to give tribute, but even to the kings they will stand against. 20. And, because the work at the temple has begun, we have reckoned that it is not good to overlook this, 21. But to let our master, the king, know, for, if you want to study in detail the chronicles of your fathers, 22. Then you`ll see in the chronicles notes about these things and you`ll know that this city was a rebel one, disturbing kings and cities. 23. And the rebel Jews even from ancient times they plot wars, for what reason also this city was desolated. 24. Now we show you, master king, that if this city will be build again and its wall will be raised, you will not go down anymore in CeleOSyria and Phoenicia”. 25. Then the king answered to Rheum the chronicles writer and the ruler, to Bilsam and to Shimshai, the ones written bellow: 26. “I gave read the letter that you have sent to me; therefore I have ordered to be searched and it has been found that this city it is from ever resisting against the kings; 27. And that its inhabitants plotted uprisings and wars in it and that strong and cruel kings were in Jerusalem, mastering and taking tributes from CeleOSyria and from Phoenicia. 28. Now I have ordered to be stopped those people from building the city and you take care that nothing happens against this commandment. 29. And to not go the evilness further, to not be the kings troubled”. 30. Then, being read what has been written by the king Artaxerxes, Rheum and Shimshai the writer and the ones who took council together with 66 them, with horses and with multitude for battle, they started to stop the one who were building. 31. And it was stopped the building of the holy dwelling place from Jerusalem until the second year of the reigning of Darius, the king of the Persians. ( 3 5 The questions of the three your people from the guard of the king Darius. 1. And while Darius reigned, he made a great feat to everybody from under him and to everybody born from his house, 2. And to every big ruler of Media and Persia and to all the satraps and chieftains of the army and to the rulers of counties from India to Ethiopia, who were in the one hundred and twenty seven satrapies. 3. And after they ate and drank they and after they were fed, they scattered away; and king Darius went to his bed and slept and awakened. 4. Then the three your people, from the kings guard, who guarded the king, they said one to another: 5. Let`s say each of us a work, to see whose will be the strongest, and whose word will be wiser, to that one king Darius will give great gifts and great praising. 6. And with porphyry will be him clothed and he will drink from golden vessels, and on gold will he sleep, and he will ride a chariot with horses with golden bridles, and will wear on his head a turban of mink and necklaces around his neck, 7. And the second one will sit after Darius, for his wisdom, and kinship of Darius will be him called. 8. Then each of them writing his word, they sealed it and put it under the pillow of Darius, the king, and they said: 9. “When the king will wake up, they will give him what we have written, and of whose word will the judge reckon from us three, and the great rulers of Persia, that it is wiser, to him will be given the victory, as it was written”. 10. One of them wrote: stronger it is the vine. 11. The second one wrote: stronger it is the king. 12. The third one wrote: stronger are the women, and more than everything overcomes the truth. 13. And when the king awakened from sleep, taking the letters, they gave them to him and he read them. 14. And sending, he called all the great rulers of Media and Persia, the satraps, the chieftains of the army, the rulers of the county and the advisers, 15. And they sit in council and he read the letter before them. 16. And he said: Call these your people and they to show their words. 17. And they were called and they entered inside, and they said to them: tell us the ones that you have written. 67 18. And started the first one, the one who said that the vine is stronger, and he said like so: Oh, you men, how isn`t the stronger the vine? For to all the people who drink it makes their mind to go astray. 19. Both the mind of the king and the mind of the orphan, both of the servant and of the free one, and both of the poor one and of the wealthy one it makes them one. 20. And it turns the entire mind towards feasting and joyfulness, and does not remember about all the trouble and duty. 21. And it makes all the hearts rich, and they don`t remember neither about the king, nor the satrap, and it makes everything to speak through talents. 22. And they don`t remember, when they drink, to love the friends and the brother, but after a short time they pull out the swords. 23. And when they wake up from the vine, they don`t remember what they have done. 24. Oh, you men! Isn`t stronger the vine, which forces to do like this? And after he said these ones he kept silence. ( 3 6 The victory of the truth. Darius give back the holy vessels, giving permission to the Jews for building Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord. 1. And started to speak the second one, who said that the king is the stronger. 2. Oh, you men! Aren`t stronger the people who master the earth and the sea and everything that is in them? 3. And the king is stronger and reigns over all of them and masters them, and whatever he would command them they do; if he will say to them to make war one against another, they do it. 4. And if he will send them against the enemies, they go and break down mountains and walls and towers. 5. They kill and are killed, and the word of the king they don`t transgress it; and if they will be victorious, to the king they bring everything, and all that they will plunder, and all the other ones they bring them to him. 6. And how many do not go to war and do not fight, but they work the land, again after they sow and reap they bring to the king; 7. And one forcing another they bring tribute money to the king, and he is one alone. 8. If he will say to kill, they kill; and if he will say to be left, it is left; if he will say to beat, they beat. 9. He said to desolate, they desolate; he said to be build, they build; he said to be cut, they cut; he said to plant, they plant. 10. And all his people and his army listen to him, and to all of these he sits, eats, and drinks and sleeps. 11. And these ones guard around him and nobody can go and make his own things, neither can they to disobey him. 68 12. Oh, you men! How isn`t stronger the king, for he is so listened! And he kept silence. 13. And the third one, who spoke about women and truth, is Zerubbabel. he started to speak: 14. “Oh, you men! It is right that the greatest is the king, and many are the people and strong it is the vine. 15. But who masters them or who reigns upon them all? Aren`t the women? The women gave birth to the king and to all the people who masters the land and the sea. 16. And from them are born, and they raised them up also the ones who plant the wines, from which it is made the vine. 17. They made the clothing of the men, and also women occasion the glory of the men, and the men cannot be without women. 18. And if they will gather gold and silver and every beautiful thing, when they see a woman beautiful at face and to beauty, 19. Leaving all of these, to her they watch and with their mouth open they look at her, and all of them chose her more than the gold and silver and every beautiful thing. 20. And with his woman he yields his soul and he won`t remember neither of his father, nor of his mother, nor of his country. 21. And from these ones it is ought for you to know that women master you. 22. Do you not toil and labor, and everything you bring and give it to the women, and the man takes his sword, and gets out to roads to pillage and to steal, and they float on the sea and of the rivers, 23. And they see the lion and they walk into darkness, and what he steals and kidnaps and pillages, he brings it to his lover? 24. And more loves the man his woman, then his mother and his father. 25. And many went insane due to the women and they ended slaves for them. 26. And many perished and did wrong and sinned because of women. 27. And now you don`t believe me? Truly great is the king in his power and all the counties fear to touch him. 28. But I saw also him and Apamina, the daughter of Bartac, the one with the fame, the king`s concubine, sitting on the right hand of the king. 29. She took the diadem out from the head of the king and, putting it on her head, slapped him with her left hand. 30. And to these ones, the king watched with his mouth opened; and if she laughed with him he laughed with her, and if she got upset for something, he flattered her, to reconcile with him. 31. Oh, men, how aren`t stronger the women once they do like this? 32. Then the king and the rulers watched one to another. 33. And he started to speak about the truth. Oh, men! Strong are the women. Great is the earth and high is the sky and quick to run the son, for in a day it turns and surrounds the sky and again it runs at its place. 34. It is not great the one which does these ones? But the truth is even bigger and even stronger than everything. 69 35. All the earth calls the truth, and the sky blesses it, and all the things are shaken and shudder, and nothing is twisted to it. 36. Unjust is the vine, unjust is the king, unjust are the women, unjust are all the sons of the men and unjust are all their things, the ones which are like these ones, and there isn`t in them truth, and there isn`t truth in them, and, because of their injustice, all of them perish. 37. And the truth remains and it is strong forever and lives and reigns forever and ever. 38. It doesn`t look at the face of the men and does not favor, but the right ones it does to everybody, being them either unjust, or evil, and to everybody are pleasant its things, and in its judgment nothing it is unjust. 39. This is the strength, the kingdom, the power and the glory of all centUriahs! Blessed be the God of the Truth! 40. And he ceased to speak, and all the people then answered and shouted: “Great is the truth and stronger than anything!” 41. Then the king said to him: “Ask whatever you want, more than the written ones and I will give it to you, for you have been found wise, and next to me you will sit, and my kinship you will be called!” 42. Then he said to the king: “remember the promise that you have made to build up Jerusalem, in the day in which your highness have taken the reigning, 43. And to send back to Jerusalem all the vessels taken from Jerusalem, which have been chosen by Cyrus, when he promised to crumble Babylon down and he promised to send them there, 44. And you promised to build the temple of the Lord, which had been burnt by Edomites, when Judaea was desolated by Chaldeans. 45. And now this is what I am praying you, master king, and what I ask for you! This is the great deed for you to commit! Not I pray you to fulfill the promise that you have given it through your mouth before the king of heaven!” 46. Then, getting up, Darius kissed him and he wrote for him letters to all the clerks, to the rulers of the counties, the chieftains of the armies and the satraps, to accompany him and all the ones with him, to go up and build Jerusalem. 47. And to all the rulers from CeleOSyria and from Phoenicia and to the ones from Lebanon he wrote letters to bring cedar timbers to Jerusalem and together with him to build the city. 48. And he gave written permission to all the Jews who wanted to go up to Jerusalem from kingdom in Judaea that they are free; and the ones who have the power, the ruler of the county and the satrap and the treasurer, to not go at their doors. 49. And the entire country that they master it, to be exempted of taxes, and that the Edomites to leave the villages that they mastered before from the Jews. 50. And to the building of the temple to give yearly twenty talents until the building will be finished; 70 51. And to the altar to be brought burnt sacrifices daily, as they have commandment; other seventeen talents to bring and over the year another ten. 52. And everybody who come from Babylon to build the city, to be free, they and their sons and all the priests who would accompany them. 53. And he wrote also about the incomes and about the vestments of the priests in which they minister. 54. And he wrote to be given tax to the Levites until the day when the temple of the Lord will be finished and Jerusalem will be built. 55. And to all the ones who guard the city he wrote to be given to them lots and salary. 56. And he sent all the vessels chosen by Cyrus from Babylon, and everything that Cyrus promised to do, he ordered to be done and sent them to Jerusalem. 57. And when the young Zerubbabel came out, raising his face to the sky before Jerusalem, he blessed the Lord of the sky, he blessed the Lord of the Sky, saying: 58. “From You is the victory and from you is the wisdom and the glory is Yours, and I am Your servant. 59. Blessed are You, the One Who has given to me wisdom, and I extol You, Lord of our fathers!” 60. And he took the letter and went out, came in Babylon and heralded to all his brothers. 61. And they blessed the God of their fathers, for He gave them freedom and permission to go back, 62. And to be build Jerusalem and the temple in which the name of God was named. And they feasted with singings and joyfulness seven days. ( 3 The counting of the ones turned back from the slavery of Babylon. And the starting of the renewal of the city and of the temple of the Lord. 1. And after this have been chose to turn back the heads of the families according to their tribes, their women, their sons and daughters, and their servants and handmaids, and their beasts. 2. And Darius sent together with them a thousand horse riders until they will place them in Jerusalem with peace, with singings, with tabrets and with flutes. 3. And all their brothers rejoiced at their departure, and the king permitted to them to leave with them. 4. And these are the names of the men, heads of the families, who started to go in their counties: 5. The priests, the sons of Phinehas, the son of Aaron: Joshua, the son of Iosec, the son of Serai, and Joachim, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, from the house of David, from the nation of Fares, from the tribe of Judas, 71 6. Who spoke under Darius, the king of Persians, wise words in the second year of his reigning, in the month of Nisan, the first month of the year. 7. And these ones are from Judas, who came out from foreign bondage, in which they had been brought in Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, 8. And who came back to Jerusalem and all over Judaea, each one in his city, who came with Zerubbabel and with Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raam, Nahmany, Mordecai, Bilsam, Misperet, Bigvai, Nezumi, Baana, their chieftains. 9. The number of the ones from the nation and their leaders: 10. The sons of fares, two thousands one hundred and seventy two. 11. The sons of Sefatias, four hundred and seventy two. 12. The sons of Arah, seven hundred and fifty six. 13. The sons of PahatOMoab, namely the sons of Joshua and of Jacob: two thousand eight hundred and twelve. 14. The sons of Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty four. 15. The sons of Zethus, nine hundred and forty five. 16. The sons of Horvat, seven hundred and five. 17. The sons of Binnui, six hundred and forty eight. 18. The sons of Bebai, six hundred and thirty three. 19. The sons of Azad, three thousands two hundred and twenty two. 20. The sons of Adonikam, sis hundred and sixty seven. 21. The sons of Bigvai, two thousands and sixty six. 22. The sons of Adin: four hundred and fifty four. 23. The sons of Ater, from the house of Hezekiah, ninety two. 24. The people from Keilah and from Azeca, sixty seven. 25. The sons of Azuran, four hundred and thirty two. 26. The sons of Ananiah, one hundred and one. 27. The sons of Hasum, thirty and two. 28. The sons of Betai, three hundred and twenty three. 29. The sons of Sophereth, one hundred and two. 30. The people from Beter, the thousands and five. 31. The ones from Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty five. 32. The ones from Netofa, fifty and five. 33. The ones from Anathothite, one hundred and fifty eight. 34. The one from BetOAlmavet, forty and two. 35. The ones from Kirjathjearim, twenty and five. 36. The ones from Chephirah and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty three. 37. The ones from Piras, seven hundred. 38. The ones from Hadias and Amidii, four hundred and twenty two. 39. The one from Rama and Geba, six hundred and twenty one. 40. The ones from Michmas, one hundred and twenty two. 41. The ones from Vetolio, fifty two. 42. The sons of Nephishesim, one hundred and fifty six. 43. The sons of Calamolal and Ono, seven hundred and twenty five. 44. The people from Jericho, three hundred and forty five. 45. The sons of Sena, three thousands three hundred and three. 72 46. The priests, the sons of Iedaia, the son of Joshua, among the sons of Eliashib, nine hundred and seventy two. 47. The sons of Semirot, one thousand and fifty two. 48. The sons of Fasaron, one thousand and forty seven. 49. The Sons of Carmi, two hundred and seventeen. 50. And the Levites, the sons of Joshua and Cedmihel and Binnui and Hodaiah, seventy and four. 51. The singers of the temple of the Lord, the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty eight. 52. The door keepers, the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Arcub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Sobai, in total one hundred and thirty nine. 53. The ones consecrated to the temple: the sons of Tiha, the sons of Hasufa, the sons of Tabaot, the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Pannon, the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Arcub, the sons of Cuta, the sons of Chitab, the sons of Haggadah, the sons of Salma, 54. The sons of Hanan, the sons of Catua, the sons of Ghedur, the sons of Eru, the sons of Desan, the sons of Noiva, the sons of Hozeva, the sons of Gazera, the sons of Azzi, the sons of Phinehas, the sons of Asara, the sons of Vaste, the sons of Asana, the sons of Meana, the sons of Nafisi, the sons of Acuv, the sons of Ahiva, the sons of Asur, the sons of Farachim, the sons of Vasalot, 55. The sons of Meda, the sons of Cuta, the sons of Harea, the sons of Varhus, the sons of Asirar, the sons of Tomi, the sons of Nasit, the sons of Atif, 56. The sons of the servants of Solomon, the sons of Asapfion, the sons of Farida, the sons of Ieli, the sons of Lozon, the sons of Isdail, the sons of Safet, 57. The sons of Aghiel, the sons of Facaret, the sons of Savia, the sons of Sarotia, the sons of Masia, the sons of Gar, the sons of Adus, the sons of Suva, the sons of Afera, the sons of Verodis, the sons of Savate, the sons of Ammon, 58. All the ones consecrated to the temple of the Lord and the sons of the servants of Solomon, three hundred and seventy two. 59. And the ones who went out from TelOMelah and TelOHarsa, with their leader Haraath, and from CherubOAdan and Imer, and could not show their nations and and their tribes, that they are from Israel, they were the sons of Delaia, the son of Tobijah, the son of Necoda, six hundred and fifty two. 60. And from the priests who were walking in the shadow of the priesthood, but they weren`t found in the registers, the sons of Hobaia, the sons of Koz, the sons of Iadua, who married Avghia from the daughters of Barzilai, to who he had taken also the name. 61. And being studied according to the charter of the kinship of these ones, and not being found, they were removed from priesthood. 73 62. And they called them Nehemiah and Atari, to not have part from the holy ones, until hierarch will arise, clothed with Urim and Thummim. 63. And all these ones from Israel were from twelve years old and above, except the servants and the handmaids, forty two thousands and three hundred and seventy. 64. Their servants and the handmaids, seven thousands three hundred and thirty seven. 65. Singers and instrument players, two hundred and forty five. 66. Camels, four hundred and thirty five. 67. Horses, seven hundred and thirty six. 68. Mules, two hundred and forty five. 69. Donkeys, five thousand five hundred and twenty five. 70. And when they reached at the temple of the Lord from Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families promised to raise, after their powers, the temple of God, on its place, and to be given to the treasury of the temple, for things, one thousand mines of gold and five thousands mines of silver, and one hundred priestly vestments. 71. And dwelled the priest and the Levites and the ones from the people of Israel in Jerusalem and in the country, and the singers of the temple of the Lord and the door keepers and all Israel in their villages. 72. And coming the seventh month, and being the sons of Israel each one at his ones, they gathered all together at the entrance of the first gate, which is towards east. 73. And standing Joshua, the son of Iosec, and his brothers, the priests and Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, and his brothers, they prepared the altar of the God of Israel, to bring on it burnt offerings, as it is written in the book of Moses, the man of God. 74. And there gathered against them some of the other nations of the country. And they erected the altar on its place, despite all the enmity of the other nations. And they were oppressed all the other nations from the earth, but they were bringing sacrifice at the time and burnt offerings to the Lord, in the morning and in the evening. 75. And they celebrated the feat of the tents, as it was ordered in the law, and they brought sacrifices in each day as it was lawful, and after these ones the ceaseless bringing and the sacrifice of the resting days and of the new moons and of all the sanctified feasts. 76. And as many as they promised a willing gift to God, from the ninth month and the seventh month, they started to bring sacrifices to God, because the temple of God had not been built yet. 77. And they gave money to the stonecutters and to the carpenters also foods and drinks joyfully. 78. And they gave carts to the SidOniasns and to the Tyreanians, to bring from Lebanon cedar timbers, to bring them with the rafts in the port of Jaffa, according to the commandment wrote to them from Cyrus, the king of Persians. 79. And in the second year, arriving at the temple of Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, the sons of Salathiel, and Joshua, the sons of Iosec, and 74 their brothers and the priests and the Levites and all the ones who came from slavery in Jerusalem, they started working. And in the first day of the second month, in the second year, after they came in Judah and Jerusalem, they laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord. 80. And they put the Levites from twenty years old and above, over the things of the Lord, au stood Joshua and his sons and his brothers, Cedmihel with his sons and the brothers of Hodaiah and the sons of Judah, the son of Henadab, together with the sons and the brothers, all the Levites together rulers over the things, committing the lawful ones in the temple of God, and the builders built the dwelling place of God. 81. And there stood all the priests with vestments, with singings, and with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, praised with cymbals the Lord, blessing according to the order of David, the king of Israel. 82. And they spoke through praising extolling God, for His goodness and His glory are forever in all Israel. 83. And all the people trumpeted and shouted with a loud voice, giving praise to the Lord for the raising of the temple of the Lord. 84. And from the priests and the Levites and from the head of the families came the old ones, who have seen the dwelling place from before, and the building of the present one, with a lamentation and a loud crying; and many rejoiced playing the trumpets and shouting with a loud voice, than the people could not hear the trumpets due to the weeping; 85. Because there was multitude which trumpeted very loud, than it was heard from far. 86. And hearing the enemies of the nation of Judah and of Benyamin they came to find out what does it mean this voice of the trumpets. 87. And they found out that the ones turned back from slavery build up the temple of the Lord God of Israel. 88. And coming to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families, they said to them: “Let`s also build together with you, for likewise you we listen to your God and sacrifice to Him from the days of Esarhaddon, the king of Assyrians, who moved us here”. 89. And said Zerubbabel and Joshua and the heads of the families of Israel: “We cannot build together the temple of the Lord our God, but we will build it alone to the God of Israel, as Cyrus, the king of Persians, has ordered to us”. 90. And all the nations of the earth, resisting against the ones from Judaea, and surrounding the city, impeded the building and, cunning advices and plotting, they impeded the building throughout the life of the king Cyrus. ( 3 : The Jews build the temple of God with the accord of king Darius. 75 1. And in the second year of reigning of the king Darius prophesied Haggai and Zacharias, the son of Ido, prophets among Jews, who were in Judaea and Jerusalem, in the name of the Lord God of Israel. 2. And then, standing Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, and Joshua, the son of Iosec, they started to build the temple of the Lord from Jerusalem, and there were with the prophets of the Lord, who helped them. 3. In that time came to them Sisine, the ruler of Syria and Phoenicia, and SetarOBoznai and their comrades, and said to them: 4. “Who permitted to you to build this temple and this covering, and all of the other things to be committed by you? And who are the builders that commit these ones?” 5. And the elders of Jews had grace from the Lord, the One Who had them in His care in the time of the slavery, 6. And they weren`t stopped to build until the time when Darius was noticed and the answer came. 7. The content of the letter, which was wrote to Darius, and sent it by Sisine, the ruler of Syria and Phoenicia, and by SetarOBoznai and his comrades, the chieftains from Syria and Phoenicia, it this: “To king Darius, joy. 8. All knew to be to our lord, the king, for going us in the country of Judaea and coming in the city Jerusalem, we found in the city the elders of the Jews, the ones who came back from slavery in Jerusalem, building to the Lord a new and great temple, 9. From carved stones of a big price and from wood timber placed in the walls. 10. And these things are done in hurry, and the work increases in their hands and it is done with al brightness and toil. 11. And we asked those elders saying: Of whose commandment are you building this temple and put foundation to these things? 12. But we asked them to let you know and to write to you who are their chieftains and the names of the ones who lead them. 13. And they answered to us, saying: We are the servants of the Lord, Who made the sky and the earth. 14. And that temple was build many years before and it was finished by a great and powerful king of Israel; 15. And because our parents, through their sins, irritated the Heavenly King of Israel, He gave them in the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the king of Chaldeans. 16. And destroying the temple, he burnt it down, and brought the people in slavery, in Babylon. 17. And in the first year, when Cyrus has been reigning over the country of Babylon, he wrote to be build again this temple. 18. And the holy vessels of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar took them out from the temple from Jerusalem and he placed them in his temple, King Cyrus took them out again this time from the temple from Babylon, and entrusted them to Zerubbabel Sheshbazzar, the governor. 76 19. And he commanded to bring these vessels and to put them in the temple of Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord to be built on its own place. 20. Then Sheshbazzar, coming, he put the foundations of the temple, the one from Jerusalem, and from then to now, being built, has not been finished yet. 21. Now so, if it is reckoned to be right, o, king, to be searched in the royal archives of king Cyrus; 22. And if it is found that the building of the temple of the Lord from Jerusalem it is done with the acknowledgment of the king Cyrus, and if reckons to be right, the lord our king, to be answered to us about all these things”. 23. But king Darius ordered to be searched the royal archives which were in Babylon; and it was found in Ecbatana, the capital of Media, a book in which were mentioned all these things: 24. “In the first year of the reigning of Cyrus, king Cyrus commanded to be built again the temple of the Lord from Jerusalem, where ceaselessly are brought burnt sacrifices. 25. The height of the temple to be of sixty cubits, the width of sixty cubits and three rows of houses of carved stone, and a new house of wood, and the expenses to be done from the treasury of king Cyrus. 26. And the holy vessels of the temple of the Lord, the one of gold and the one of silver, which have been took out by Nebuchadnezzar from the temple from Jerusalem and he brought them in Babylon, to be placed in the temple from Jerusalem; and, where were placed before, there to be placed”. 27. And he commanded to Sisine, the satrap of Syria and Phoenicia, and to SetarOBoznai and his comrades, and to the ones ordered in Syria and in Phoenicia as rulers, to not mix there, but to let Zerubbabel, the servant of the Lord and the ruler of Judaea, and the elders of the Jews, to build that temple of the Lord on the place where it was before: 28. “And I have commanded to be built entirely and to be taken care to work with the Jews who came back from slavery to the finishing of the temple of the Lord. 29. And from the taxes from CeleOSyria and Phoenicia, with care and order, to be given to those men what it has been ordered for the sacrifice of the Lord, and to Zerubbabel the governor, from bulls and from rams and from lambs. 30. Also wheat and salt and vine and oil ceaselessly all over the year, as much as it is necessary in each day, according to the indication of the priests from Jerusalem. 31. To be brought sacrifices with pouring to God the Most High, for the king and for his subjects and to pray for their lives. 32. And he commanded that whosoever will disregard something from the written ones from before, or will not fulfill something, to be taken from its own wood for gallows, and on that to be hanged and his wealth to be of the king. 77 33. That`s why also the Lord of Who name is called there, to destroy any king and any nation who will stretch the hand to stop or to do evil to the temple of the Lord from Jerusalem. 34. And I, Darius, have commanded to be done all of these with all heed”. ( 3 The finishing of the temple of the Lord, its consecration and the celebration of the Passover. 1. The Sisine, the satrap of CeleOSyria and Phoenicia, and SetarOBoznai and their comrades, following the ones commanded by king Darius, 2. Governed over the holy things with more care, helping the elders of the Jews and the priests, servants to the sacrifices. 3. And with efficiency were done the holy ones, prophesying Haggai and Zacharias the prophets. 4. And these were finished through the commandment of the Lord God of Israel, and with the will of Cyrus and of Darius and of Artaxerxes, the kings of Persians. 5. And the holy temple was finished to the twenty third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of Darius, the king of Persians. 6. And the sons of Israel and the priests and the Levites and the other from the formal servants, who were added, committed all things according to the ones written in the book of Moses. 7. And they brought sacrifice at the sanctification of the temple, bulls one hundred, rams two hundred, lambs four hundred; 8. Twelve heOgoats for sacrifice for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. 9. And the priests and the Levites stood according to the tribes, clothed with vestments, to the things of the Lord God of Israel, as it is ordered in the book of Moses; so also the door keepers, each of them to his gate. 10. And the sons of Israel who came back from slavery, they celebrated the Passover in the day of fourteenth of first month, after the priests and the Levites were cleaned. 11. As also all the sons of the slavery, who were cleaned. 12. For the Levites all together were cleaned, and they stabbed the Pascal lamb for all the sons of Israel turned back from slavery and for their brothers, the priests, and for themselves. 13. And the sons of Israel ate, the one turned back from slavery, and how many moved away from the abominations of the nations from the country, searching for God. 14. And they celebrated the feast of the unleavened bread for seven days, rejoicing before God, 15. Because He turned the heart of king of Assyrians towards them, to strengthen their hand to the things of the Lord God of Israel. 78 ( 3 ; Ezra in Jerusalem. The letter of Artaxerxes, the king of the Persians. 1. And after that, in the time of reigning of king Artaxerxes, the king of the Persians, 2. Ezra, the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Abitur, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraiot, the son of Zahia, the son of Uzi, the son of Buchi, the son of Abiusa, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the first priests, went to Jerusalem. 3. This Ezra went up from Babylon, being a skilled scholar in the law of Moses, given by God to Israel, 4. And the king gave him glory, finding grace before him in all his requests. 5. And went up together with him some from the son of Israel, from the priests, from the Levites and from the singers of the temple of the Lord, from the door keepers and from the ones consecrated to the temple of the Lord, to Jerusalem. 6. In the seventh year of the reigning of king Artaxerxes, in the fifth month (this is the seventh year of the king), coming out from Babylon, at the full moon, in the first month, 7. He arrived to Jerusalem, after the good trip, given to them by the Lord; 8. Because Ezra had much knowledge, to not let aside anything from the law of the Lord and from commandments, teaching all Israel all the atonements and the judgments. 9. And the commandment came, written by the king Artaxerxes, to Ezra, the priest and the reader of the law of the Lord, of which content it is the one from bellow: 10. “King Artaxerxes, to Ezra, the priest and the teacher of the law of the Lord, salutation. 11. Thinking with love of people, I have commanded that the ones who will want from the nation of the Jews, from among the priests and the Levites, who are in our kingdom, to go together with you in Jerusalem. 12. So then, to go with you as many as they will want, as I have decide and my seven the closest adviser of mine, 13. To study the ones that are in Judah and in Jerusalem, 14. According to the ones that are in the law of the Lord, 15. And to bring in Jerusalem to the God of Israel gifts which I promised and my closest advisers and all the gold and the silver that would be found in the country of Babylon, 16. Together with the one gifted by the people to the temple of their Lord God from Jerusalem. To be gathered silver and gold for the fatlings, rams, lambs and for what follows to these ones, 17. To bring sacrifices to the Lord at the altar of their Lord God from Jerusalem, 18. And all that you will thing together with your brothers to do with the gold and with the silver do them according to the will of your God. 79 19. And the holy vessels which are given towards the need of the temple of your God put them in front of your God in Jerusalem. 20. And the other ones as many as you`ll need for the temple of your God, give them from the royal treasury. 21. And I, king Artaxerxes, I have commanded to the treasures of Syria and Phoenicia that whatsoever would ask Ezra the priest and the teacher of the law of God from above to be given to them with all heed, 22. Up to a hundred talents of silver, and also up to a hundred cores of wheat, and up to a hundred bats, and other as many as possible. 23. All of these according to the law of God to be brought with the care of God the Most High, for His anger not to come over the kingdom of the king and over his sons. 24. And to you is commanded that to all the priests and to all the Levites and to the singers of the temple of the Lord and to the door keepers and to the consecrated ones to the temple of the Lord and to the servants of His dwelling place, 25. No tax, no other tribute to be asked and nobody to have power to put something over these ones. 26. And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of God that is given to you, put judges and lawmakers, to judge in all Syria and Phoenicia all of them who know the law of God, and on the ones who don`t, teach them. 27. And all that will transgress the law of your God and the law of the king, to be punished without hesitation either with death, or with torments, or with fine, or with prison”. 28. And Ezra the scholar said: “Blessed is only the Lord God of my parents, the One Who has given these in the heart of the king to honor His temple from Jerusalem. 29. And on me He has honored before the king, the advisers, to all his friends and governors. 30. And I received courage, with the help of the Lord my God, and I have gathered men from Israel to go up with me. 31. And these are the chieftains of the families and of the tribes who leaved with me from Israel under the reigning of the king Artaxerxes. 32. From the sons of Phinehas, Gerson, from the sons of Itamar, Gamaliel. 33. From the sons of David, Hattush, the son of Secunia. 34. From the sons of Fares, Zachariah and with him were enlisted one hundred and fifty. 35. From the sons of PahatOMoab: Eliehoenai, the son of Zaharias, and with him people two hundred. 36. From the sons of Zethus, Secunia, the son of Jahaziel, and together with him people three hundred. 37. From the sons of Adin, Ebed, the son of Jonathan and together with him people two hundred and fifty. 38. From the sons of Elam, Isaiah, the son of Atalia, and together with him ne seventy. 39. From the sons of Sefatias, Zebadiah, the son of Michael, and together with him men seventy. 80 40. From the sons of Ioab, Obadiah, the son of Jehiel, and together with him men two hundred and twelve. 41. From the sons of Bani, Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah, and together with him men one hundred and sixty. 42. From the sons of Bega, Zacharias, the son of Bebai, and with him men eighty and eight. 43. From the sons of Azgad, Jonathan, the son of Hakatan, and with him men one hundred and ten. 44. From the sons of Adonikam, the last ones, on their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel and Semachiah and with them men sixty. 45. From the sons of Bigvai, Uthai, the son of Zabbud and with him seventy men. 46. And I gathered them at the river which is called Tera and we tarried for three days there and I have given to them orders. 47. And from the sons of the priests and from the Levites, not finding there, I sent on Eliezer, on Ariel, on Elnatan, on Semachiah, on Jarib, on Natan, on Elnatan, on Zacharias and on Mesulam, skilled chieftains. 48. And I told them to go to Ido, the ruler from Casifia, ordering them to speak to Ido and his brothers and with the ones established in Casifia, to send us the ones who will serve in the temple of our Lord. 49. And they brought to us, according to the strong hand of our Lord, knowledgeable men from the nation of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, on Serebia and his sons and the brothers who were eighteen. 50. And on Hashabiah and on Hanun, and Isaiah his brother, from the sons of Merari, and with their sons, men twenty. 51. And from the ones consecrated to the temple of the Lord, whom have been given by David and the governors to the work of the Levites two hundred and twenty people consecrated to the temple of the Lord. The name of everybody has been written. 52. And there we have promised fasting from the part of the young people, before the Lord our God, asking from Him good travel, to us and to the ones together with us, our sons, and the beasts. 53. I felt shame to ask from the king pedestrians, horse riders and companions, for defense against the one who would resist to us, 54. For I have said to the king that the power of our Lord will be with the ones who search for Him in all the righteousness. 55. And again we prayed to the Lord for everything and we have found Him good and gentle. 56. We have assigned from the chieftains of the nations and of the priests twelve men, on Serebia and Iasabia and together with them, from their brothers, ten men. 57. And we gave them the silver and the gold and the holy vessels of the temple of our Lord, which were given by the king and his advisers and by the governors from all Israel. 58. And we have given to them six hundred silver talents and silver vessels of a hundred talents and gold jewelry twenty. 59. And vessels of copper, of good copper, which shines as the gold, twelve. 81 60. And I have said to them: You are the sanctified ones of the Lord, and the sanctified vessels and the gold and the silver are the promise of the God of our fathers. 61. Take vigil and guard them until you will give them to the chieftains of the priests and to the Levites and to the heads of the families of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the treasury of the temple our God. 62. And the priests and the Levites, and the ones who took the silver and the gold and the vessels from Jerusalem, they have put them in the temple of the Lord. 63. And going from the river Tera in the twelfth day of the first month, we entered in Jerusalem with the almighty hand of our Lord Who was above, and delivered us from the entrance of all the enemy, and we`ve come in Jerusalem. 64. And being done there in the third day, in the fourth day the silver and the gold have been given in the temple of our Lord, in the hand of Meremoth, the son of Uriah the priest. 65. And with him was Eleazar, the son of Phinehas, and also Jonadab, the son of Joshua and Noadiah, the son of Binnui, all of them being Levites; has been given with number and according to its weight everything. 66. And it was written all their weight in that hour. 67. And the ones from slavery brought sacrifices to the Lord God of Israel, twelve fatlings for all Israel, ninety and six rams, 68. Lambs seventy and two, twelve heOgoats for expiation. 69. And they gave the commandments of the king to the royal clerks and to the governors of CeleOSyria and Phoenicia, and they honored the people and the temple of the Lord. 70. And after these ones were done, the leaders came to me and said: 71. “The Jew people and the chieftains and the priests and the Levites were no different from the other peoples of the country, and of the uncleanness of the Canaanites and of Hetes, of Pharesees, of Iebusees, of Moabites, of Egyptians and of Edomites, 72. For they lived together with their daughters, they and their sons, and it was mixed the holy seed with the foreign nations from the country, and took part the chieftains and the governors to this lawlessness from the beginning of the work”. 73. Immediately that I have heard this, I broke my clothing and the sanctified vestment and I have pulled out my hair from my head and my beard and I have fallen saddened on my thoughts. 74. And while I was weeping for the misfortune, and sat sad until the evening sacrifice, gathered to me all the ones who were zealous for the word of Lord God of Israel. 75. And getting myself up from the place where I was fasting, with the clothing and with the holy vestment torn apart, bending my knees and raising my hand towards the Lord, I said: 76. “Lord, I am ashamed and I feared before Your face, 77. For our sins have been multiplied over our heads and our lawlessness reached up to the sky, 82 78. Since the time of our fathers, and we are in a great sin to this day. 79. And for our sins and of our fathers we were given together with our brothers, with our kings and with priests, to the king of the earth, towards sword and towards slavery and towards prey with shame, to this day. 80. And now, in some measure Your mercy it has been shown to us, Lord, to last the root and our name in the place where is Your holy dwelling place, 81. And to be discovered to us luminary in the temple of our Lord God, and to give us the food in the time of our slavery. 82. And while we were slaves, we weren`t forsaken by our God, the One Who gave us to find out grace before the kings of the Persians, to give us food, 83. And to extol the temple of our Lord, to raise up the deserted Zion, and to give us strengthening in Judah and Jerusalem. 84. And now, what would we say, Lord, having all these? For we have transgressed Your commandments, which You have given in the hand of Your servants, the prophets, saying: 85. “The land, in which you enter to master it, is a defiled land with the defilement of the ones of other nation of the earth, and of their uncleanness it is filled up. 86. And now their daughters do not take them for your sons, and do not give your daughter after their sons. 87. Do not search to reconcile with them all the time, but strengthening yourselves, eat the good ones of the land and leave it heritage to your sons forever”. 88. And the ones which happen, all of them are done to us for our evil things and for our great sins. You, Lord, eased us of our sins, 89. And you have given us a root like this one; but we have turned again to transgress Your law, to mix ourselves in the uncleanness of nations of the earth. 90. Have You become angry on us, to lose us than not to remain root and neither seed, nor our name? 91. God of Israel are You truly, for You have left our root to this day. 92. Behold we are in front of You for our lawlessness, we we cannot stay anymore in front of You because of it”. 93. And when Ezra prayed, he confessed himself weeping, fallen down in front of the holy dwelling place, gathered to him from Jerusalem a great multitude, men and women and youngsters, for a great lamentation was in the crowd. 94. And shouting out Secunia, the son of Jeiel, from the sons of Israel, he said: “Ezra! We have committed sin in front of God, for we have dwelled together with women of another nation from the nations of the earth. 95. But as Israel has hope, into this we give oath to the Lord that we will banish all the women of another nation, together with their children, 96. As you reckon and how many obey to the law of the Lord; get up, commit, 83 97. For this is your thing and we, together with you, have the power to do it”. 98. And got up Ezra and put the chieftains of the priests and of the Levites and all Israel to give oath that they will do so. And they gave oath. ( 3 < Other commandments. Ezra reads the law of the Lord. The returning home. 1. And getting Ezra up, from the yard of the temple of the Lord, he went to the chamber of Jonathan, the son of Eliashib, 2. And dwelling there, he didn`t taste bread, nor drink water, weeping for the great lawlessness of the multitude. 3. And there was made crying in all Judaea and in Jerusalem and in all the ones from slavery, to gather themselves up in Jerusalem. 4. And how many won`t show up in two of three days, according to the judgment of the forefathers, their beasts will be killed, and they themselves will be removed from the congregation of the ones who have been in slavery. 5. And gathered up all the ones from the nation of Judah and of Benjamin in three days in Jerusalem, in the ninth month, in the twelfth of the month. 6. And sat together all the multitude in the yard of the temple of the Lord shivering, because it was winter. 7. And getting himself up, Ezra said to them: “You have committed lawlessness and you have dwelled with women of another nation, to increase the sins of Israel. 8. Nor repent yourselves and give glory to the Lord God of your fathers, 9. And do His will and separate yourselves from the nations of the earth and from the women of another nation”. 10. And all the people cried out and said with a loud voice: “We will do so! 11. But the multitude in many and it is time of winter, and we can`t stay under the open sky, and our thing isn`t a day or two, for we sinned much in this regard. 12. And to stay the chieftains of the multitude and the ones from our dwelling places as many as they have women of another nation, 13. To take themselves time to show up together with the elders and the judges and from each city until they will until the anger of the Lord from us, started upon us from this reason”. 14. The Jonathan, the son of Azael, and Iahzeia, the son of Ticva, they were assigned for this thing; and the Levites Mesulam and Sabetai were they helps; 15. The ones who were in slavery received the commandment. 16. And Ezra, the priest, chose men, heads of family, all of them on their names, and they sat together at the full moon of the tenth month for the thing`s study. 84 17. And they finished until the ninth month the inquiry referring to the men who have taken women of another nation. 18. And have been found from among the priests that gathered up, some of them having women of another nation: 19. From the sons of Joshua, the son of Iosec, and from among his brothers: Maaseia, Eliezer, Jarib and Ghedalia, 20. Who have given entrustment that they will banish their women and for cleansing they will sacrifice rams for their guilt. 21. There were found out also from the sons of Imer: Hanani and Zebadiah; of Harim: Maaseia, Elijah, Semachiah, Jehiel and Azariah; 22. Of Pashur: Eliehoenai, Maaseia, Ishmael, Nathanael, Iozabad and Elasa. 23. From among the Levites: Iozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah, also called Chelia, Pethahiah, Judas and Jonah. 24. From among the singers of the holy dwelling place: Eliashib and Zacchur. 25. Door keepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri. 26. And from the Israelites: Ramia, Izziah, Malchia, Mijamin, Eliezer, Micah and Benaia, from the sons of Fares; 27. Matania, Zacharias, Jehiel, Abdi, Ieromot and Elias, from the sons of Elam; 28. Eliehoenai, Eliashib, Matania, Ieromot , Zabad and Aziza, from the sons of Zethus; 29. From the sons of Bebai: Jonathan, Ananiah, Zabbai and Atlai. 30. From the sons of Bani: Mesulam, Malluch, Adaiah, Iosub, Asahel and Ieromot; 31. And from the sons of PahatOMoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaia, Maaseia, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh. 32. And from the sons of Harim: Mattenai, Matata, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremiah, Manasseh and Shimei. 33. And from the sons of Bani: Jeremiah, Madai, Amram, Joel, Benaia, Bedia, Kelaiah, Vania, Meremoth, Eliashib, Matania, Mattenai, Iaasai, Binnui, Shimei, Selenia, Natan and Adaiah. 34. From the sons of Zaccai: Sasai, Sarai, Azrael, Selenia, Amariah and Joseph. 35. From the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iadai, Joel, Benaia, Zavada, Ides, Joel and Vaneias. They also had taken women of another nation and banished them together with their children. 36. And the priests and the Levites who were from Israel dwelled in Jerusalem and in the country. And at the full moon of the seventh month, when the sons of Israel were placed in their homes, 37. Gathering together all the multitude on the place from the east part of the temple, 38. They said to Ezra, the priest and the reader, to bring there the law of Moses which has been given by the Lord God of Israel. 39. And Ezra the hierarch brought out the law to all the multitude, from men to the woman and to all the priests, to hear the law in the full moon of the ninth month. 85 40. And he read at the entrance of the first gate of the Lord from dawn to noon, before the men and the women, and all of them listened to the law. 41. And sat Ezra, the priest and the reader of the law on the chair of the righteousness, the wooden one, prepared. 42. And sat next to him: Mattathias, Sema, Ananiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah and Baalsam, on the right hand. 43. On the left hand: Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchia, Hasum, Hasbadana and Zacharias. 44. And taking Ezra the book of the law before the multitude, for he sat first, with glory in front of everybody, 45. And untying the law all of them stood on their feet and Ezra blessed the Lord God the Most High, on God Savaot the AllOKeeper. 46. And the multitude shouted out: Amen! 47. And raising his had upwards, falling down to earth, they worshipped the Lord: 48. Joshua, Bani, Serebia, Iamin, Arcub, Sabeta, Hodia, Maaseia, Chelita, Azariah, Iozabad, Hanan, Pelaia, and the Levites taught the law of the Lord, interpreting the reading. 49. And Ataratis (the governor of the country) said to Ezra, the hierarch and the reader, and to the Levites who were teaching the multitude: 50. “This day is holy to the Lord”. And all of them were crying listening to the law. 51. “Going, therefore, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks and send gifts to the ones who don`t have. 52. For holy it is the day of the Lord and to not get sad for the Lord will glorify you”. 53. And the Levites commanded all of these to the people saying: “This say holy is to the Lord, to not get sad”. 54. And all of them went to eat and to drink and to give gifts to the deprived ones, rejoicing much of the words of the law, which they learned in their assemblies. 86 / ( $ $ 3 The true wisdom, advice towards liberty, without which there is no liberty. 1. Love justice, judges of the earth; cogitate rightly about God and search for Him with the humble heart, 2. For He let Himself to be found by the ones who don`t tempt Him and shows Himself to the one who have faith in Him. 3. Truly, the cunning thought move away from God, and His power, when you tempt Him; He rebukes the reckless ones. 4. The wisdom does not penetrate in the cunning soul and does not dwell in the submitted to the sin body. 5. The Holy Ghost, the adviser of the people, runs away from cunningness, departs from the minds without understanding and move aside when the lawlessness comes close; 6. The wisdom is a lover of men ghost and do not let unpunished the one who blasphemes through his words, for God is witness to the most hidden thoughts and penetrates without mistake the hearts and hears all the words. 7. The Ghost of God fills up the world; He comprises all and knows any whisper. 8. Therefore, the one who speaks unjust things cannot hide himself and the avenger justice does not forget him. 9. Because the reckonings of the lawless will be examined and the rumors of his words will reach to God towards the punishment of his crookedness. 10. A jealous ear hears everything and the sound of the whispers, does not escape to it. 11. Beware yourself of the growler and vain words and shun your tongue of slandering, because the hidden word will not pass without punishment and the liar mouth brings death to the soul. 12. Do not hasten your death through the wanderings of your life and do not attract your destruction through the deed of your hands. 13. Because God has not made the death and He will not enjoy of the death of the living ones. 14. He has built all the things towards life and the creatures of the world are deliverers; into them there is not seed of destruction and death has not power of destruction upon the earth. 15. Justice is immortal, and injustice brings death. 16. But the faithless ones attract death to themselves with their hands and with their voice, look at it as to a friend, are passionate about it and they have made the connection with it and they are truly worthy to of it. ( 3 The living of the unfaithful who do not hope ion the eternal life. The persecution of the righteous one and the consequences of the evil. 87 1. The ones who cogitate unjustly have said into themselves> “Our life is short and sad and the man cannot escape of death, neither know who would deliver him from it. 2. Haply have we reach to be as we are and after this life we will be as we would not have been ever; because smoke is the respiration from our nostrils and the cogitation a spark which it is lit from the movement of our heart. 3. When it will be quenched, our body will be made ash and the ghost will scatter itself as the thin air. 4. Our name will be forgotten with the time and nobody will remember our things and our life will pass as the shadow of the cloud and it will be scattered as the fog, which it is banished by the rays of the son and its heat cumber it. 5. As the shadow it passing our life and its end is without coming back, which it is sealed and nobody comes back. 6. Therefore come to delight ourselves with the goodies from now and to use the creatures with the entire warmth of the youth. 7. Let have plentiful of expensive vines and fragrances and to not let pass the flowers of the spring. 8. Let`s crown ourselves with roses, until they do not wither. 9. Nobody from us to lack our parties; let`s leave everywhere the signs of our merriment, for this is the our part and vocation. 10. Let`s oppress the poor and righteous one, not to feel mercy on the widow, and of the hoariness of the old man heavy of years to not be us ashamed. 11. Our power to be the law of our justice, because what is weak is useless. 12. Let`s hunt the righteous one, because he hinders us and resists against our feats and blames us as being braking the law and blames us that we do not behave as we have been taught from our childhood. 13. He pretends that he has knowledge of God and he calls Himself: the Son of the Lord. 14. He is to us as a condemnation of our thoughts and it is taught to us even to look at him. 15. Because his life does not resemble with the life of the others and his path are changed. 16. Before him we are reckoned as unclean and he avoids our path as filthiness; he blesses the end of the righteous ones and he praises himself that he has God as his father. 17. Therefore let`s see if his words are true and let`s study what will happen to him when he will go out from this life. 18. For if the righteous is the son of God, the the Lord will defend him and will get him out from the hand of his enemies. 19. Let`s try him with revilements and torments, to see how patient he is and to try his sufferance. 20. These are their thoughts, but they deceive themselves, their cunningness has blinded them. 88 21. They do not know the mysterious plans of God, they do not hope in the reward of the holiness and they do not believe that the pure souls will have their crown. 22. God has built the man towards incorruption and He has made him according to the image of His being. 23. And through the envy of the devil death has entered into the world and the ones who are on his side will end knowing it. ( 3 5 The happiness of the righteous ones and the punishing of the sinners. 1. The souls of the righteous ones are in the hands of God and the torment will touch them not. 2. In the eyes of the mindless ones, the righteous are death consummately death and they exit from the world it seems to them a great misfortune. 3. And their living from among us a great fatality, but they are in peace. 4. And if, before the people they endured sufferings, their hope is full of immortality. 5. And being punished with a little, great reward they will receive, because God put them on trial and He has found them worthy of Him. 6. As the gold in the melting pot, so He cleaned them, and as a burnt sacrifice He has received them. 7. They will shine in the day of the reward and as some sparks which descend of the stubble field, so will they be. 8. They will judge the nations and will master over peoples and the Lord will reign into them, forever. 9. They will understand the truth, as some ones who have put their trust in God; the faithful ones will live with Him in love, because the grace and the mercifulness are on the side of His chosen ones. 10. The lawless ones will be punished according to their cunning thought, for they did not care about the righteous one, and from God they moved themselves away. 11. The defamers of the wisdom and of the teaching are liars, and their hope is vain and their toils are useless and their things are worthless. 12. Their women are mindless and their children are corrupt and their kinship is cursed. 13. Therefore, blessed is the barren one who has not defiled herself and who has not known bed with sin; he will give the fruit at the trying of the souls. 14. Likewise the eunuch who has not committed the lawlessness and has not thought evil things against the Lord; he will receive a special payment for his faith and in the temple of the Lord the most desirable place. 15. Because the fruit of the good labors is glorified and the root of the wisdom has not perdition. 16. The sons of the fornicators will have not perfection and the seed came out from the lawless bed will be quenched. 89 17. For if they will even have a long life, they will be useless and their old age, ultimately, will be without honor. 18. And if they will die early, they will be without hope and without comfort in the day of the judgment, 19. Because the kinship of the unjust has a terrible end. ( 3 6 What must be believed about the early death of the righteous ones and about the fate of the sinners. 1. Better is to be without children, but to have kindness, because the remembrance of the kindness is immortal; and God know it and the people know it. 2. When it is present, you follow it and when is gone, you feel sorry about it. Kindness wears an eternal crown, always victorious, coming out stainless from won battles. 3. The multitude of the children to the lawless ones it is useless; from their filthy offshoots the root will not be pierced in the depth and they will not have an unshaken base. 4. Even if they will temporarily dressed in branches, being baseless, they will be shaken by the wind and uprooted by the power of the storm. 5. Their branches will be broken before the full age, their fruit will be worthless, raw at eating and good to nothing, 6. Being the children born from the unclean sleep they are witnesses of the wickedness of their parents, when you take your time to study them. 7. The righteous one, even when he happen t perish earlier, he finds out rest. 8. The honored old age it is not brought by a long life, neither you measure them according to the number of the years. 9. The wisdom is to the man the real hoariness and the age of the old age it means an undefiled life. 10. Pleasant being to God, the Lord has loved him and, because he lived among sinners, He moved him from earth. 11. He was kidnapped for the evilness to not change his mind, the deceitfulness to not delude his soul. 12. Because the spell of the vice darkens the good ones and the dizziness of the lust changes the thought without malice. 13. His soul has been pleasant to God, and for this thing the Lord hurried to extract him from the middle of the wickedness. 14. The nations see, but they understand nothing and do not bother themselves with something like this, that the grace of God and His mercy are with His chosen ones and that He takes care of His saints. 15. The righteous that dies condemns the one who are living, and the youth reached at the hasty consummation condemns the long old age of the lawless one. 90 16. They will see the end of the righteous one, but they will not understand what counsel had God with him and why has reserved him for Himself. 17. They will see and they will mock about it, but the Lord will disgrace them. 18. Because they will be in the end a corps without honor, among dead, into shame, forever; the Lord will break them down and, dumb, will He throw them with their head down, will shake them from their foundation and they will perish to the smallest one; the torment will grind them and their remembrance will be erased. 19. They will be eternally frightened by the knowledge of their sins and their lawlessness it will reboke them face to face. ( 3 Too latter repentance of the sinners; the happiness of the righteous ones and the punishing of the sinners. 1. Then the righteous one will stay with much daring in front of the ones who persecuted him and despised his labors. 2. And they, seeing him, will be troubled with a grizzly fear and they will wonder of the salvation of the righteous one. 3. They will say, repenting in their heart and moaning in their tribulation: “This is the one that we had erstwhile as mockery and target of our reproaches. 4. Fool of us! We reckoned his life a foolishness and his death wickedness. 5. And look at how he was reckoned among the sons of God and his part among saints! 6. Therefore, we have wandered from the path of the truth and the light of the righteousness did not shine to us and to us the son did not rise. 7. We had enough of the paths of the lawlessness and of the perdition; we crossed untraveled wildernesses, and the path of the Lord we knew it not. 8. What profit has brought to us the haughtiness? To what has served to us the richness and its entire Tyree? 9. All of these passed like the shadow and as some news which goes through here there. 10. They passed like the ship which crosses the insurgent sea and of which trace in the water you cannot find it anymore and neither its passing, in the middle of the waves; 11. Or like the bird which flies in the air and of which trip does not let any sign; for beating with the wings the light wind and cleaving it with the impulse of the starting, it cuts its way through the movement of the feathers, and after that nothing shows where it passed. 12. Or like the arrow which flies towards the marked spot, and the air that it has cleaved gathers back and you cannot know anymore which it was its trace. 91 13. In the same way also we have been born and finished our life and we cannot show any sign of a good deed, but into our evilness we wasted ourselves. 14. Truly, the hope of the lawless one is like the dust which is blown by the wind, it is like the thin fog which the storm scatters it, as the smoke blown away by a breeze and as the memory of a guest for a day which disintegrates. 15. But the righteous ones will be alive forever and their reward is at the Lord the Almighty One Who takes care of them. 16. Therefore they will receive from the hand of the Lord the kingdom of the beauty and the beautiful shining crown, because He will harbor them with His right hand and with His arm; like a shield, He will cover them. 17. He will make weapons from His anger and with them He will strengthen the creature of His hands to reward to the enemies. 18. From justice He will make a breastplate and from the notOhypocrite judgment He will make a helmet to Himself. 19. From His holiness He will make to Himself an unvanquished rampart; 20. And from his dreadful anger He will make a sharpened sword and the world will start war together with Him against the mindless ones. 21. The arrows of His lightening will start well aimed and they will hit the target, flying away from the powerfully strained bow of the clouds. 22. His anger, as a slingshot, will throw an avalanche of hails; the waters of the sea will get anger upon them and the rivers will drown them stormily. 23. The Ghost of the godlike power will raise Himself up against them and as the blizzard will sweep them away. In this way the lawlessness will bring desolation of the earth and the evilness will overthrow the chairs of the mighty ones. ( 3 : Advice towards the leaders of the world to search for and to follow the wisdom and the righteousness. 1. Listen so, you kings, and understand, take teaching, you, who judge the edges of the earth. 2. Put in your ears, you who master over the multitudes and who are pride with the multitude of your peoples. 3. Understand that the mastery has been given to you from the Lord and the power from the Most High One, Who will observe your deeds and will put on trial your thoughts. 4. Because, even you are rulers of His kingdom, you have not judged rightly, neither have you guarded the law, nor have you walked according to the advice of God. 5. Dreadfully and without warning he will stay upon you, because for the big ones the judgment will be grizzly. 6. To the small ones, the Lord will show them forgiveness and mercy, but the powerful ones will be punished with religiousness. 92 7. The Master of everybody will feel shame in front of no cheek, neither will He be shy in front of any glory, for the big one and the small one he has made them both and His providence is the same for all of them. 8. But the mighty ones will have part of a harder trial. 9. So towards you, oh kings, a direct my words to learn wisdom and to fall not. 10. Because the ones who have kept the holy commandment with religiousness will be sanctified and the ones who will learn it will know what to answer. 11. Love therefore my words and wish them and you will be taught by them. 12. The wisdom is lightened and notOdarkened and the ones who love it they easily see it and the ones who search for it they find it. 13. It comes out in the way of the ones who search for it and it shows itself to them, firstly. 14. The one who wakes himself up for it early morning he will not get Tired, because he will find it sitting at his gate. 15. The one who bother himself with the wisdom accomplished the consummation of the mind and the one who loses his sleep for it will be soon without care. 16. It walks in all directions searching for the ones worthy of it and appears to be friendly in their ways and welcomes them in everything they plan. 17. Its beginning is the true lust for learning. 18. And the lust for learning has in itself the love, and the love is the guardian of the laws of the wisdom, and the guarding of the laws of wisdom is the confirmation of the immortality. 19. And the immortality makes us being close to God. 20. Therefore, the lust for the wisdom leads to the eternal kingdom. 21. So, you kings of the peoples, if you care about your thrones and your scepters, honor the wisdom, to reign forever. 22. And what it is the wisdom and how it has been made, I am ready to tell you without hiding the mysteries of God. But I will observe from the beginning of the creature and I will bring into the light its knowledge and I will pass not besides the truth. 23. I will not go on the same road with the envy which gnaws, for it has not any partaking with the wisdom. 24. The multitude of the wise men is the salvation of the world and a wise king means the welfare of his people. 25. Therefore, take the teaching from my words and the profit will be yours. ( 3 The wisdom and its uses. The wonderful elevation of the man through it. 1. I am also a mortal man like everybody and descending from the nation of the first man built from earth. 93 2. And I have been conceived, with the body, in my mother`s womb, being coagulated from blood, for ten month of time, from manlike seed in the hour of the resting sleep. 3. And after I was born, I have breathed the usual air and on the usual earth of the sufferance I have fallen also I, and my first voice, as to everybody, it was my cry. 4. I was wrapped in diapers and I gave to my parents care and bothering. 5. No king started otherwise when he was born. 6. For everybody enters in life in the same way and again they exist in the same way from it. 7. That`s why I prayed and wisdom has been given to me, I called and the ghost of the sapience has descended into me. 8. I took care about it more than to the scepters and to the thrones and I reckoned vain the richness in comparison with it. 9. I did not put next to it either the most precious stones, because all the gold from the entire world is not in comparison with it but sand, and the silver, before it, it seem to me mud. 10. I have valued the wisdom more than the health and the beauty; I have put it even before the light, for its shininess will never be quenched. 11. And I have rejoiced of all of these, because the wisdom brings them with itself. Although, I did not know that it is their birth giver. 12. I have learned it without cunningness, I am sharing it without sorry and I do not hide its treasures. 13. It is for people and endless treasure; the ones who use it they make themselves the friends of God, for the gifts achieved by the learning. 14. And to me God be giving to speak as I think and to think in a worthy way about His gifts, for He is the adviser of the wisdom and the guide of the wise men. 15. Because we are in his hand also us and our words and all the wisdom and the science of the things. 16. He has given me the true knowledge about the existing ones, to know the composition of the world and the work of the elements of the nature. 17. The beginning and the end and the middle of the times, the turning back of the seasons and the transformation of the sky, 18. The courses of the years and the order of the stars, 19. The nature of the animals and the habits of the beasts, the power of the ghosts and the thoughts of the people, the divers sorts of the plants and the characteristics of the roots. 20. All of the hidden and of the shown ones I have known them, because the wisdom, the worker of everything, has given me the instruction. 21. Truly, in it there is a ghost of understanding, holy, without match, with many sides, unearthly, nimble, penetrating, undefiled, most wise, without passion, lover of goodness, sharp, unstoppable, benefactor, 22. Lover of people, unshaken, substantially, almighty, allOwatching and making his way out through all the smart, clean and whatever thin spirits. 94 23. Because the wisdom is nimbler than any movement, it penetrates and it makes place to itself through its cleanness. 24. It is the blast of the power of God; it is a clean overflowing of the glory of the Almighty, than nothing can bedaub it. 25. It is the brightness of the eternal light and the spotless mirror of the work of God and the image of His kindness. 26. Because it is one, it can everything, and remaining one with itself, it renews everything, and spreading itself out, through centuries, in the holy souls, it composes of them friends of God and prophets. 27. Truly, God does not love anything, but only the one who lives in wisdom. 28. It is more beautiful than the sun and than all the order of the stars; if you put it next to the light, the wisdom overpasses it. 29. Because after the light it follows the night, while the wisdom remains undefeated before the evil. ( 3 ; The necessity of the wisdom and its asking from God. 1. Wisdom reaches with strength from an edge of the world to the other and composes everything most pleasant. 2. It was dear to me and I have studied it from my youth and have tried to woo it as my bride and I have much loved its beauty. 3. Its good lineage it glorifies it through the living together with God, and the Master of everything He has it in great love, 4. Because it brings the people to the knowledge of God and it chooses His things. 5. And why is it the richness a desired gain in life, what is richer than the wisdom, which works everything? 6. If the reasonableness stays in front of the businesses, who is better craftsman than the wisdom in everything that exist? 7. And if somebody loves the justice, the toils of the wisdom bring fruit holy powers, it teaches us the restraint and the thoughtfulness, the justice and the manhood, all it is more useful in the life of the people; 8. And if somebody desires to have a wide knowledge, the wisdom knows the past ones and foresees the future ones, it knows the turnings of the words and the solutions of the questions; it knows from before the signs and the wonders and the happenings of the times and of the hundreds of the years. 9. Therefore I have decided to catch it as companion in life, because I know that it will advise me the good ones and it will be comforting to me in worries and troubles. 10. And I will have, through it, glory in assemblies; and though I am young, I will have honor before the old ones. 11. They will find me out as penetrating in judgments, and I will appear amazing in front of the powerful ones. 95 12. When I will keep my silence, they will wait for me to speak; when I will speak, they will be all taking head, and when I will utter a long speech, they all will put their hand at their mouth. 13. Through wisdom I will have immortality and I will let to the one after me an eternal remembrance. 14. I will lead peoples, and foreign nations will obey to my mastery. 15. Feared tyrants, when they will hear about me, they will fear; I will show good to the multitudes and valiant in war. 16. And turning back home, with wisdom I will rest myself, because the living with it does not have any bitterness and the life with it does not have any pain, but joyfulness and gladness. 17. I have thought these thoughts in my mind and I have carried them in my heart always and I have understood that the immortality it is the fruit of the connection with the wisdom. 18. And I have also understood that in the friendship with it there are holy joys and the deeds of its hand are endless richness and staying about it you have gain of righteous mind and gain of glory you have from the conversation with it; that`s why I went everywhere and I have tried myself in every way to have wisdom. 19. I have been a good child and I have taken part of a soul without malice. 20. Or even stronger, as good as I was, I have come in an undefiled body. 21. And knowing that I will not be able to have wisdom in other way if God will not give it to me, even though also this it was wisdom, to know from Whom it comes the gift, I prayed to God and I humbled myself in front of Him and I said from all my heart: ( 3 < The prayer of Solomon towards God for the achieving of the wisdom, which it is useful to all the people. 1. “God of the parents and Lord of the mercy, the One Who have made all things with Your Word, 2. And with Your wisdom You have ordered the man to master over the buildings made by You, 3. And to rule the world with decency and justice and with right soul to make judgment, 4. Give me the wisdom that stays close to Your chair and do not reject me from among Your servants. 5. Because Your servant I am and the son of Your housemaid, weak man and with the life short and less capable to understand the judgment and the laws. 6. Because, even when somebody would be perfect from among the sons of the men, if will lack to him the wisdom from You, as nothing at all will he reckoned. 7. You have chosen me from before to master Your people, and to judge Your sons and Your daughters. 96 8. You have commanded me to build in mountain Your holy temple and an altar in the city where You dwell, after the image of Your holy tent, which You have prepared from the beginning. 9. With You is the wisdom which knows Your deeds and which was present when You have made the world and which knows what it is pleasant in front of Your eyes and what it is right, according to Your commandments. 10. Send this wisdom, from Your holy heavens, from next to the throne of Your glory, to help me in my labors and to know what it is well pleasant in front of You, 11. Because the wisdom knows everything and understands them and will advise me wisely in my works and through its glory will guard me. 12. And in this way, my deeds will be pleasant to you and I will judge Your people with justice and I will be worthy of the throne of my father. 13. Truly, what can the man know from the advice of God or who can understand the will of God? 14. The thoughts of the mortal ones are hesitating and our cogitations are with mistake. 15. Because the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthly dwelling place burdens the full of cares mind. 16. Hardly do we realize the ones that are on earth and with toil we find the ones that are just in our hand; then, who could understand the ones that are in heavens? 17. Who knew Your will, if Your did not give him wisdom and if you did not send to him from above Your Holy Ghost? 18. In this way, have been straight the paths of the ones from earth and the people have learnt what it is pleasant before You, and through wisdom they have known the salvation”. ( 3 The wisdom has been guiding the mankind from its beginning. 1. The wisdom guarded the first man built by God to be the parent of the human kind, when the first one was built. 2. It has brought him out from his sin and it has given to him power to master all the creatures. 3. Because he went far from it, getting angry, the unjust one perished in his killer of brother foolishness. 4. And when the earth was covered by waters, the wisdom save the just one and carried him in the weak wooden boat. 5. Because the nations mixed their all lawlessness, out of order, the wisdom knew the righteous one and kept him blameless in front of God and guarded him undefeated, when it was to be broken down by the mercy on his child. 6. Also the wisdom saved the righteous one from the destruction of the evil ones and he ran far away from the fire descended over the five cities. 97 7. And as prove, showing their lawlessness, this desolated county smokes even today, the trees bring fruit outside the appropriate time and a pillar of salt stand there, towards the remembrance of the unfaithful soul of the woman of Lot. 8. They did not care about wisdom and therefore they did not know what the good is and they left to the alive ones the memory of their foolishness, so as their wickedness not to be swallowed by forgetfulness, 9. But the wisdom plucked out from troubles the ones who are faithful. 10. Again the wisdom carried on right ways the righteous who has been running away from the anger of his brother, showing to him the kingdom of God and giving to him the instruction about the holy ones; it made him rich when he has been working hardly and it gave him accretion in his endeavors. 11. The wisdom supported him when it was to be rifled by the greedy masters and helped him to achieve great wealth. 12. It shunned him from the enemies; it protected him from the ones who set traps to him; it made him victorious in a dreadful battle, to teach him that stronger than all it is the piousness. 13. The wisdom did not forsake the sold one righteous, but shunned him from sin. 14. It descended with him in tomb and in his chains it did not forsake him, until it gave him the scepter of the reigning and the power over the one who persecuted him; it proved to be liars his enemies and it gave him eternal glory. 15. The wisdom delivered the pious people and the innocent tribe from the nations that oppressed it. 16. It penetrated in the soul of the servant of God and with signs and with wonders it stood resistance against of feared kings. 17. To the pious ones it gave payment for their toils and guided them on a most wonderful way and during the day it was cover to them and during the night light of stars. 18. It passed them through the Red Sea and carried them through great waters. 19. It covered with waters the enemies, and then from the depths of the sea threw them out. 20. Because of that, the righteous pillaged the unfaithful ones and glorified by singing Your holy name, Master, and all of them together praised Your hand which fights for them. 21. Because the wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb ones and the tongue of the children made it telling. ( 3 98 The wisdom adviser to the chosen people. God punishes His enemies and waits for the betterment of the sinners. 1. He made to increase their works through the hand of the holy prophet 2. And they made way through the uninhabited desert, and they stretched their tents in pathless places. 3. They stood stoutly against the enemies and they rejected their adversaries. 4. They endured the thirst and they called Your name and the water was given to them from a rough rock and from stone they quenched their thirst. 5. What it was punishment for the enemies it was made for them, in their need, a blessing. 6. And while the water of the great river had been transformed in unclean blood, 7. Towards the punishment of the Pharaoh who commanded to be killed the children, You gave to the ones who lost their hope plentiful of water; 8. And so You showed to them through the thirst of which they had suffered, with which punishment you punish their adversaries. 9. And from this scolding, even they had been scolded with sparing, they knew how are tormented the lawlessness ones, judged under anger. 10. You tried some of them as a parent who scolds, and the other one You punished them as an emperor who condemns. 11. Both them who were present and the ones who were far away they were tormented together. 12. A twofold pain took them over and they sighted, remembering the past things. 13. Because realizing that their punishments were towards the good of the escaped ones, they knew the power of God, 14. That One Whom they rejected before and held Him as mockery, and after they wondered in front of Him, and after that they suffered a thirst totally different than the righteous ones. 15. For the not understanding thoughts of their dissoluteness, which confused them and they brought them to honor the speechless animals and the unworthy beasts, you sent over them, Master, towards punishment, multitude of mindless animals, 16. To learn that through what somebody commits sin, through that one he is also punishes. 17. I was not difficult to Your almighty hand, Who have built the world out of nothing, to send upon them multitude of bears and fierce lions, 18. Or of newly created beats, unknown and full of rabies, blowing fiery steams, blowing out from their nose stinky smoke, or scattering from their eyes fearsome lightning bolts. 19. And these beasts could kill them not only with their bite, but to horrify them and even to kill them with their sight. 20. And even without these ones, they could perish only to a blowing, pursued by the avenger justice and blown by the wind of Your power; but You have ordered everything with measure, with number and with scales. 99 21. Because You have an endless power and to the strength of Your arm who will stay against it? 22. The entire world, in front of You, it is like that little of dust which make the scales to lean on a side, and as the dew drop from the morning, which descends on earth. 23. And You have mercy on everybody, for everything is possible to You and You overlook the mistakes of the people, to be them repenting. 24. And because You love all the existing ones and You do not persecute anything from the one that You have made, for if You would hate something, You would have not made it. 25. And how would have remained something, if You would have not wanted it? Or how would last if it would have been not called by You at being? 26. But You forgive to everybody, for all are Yours, Master, lover of the souls. ( 3 The boundlessness of the patience and of the righteousness of God. 1. You incorruptible Ghost is in everything. 2. That`s why You punish with measure the ones who fall down and, when they commit sin, You open their eyes and rebuke them, to leave their evilness and to believe in You, Master. 3. Of the inhabitants from old of Your holy land You have been disgusted, 4. For they did lawless things, haggish ones, and they brought unclean sacrifices, 5. Killing mercilessly the little children, eating human flesh and drinking themselves blood; 6. These soiled sorcerers, 7. And killer parents of some defenseless little children You wanted to destroy them through the hands of our parents, 8. So that this land, which is more honorable in front of You than all the other ones, to receive – worthy inhabitants – the sons of God. 9. But also those ones as some people You forgave them and You sent them, as emissaries of Your punishing army, botflies which sting, to kill them slowly. 10. Not because You could not subdue with war the faithless ones to the believers, or to destroy them suddenly with the dreadful beats, or with a short commandment, 11. But You reckoned to take them slowly giving them place for repentance, even though You knew that their nation is cunning and their evilness is natural to them and planted inside and that their thought will not change ever, 12. Because from the beginning the seed was cursed. And then neither because You have fear of somebody, You showed Yourself long/suffering with their sins. 13. For who could say to You: what have You done? Or who will stand against Your judgment? Or who will find You guilty for the destroyed 100 nations, which Yourself made them? Or who will raise up against You with judgment for the unjust people? 14. For there is no other God except You, who to take care of all, and to whom to prove You that Your judgments are always right. 15. There is neither emperor, nor ruler able to raise his eyes in front of You and to hold You accountable for the ones that You destroyed. 16. But, being righteous, You rule all the ones with justice and You reckon inappropriate thing with Your power to condemn the one who must not be punished. 17. Your power is the beginning of the justice and, because You are master of all, towards everybody with forbearance You show Yourself. 18. You show Your strength to the ones who do not believe in Your almightiness and you overcome the daring of the ones who know it. 19. Master of the power as You are, You judge with gentleness and rule us with much spearing, for with You is the power, when You wish. 20. Through things like these ones You have taught the people that the righteous one must be lover or people and You have given to Your sons a good hope, that You let them time to repent. 21. For since You punished with so much slowness the enemies of Your servants, though they were guilty to death, giving them time and place to deviate from their lawlessness, 22. The with how much care You judge Your servants, of whose parents received from You oaths and the covenants of some wonderful promises! 23. So when you rebuke us, You beat our enemies for thousands times more, to take heed to Your goodness, when we judge; and when we are departed, to hope in Your mercifulness. 24. Therefore, on the unjust ones who lived their life foolishly, You have punished them with their abominable deed themselves. 25. Because they went so far on the ways of the roving, then they reckoned as god the most rejecting beasts, deceiving themselves as the children without wisdom. 26. For that one, as to some mindless children, You sent to them a laughable punishment. 27. And the ones who have not been penetrated by this insignificant punishment they will feel a punishment worthy of God. 28. Suffering and getting troubled with what they reckoned to be gods, they knew the true God, Whom they another time said that they do not know Him; that`s why, the very last damnation came upon them. ( 3 5 The rebuking of the ones who do not believe and the foolishness of worshipping idols. 101 1. Empty are by nature all the people who do not know God and who did not know, starting from the visible good things, to see the One Who is, neither from the studying of his things to understand the craftsman; 2. But they reckoned that are gods rulers of the world: the fire, or the wind, or the quick bow, or the crossing of the stars, or the rampant water, or the lighters of the sky; 3. They, who, delighted by the beauty of these ones, took them as gods, let them know now how much is the Master above all these ones, that Him, Who is the beginner of the beauty, is their Maker. 4. And if they wonder about the power and the work, let the understand from these ones how more powerful is the One Who has made them. 5. Because from the size and from the beauty of the creatures you can know well, by thinking, the One Who has built them. 6. But, in the same time, in all of these ones there is some shortcoming, because only one like these ones wander searching for God and endeavoring themselves to find Him. 7. For, occupying themselves with the works of God and studying them, they convince themselves with the sight, how wonderful are the visible ones. 8. On the other hand, they do not have word to be their wandering forgiven. 9. Because if they could gather so much instruction, to study the world, how did they not find out rather the Master of the world. 10. But they are totally wicked and they put their hope in lifeless things, the ones who called gods the things of the human hands, the gold and the silver skillfully worked and images of beasts or unworthy stone, carved by the hand from old. 11. A carpenter hewn down from the forest a wood good to be worked, he stripped it of bark and then with his skill he has made from it a useful tool towards the service of life. 12. The leftovers of the worked wood he puts them on the fire to boil his food and he quenches his hunger. 13. And what have left from these ones, being good for nothing, for it is crooked wood and with knots, he carves it to spend his time and, fitting it and crafting it, he has made it as the human face. 14. Or he has made it like some beasts good for nothing and, painting it all over and making its face red, he has hidden all its foibles. 15. And then he has made in the wall a good placement, he has put it there and has strengthened with iron nails. 16. He takes care of the idol not to fall down, knowing well that it cannot help itself, because it is not but a face which needs help. 17. But he prays to the face for his wealth, for his weddings and for his sons, and does not feel shame to speak towards the lifeless thing. 18. He asks health from the helpless one, he prays for life to the death one and for help to the one who cannot give any; he prays for a good trip to the one who cannot walk on his feet. 19. To put his wealth to shelter, the running and the victory of his life, he asks for power to the one who has the most ill hands. 102 ( 3 6 Which was the beginning of the idols and of their worshipping and what evilness follows to the idols` worshipping. 1. Another one wanting to go over the sea and to travel through the fierce waves he prays to a wood more fragile than the boat which carries him. 2. This boat has been contrived for the lust for gain and it was put together by the nimbleness of the worker. 3. But, Oh father, Your Providence steers it, You, Who have opened path into the sea and a notOwandering road in the agitation of the waves. 4. And with this You have shown that You can deliver from whatever danger, so that somebody, even without having the knowledge of the sailor, to be able to depart on the sea. You do not want that Your most wise works to remain vain, that`s why the people, entrusting their life to a very weak wood, 5. They cross through the waves on a raft and escape of death. 6. And long time ago, when the haughty giants perished, the hope of the entire world escaped into a boat, and the boat guided by Your hand, left to the humanity the seed of the descendants. 7. And blessed it is the wood with serves to a blessed need. 8. But the idol made by human hand it is cursed, both it and the one who has made it; this one because he has made it, and the idol, because being corruptible, it was called god. 9. Because God hates equally both the lawless ones and their lawlessness. 10. That`s why, the idols of the gentiles will be tried towards perdition, for, even they are creatures, they have reached abomination, offence for the souls of the men and snare for the feet of the mindless ones. 11. The thought of contriving idols it was the beginning of the ignition for licentiousness, and their contriving it was the losing of the life. 12. Because they were not from the beginning and will not be forever. 13. Through vain human glory they entered into the world, so that their soon end it is decided by God. 14. A father, being sad for the end of his son kidnapped before time, he has made his image and the one who was yesterday only a death man, is now honored like a god and ordered to the ones from his house mysteries and services. 15. A father being sand with bitter grievance for his child who has been take before time, he made his image and the one who yesterday was only a dead person, it is honored today as a god and has ordered to the one from his house mysteries and religious services. 16. After that, in time, being this pagan habit had been strengthened, it has been guarded as a law and, from the commandments of the tyrants it has been issued the worshipping of the carved images. 17. When the peoples could not honor them by being present, they made another image after the worshipped one and they fitted a visible image of 103 the most honored emperor, so to give the the one who were not present zealous worshipping as if he was present. 18. And for the victory of this worshipping, the one who were nescient, they were pushed towards by the lust of glory of the craftsman. 19. Because him, wanting to be pleasant to the ruler, he put all his craftsmanship to make the resemblance as beautiful as possible. 20. And the multitudes, being deceived through the beauty of the craftsmanship, they reckoned now as being god the one who they honored him before as man. 21. And this was a deceitfulness for the life of the people, for they, beaten by needs of enslaved by tyranny, gave to the stones and to the woods the name that cannot be give to anything perishable. 22. And then it was not enough that they wandered in the knowledge of God, but, living – by the darkness of their mind – in a ceaseless war, they called peace so many evil things. 23. They were making religious services during which they killed their own children, or they committed hidden mysteries or foolish drunkenness according to barbarian traditions. 24. And neither the life, nor the marriages guarded they clean, but they killed each other through cunningness or mocked him through fornication. 25. All are crowded in blood and killing, in stealing and cunningness, in corruption and disbelief, in rebellion and crooked oath, 26. In the persecution of the good ones and in forgetfulness of the received benefactions, in the defilement of the souls and turning up side down of the bodily needs, in the troubling of the marriages and in fornication and debauchery in the sight of everybody. 27. Because the worshipping of the vain idols, which should not even be mentioned, it is the beginning, the cause and the end of every evil. 28. Their delights are some foolish joys, their prophecies are false, they live in injustice and made false oath easily. 29. As some who put their hope in these idols without soul, when they swear false oaths, they do not fear that their injustice will be proved. 30. And from two part the punishment will hit them, firstly because they cogitated wrongly about God, and secondly because, being cunning, they swore against the truth, despising everything that is holy. 31. Because the power of the idols on which they swore, but the due punishment to the sinners, that one persecutes always the soul of the ones who did wrong. ( 3 The goodness and the righteousness of the true God. The deceitfulness of the idolatry. 104 1. And You, our God, are good and true, longOsuffering and ruler of all, with the mercy. 2. Even when we commit sin, we are Yours, we who know Your power, but we will not commit sin, knowing well that we are from the number of the numbered one of Yours. 3. Because to know You it is the consummated righteousness and to know Your power it is the root of the immortality. 4. We have not been deceived by the human contriving of a cunning craftsmanship; neither the vain labor of the painters, namely the face bedraggled with many types of paints, 5. Of which countenance sTyres up the passion of the foolish ones, with the lust of an image without soul and of a lifeless appearance. 6. Lovers of evil things as they are, they are worthy to have this kind of hopes, both the ones who make them and the ones who lust and worship them. 7. The potter pugs the soft clay with toil and and make for our use any pot and from the same clay makes pots towards clean use and other ones on the opposite, but all the same; and the potter decides for any pot of what use to be. 8. Then with the lawless toil, from the same clay, he pulls out a vain image of an idol, he who, a little earlier, from clay has been made and after a little while he will turn back from where he has been taken, when it will be asked to give yield the soul with which he is indebted. 9. But he takes care not of that his powers weaken, neither of that the life is short, but he competes against the goldsmiths and the silversmiths craftsmen, and make what the blacksmiths do in copper and, as great honor for him, he wants to do deceitful images. 10. His heart is ash and his hope weaker than the dirt and hi life smaller in honor than the clay. 11. Because he did not know his Maker, and the one who insufflated the ghost of hid deeds and put in him power of life, 12. But he reckons that our life is a toy and our living as a bargain, because O so they say – they must gain money from everything, even doing evil. 13. But let him know well that he commits sin more than the others, the one who from same clay, pulls out pots which can be easily broken and images of idols. 14. But all of these are more foolish and more to be lamented than the soul of a child; they are all the enemies of your people and the oppressors of it; 15. Because all the idols of the gentiles they reckoned them as gods, the one who neither see with the eyes, nor they breathe with the nose, neither with the ears they hear, nor with the fingers of their hands do not touch, neither with their feet they do not walk. 16. The one who made them was a man, and the one who received the ghost as a gift, even that one imagined them, because no man can make a god like him. 17. He being mortal, he makes a lifeless thing with his lawless hands, he values more than his idols, for he is alive, and those ones not at all. 105 18. They worships the most abominable beasts, which, according to their stupidity, are worst than the other ones. 19. They do not have inside any goodness which to make them pleasant to us and they are outside both of the praise of God and from his blessing. ( 3 : The punishments of the Egyptians for the worshipping of the idols. The benefactions of God upon the Jews. 1. Therefore, they were justly punished through some creatures like these ones and they were tormented by a multitude of beasts. 2. Instead of these punishments, You gave the good ones to Your people and its great hunger you have appeased it with new food, with quail meat. 3. So that some ones (the Egyptians), they wanted to eat, seeing the multitude of the beasts sent, they renounced even to the necessary meal, and the other, after a little need, they had a new meal. 4. Because it was lawful that a famine which does not forgive, to come upon the persecutors, and to the other only to be shown how their enemies are tormented. 5. And when came upon them the fearsome anger of the beasts and they perished bitten by the dreadful snakes, Your wrath did not last to the end. 6. They were troubled for a little while, to correct themselves and they had place for salvation and they had sign of salvation, to remember the commandments of Your law; 7. Because the one who turned towards this sign was healed, but not through what he saw with the eyes, but through You, the Savior of everybody. 8. And through this You showed to Your enemies that You are the One Who delivers from all the evil. 9. Because the prick of the locusts and of the flies brought death to them and it was not any way to escape their life, because they deserved such a punishment. 10. And your servants were not defeated even by the teeth of the fierce dragons, because Your mercy came and healed them, 11. To remember Your words; they were wounded and then quickly healed, lest, falling in deep forgetfulness, to be estranged from Your good things. 12. Neither healing herbs, nor unguent healed them, but Your word, Lord, which can heal everything. 13. Because You master over life and death and descend to the gates of the dead ones and raise again. 14. The man, in his evilness, can kill, but he cannot bring back the ghost that came out, neither to bring out the soul which entered in the dwelling house of the dead ones. 15. And of Your hand is impossible to everybody to escape. 106 16. The lawless ones who rejected to know You they were beaten with the power of Your arm; furious waters, hail and relentless rains tormented them; the flame of the fire consumed them. 17. And, what it is more wonderful, the fire burnt even stronger in water, which quenches everything, because every creature is the defender of the righteous ones. 18. Sometimes the flame of the fire appeased, to not burn the beasts that were send against the faithless ones, and they to see and to know that they are persecuted by the judgment of God. 19. Some other times, the fire burnt in water more than its power is, to destroy in this way all the fruits of the country of the lawless ones. 20. But You nourished Your people with angelic food and You sent to them already made bread, without effort, and which had all the sweetness and liked to everybody. 21. And this bread shows towards the sons Your kindness toward them, and for the one who ate it, it had the taste of the food that he wanted it. 22. And the snow and the ice endured the fire and melted not, to know Israel that the burning fire, which shined in snow and in rains, consumed the fruits of the enemies. 23. And again the same fire rejects its power, to feed the righteous ones, 24. Because the creature, serving to You, the One Who made it, strains itself for the punishment of the unjust ones and appeases towards making good of the ones who believe in You. 25. Therefore, by changing in all these ways, it served to Your allOnourishing gift, according to the desire of the ones who prayed to You; 26. So that the sons that You loved, Lord, to learn that not different kinds of fruits nourish the men, but Your word keep alive the ones who believe in You. 27. Because what was not destroyed by the power of the fire, it melted down, being warmed by a light ray of the sun. 28. To be understood that we must depart early morning and to thank to You before sunrise and to pray to You from before the break of the day. 29. And the hope of the ingrate one will be melted as the ice of the winter and will be drained as the useless water. ( 3 The Egyptians suffering darkness for three days, with fear and with great horror; the other part of the world shined with light. 1. Your judgments are great and difficult to be clarified, that`s why the thought without instruction are wandering. 2. The lawless ones, having the entrustment that they can persecute the holy nation, laying down closed under their roofs – chained by darkness and being the slaves of a night without day – and they were fugitives from Your eternal taking care. 107 3. And when they reckoned that they will remain hidden with the hidden sins, in the darkened wave of the forgetfulness, scattered they were and bitterly afraid and troubled they were by hallucinations. 4. The shelters where they closed themselves did not speared them for fears, because around them were sounding noises and afraid them and darksome apparitions filled them with horror. 5. There was no fire which could lighten them and the live flames of the stars could not scattered that fearsome night. 6. Sometimes appeared to them a fearsome bursting flame which lit by itself and, shaken by this hallucination, with an unknown cause, they reckoned the apparitions even dreadful. 7. The childish craftsmanship of the sorcerers could not do anything and their haughtiness as they know something was proven shameful. 8. They who said that they can banish from the ill heart the fears and the troubles, even them laid now full of shameful fear. 9. And even that it was not so big the awfulness that to frighten them, though the beasts which passed and the snakes which whistled horrified them, and they were melted by fear and they closed their eyes to not see anymore the disaster which skulked them from all parts. 10. Because the malice of the heart is full of fear, as one who knows itself being guilty and rebuked by itself, it sees magnified its misery, 11. Because the fear is not something else but only the rejection of any help which comes from the right judgment. 12. And when the trust decreases in the depth of the heart, you become even more scarred, if you do not know what is the cause to which your torment if due. 13. And they – in the night when any powers were cut to them and which came over them from the tethered hell – sleeping disorderly, 14. Here they struggled against ugly apparitions, here they died by the emptiness of their hearts, because a sudden and without warning horror took them in its power. 15. And in the same way the others, whosoever would have been, fell down exhausted and remained like so, imprisoned like in a prison without locks. 16. And if plowman would have someone been, or shepherd with the sheep, or worker caught at the works of the field, taken without warning, they suffered this misery without escaping, 17. Because all of them were locked with the same chain of darkness. And then the whistling wind and the voice with nice singing of the birds from the bushes and the rushing in of the impetuous waters, 18. And the rumble of the rocks which rolled down and the unseen running away of the jumping animals and the roaring of the fierce beasts and the sound which is broken and reflected in the cave of the mountains – all of these made them yielding their ghost by fear. 19. Because while every creature was lighten with bright light and without resistance took care of its thing, 108 20. Only over those ones laid a heavy night, which it was the image of the one who followed to swallow them, and they were to themselves a heavier burden that that darkness. ( 3 ; The consequence of the punishments of the Egyptians and the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. 1. For You pious ones shined the big light, and the Egyptians heard their voice without seeing their faces and, with all the sufferings until then, they blessed them. 2. And because after so many persecutions – Israel did not take revenge upon them – the Egyptians thanked to them and asked them forgiveness for evil deed that they done. 3. Instead of darkness, You gave to Your pious ones pillar of burning fire, which to guide them in than unknown travel; the notOharming sun You gave them in their full of glory road. 4. Worthy were the Egyptians to be punished by the light and to be locked in darkness, as ones who kept locked Your sons, the one through whom must have been given to the age the incorruptible light of Your law. 5. And when they took council to kill the children of Your pious ones, one from these children was thrown and he escaped, but You, towards their punishment, took a multitude of children from them and You drawn them all in the waves of the sea. 6. This night was foreknown by our parents, for O knowing well what oaths they believed – having trust in them, to rejoice themselves. 7. And Your people saw both the salvation of the righteous ones and the perdition of the enemies. 8. And as You punished the adversaries, in the same way, calling all of us, You extolled us. 9. The pious children of the righteous ones they sacrificed secretly and established all of them with one mind the godlike covenant, for being equally holy partakers to these good things and dangers, singing the praising of the parents. 10. And their songs were accompanied by the scattered cries of the enemies and they heard their weeping for the killed children. 11. The servant and the master were punished with the same punishment and the common man suffered the same pains as the king. 12. All the same had countless dead people, but of the same kind of death, and the living ones could not cope with the burials, since everything that was more important in their nation perished. 13. They, who did not want to believe due to their sorcerers, when perished the first born of them, confessed that Israel is the people of God. 14. Because, while the smooth silence mastered over all and the night in its quick passing reached at its half, 109 15. Your almighty word proceeded from the height of the sky and from the kingly chairs, as a dreadful warrior, in the middle of that land that was decided to be lost, 16. And, bringing O as a sharp sword – Your unchangeable commandment, he stood and filled everything with death and reached to the sky, leaning on earth. 17. Then on spot, the hallucinations of some horrible dreams troubled them and unexpected fears rushed upon them. 18. Tossed here and there on earth and half dead, they revealed the cause for what were they dying for. 19. Because the hallucinations that afraid them revealed to them the thing for which they suffer so badly to not die in nescience. 20. The trying of the death touched also the righteous ones and many perished in desert, but Your anger did not last much. 21. Because a guiltless man took the part of the guilty ones, having as weapons of his service the prayer and the incense of reconcilement, and stood against Your anger, and to the danger of the death he put an end, showing himself that he is Your servant. 22. He overcome the rebelled multitude, not with the strength of the body, neither with the power of the weapons, but he subdued with the word the One Who was punishing them and mentioning the oaths made to the parents and the covenant with Israel. 23. When the dead ones, fallen one on another, reached to be piles, he stood in the middle, quenched the anger and closed to the perdition the way which was leading to the living ones. 24. Because in the priestly vestment, long to the ankles, it was all the people, and the glorified names of the fathers were carved on the four rows of precious stones and His greatness on the diadem from the head. 25. Before this signs, the angel of the perdition ceased and feared, because the temptation of his anger was enough alone. ( 3 < The perdition of the lawless ones and the salvation of the righteous ones. 1. But a merciless anger pursuit the lawless ones to the end, because God knew from before what they will do, 2. That the Egyptians, after they let Israel to go, and with great insistence hurried them to depart, they will feel sorrows and they will pursuit them. 3. Truly, when they did not finish mourning their dead ones and they were still crying on the tombs of the killed ones, another insane thought came to them and they started, as on some fugitives, to pursuit the ones whom they hurried with hot prayers to leave from them. 4. To this were they pulled by the punishment of which they were worthy, and about the ones happened before they did not remember, to be fulfilled also what lacked from the banes suffered by them; 110 5. So that Your people to do the unbelievable crossing through the sea, and the Egyptians to be hit by a fierce death. 6. Because the entire nature was transformed in its composition, obeying itself to Your special commandments, for Your servants to be guarded unharmed. 7. Thus a cloud shadowed their camp; from the water which was there before it has been made a dried field, and from the Red Sea, road without impediment and plane with grass land from the stormy waves. 8. And by here crossed the entire nation of Israel, which was protected by Your hand, and wonderful things they saw. 9. And as some horses from the land with grass and as some lambs which caper around, they extolled You, Lord, the One Who delivered them. 10. Because they remembered always the ones happened in the country of their wandering, as the earth, instead of other creatures, revealed botflies, and the River Nile shed instead of fish a multitude of frogs. 11. And after that they saw a new creation of birds, when, being driven by lust, they asked for foods towards delight. 12. And, towards the fulfillment of their desire, a cloud of quails raised from the sea; 13. But the punishment came over the sinner ones – and not without the foretelling signs of the powerful thunder bolts – and they suffered justly for their evilness. 14. Because they behaved with a fierce hatred towards the strangers. Some of them refused to receive the unknown passersby, but these ones brought in slavery the strangers who made good to them. 15. And not only this, but there is another thing more, that those ones received the strangers with enmity. 16. And while these ones received Your people joyfully, but after they made it partaker to the same rights like themselves, they oppressed it with dreadful troubles. 17. For which they were punished with blindness, as also the ones who rushed at the gates of the righteous one, when, engulfed by impenetrable darkness, they searched for the exit of the death. 18. Because the elements of the nature changed between themselves their characteristics, like to an instrument with cords the sound change the measure, but keep the tone – what can be clearly seen by studying the happenings. 19. The creatures of the earth became creatures of water, and the one which swam passed on dried land. 20. The fire was burning in water beyond its power, and the water lost its power to quench. 21. The flames of the fire were not harming anymore the flesh of the frail beasts which walked around and did not melt down that food came from heaven, which resembled to the rime that easily melts. 22. Into all, Lord, You have glorified Your people and You made it honorable and You did not overlooked it, but in all time and in all place You stood nigh to it. 111 2 ( / $ 1 % ! @ !! A 3 The praise of the wisdom and of the fear of God. 1. All the wisdom is from the Lord and with Him it is forever. 2. The sand of the seas and the drops of the rain and the days of the age, who will count them? 3. The height of the sky and the width of the earth, and the depth and the wisdom, who will examine them? 4. Before of all it has been built the wisdom and the understanding of the mind is from ever. 5. The spring of the wisdom is the word of God into the high ones, and its ways are eternal commandments. 6. The root of the wisdom, it has been revealed whom? And its springs, who knows them? 7. One is wise, very fearsome, the Lord, Who sits on His throne. 8. He has built it and He has seen it, and He has counted it, and He has shed it over all His works. 9. The wisdom is found at all body, on the measure of His generosity, and of the ones who love Him. 10. The fear of God is glory and praise and gladness and a crown of joy. 11. The fear of God will detach the heart and will give gladness and joyfulness and length in days. 12. To the one who fears God will be well to him; into the last ones and in the day of his end he will find grace. The fear of God is a gift from God and directs the man on the ways of the love. 13. The love of God is a glorified wisdom and to whom He wants, to that one He shares it according to His reckoning. 14. The beginning of the wisdom it is the fear of God and with the faithful ones it is formed together in the womb of the mother. among people it has put eternal foundation and to their kind it entrusts itself. 15. The fullness of the wisdom is to fear of God, and it gives them to drink from its fruits. 16. Their house it will fill it up with what they want, and their chambers with its fruits. 17. The crown of the wisdom is the fear of God, which sprouts out peace and unharmed health; but both of them are gifts from God, Who sheds honor over the ones who love Him. 18. He saw it and measured it; the science and the wise understanding as the rain overflowed and exalted the glory of the ones who master it. 19. The root of the wisdom is to fear of God, and its branches, length of days. 20. The fear of God moves away the sins, and to whom it dwells, from those ones it removes the anger. 21. The anger of the unjust one cannot have justification, because the quickness of his anger is falling to him. 112 22. For a while will endure the longOsuffering one, and after that will spring out to him gladness. 23. For a while he will hide his words, but the lips of the unfaithful one will speak about his sapience. 24. In the treasures of the wisdom are the examples of the science; the sinful one hates the fear of God. 25. Do you wish wisdom? Keep the commandment and the Lord will give it to you. 26. Because the wisdom and the instruction stay in the fear of God, and pleasant are to him the faith and the gentleness. 27. Do not be distrustful in the fear of God and do not approach Him with a doubtful heart. 28. Do not be hypocrite in front of the people, and take heed to your lips. 29. Do not exalt yourself, to not fall down and to bring dishonor to your soul. 30. Because the Lord will reveal the hidden ones of yours and in the middle of the assembly will vilify you, 31. Because you did not approach with a clean heart to the fear of God, and your heart is full of cunningness. ( 3 Advises towards the patience; the fruits of the fear of God, the punishment of the faithless ones. 1. Son! When you want to approach yourself and to serve to the Lord God, prepare your soul towards temptation. 2. Strain your heart and be strong and do not be troubled in the time of the trial. 3. Stick to God and do not depart from Him, to be exalted at the end of the life. 4. All that will happen to you accept it with pleasure and in your tribulations be yourself longOsuffering. 5. Because in the fire it is cleaned the gold and, and the people pleasant to God, in the oven of the humbleness. 6. Believe in Him and he will help You, straighten your ways and have hope in Him. 7. The ones who fear God wait for His mercy and do not deviate yourself, for not falling down. 8. The ones, who fear God, believe to Him and your payment will not be lost. 9. The ones, who fear God, have hope in the good ones and in the joyfulness of the age and of the mercy. 10. Look at the nations from the beginning and see who hoped in God and who was ashamed? 11. Or who lived in His fear and was forsaken? Or who called Him and he was overlooked? 12. Because clement and merciful is the Lord and forgives the sins and saves in the time of the tribulation. 113 13. Woe to the fearful hearts and to the weak hands and to the sinner who walks on two paths! 14. Woe to the weak heart! Because does not believe, that`s why will not be defended. 15. Woe to you, the ones who have lost the patience! What will you do when the Lord will try you? 16. The one who fear God will not be distrustful to His words, and the one who love Him will guard His ways. 17. The one who fear God will seek His benevolence, and the ones who love Him will fulfill the law. 18. The ones who fear God will prepare their hearts and in front of Him they will humble their souls, saying: 19. Let`s fall in the hands of the Lord, and not in the hands of the people. 20. Because as it is His glory, so is His mercy. ( 3 5 The debts of the sons towards parents and the benediction of these ones. The callous heart is blasphemed, and the wise and the merciful one is praised. 1. Sons, listen to me, the father, and behave as to save yourself, 2. Because the Lord has elevated the father over the sons and has strengthen the judgment of the mother over the children. 3. The one who honors the father will be cleaned of sin. 4. And as the one who gathers treasures, so is the one who honors his mother. 5. And the one who honor the father will rejoice about his sons and in the day of his prayer he will be heard. 6. The one who glorifies the father will have a long life, and the one who fears God he honors his mother. 7. The one who fears God will honor his father and as ruler he will serve to the ones who gave him birth. 8. With the deed and with the word honor your father and your mother, for coming to you benediction from them. 9. Because the benediction of the father strengthen the houses of the sons, and the curse of the mother breaks them downs to the foundation. 10. Do not search glory by dishonoring your father, for the dishonor of your father is not glory to you. 11. Because the glory of the man is from the honoring of the father and revilement it is to the sons the dishonored mother. 12. Son, support your father at the old age and do not upset him in his life. 13. And even his mind will diminish, have mercy and do not despise him while you are in power, 14. Because the mercifulness shown to the father will not be forgotten and, despite of the sins, your house will be built. 114 15. In the day of your tribulation God will remember you and, as the ice when it is a clear sky, so will be melted your sins. 16. Because a blasphemer is the one who forsakes the father, and cursed by the Lord is the one who aggravates his mother. 17. Son, with gentleness commit your things and by the man received by the Lord you will be loved. 18. The more you are greater, the more humble yourself and in front of the Lord you will find grace. 19. Because there are many great and glorified people, but the mysteries are unveiled to the humble ones. 20. Do not search for the ones from above you and the ones stronger than you do not spy them. 21. The ones that have been commanded to you, those one with decency cogitate them, because the hidden ones are not necessary to you. 22. In your many occupations do not do vain things, because enough knowledge from the human ones has been discovered to you. 23. Because many have been deceived y their own opinion and the bad reckoning made their thoughts to slip away. 24. The indomitable heart will suffer after. 25. And the one who loves the danger will fall into it. 26. The indomitable heart will be burdened with toils and the sinful one will add sins over sins. 27. The temptations are not healing for the haughty one, for the evil weed has rooted itself in his heart. 28. The heart of the wise one will cogitate to the words of the wise ones, and a listening ear it is the heart of the wise one. 29. The burning fire will be quenched by the water, and the mercifulness will clean the sins. 30. The one who rewards for benefaction that one thinks to the future and in time of falling he finds out support. ( 3 6 Advice toward mercifulness and wisdom; their uses. 1. Son, do not let the poor one without food and the eyes of the needy ones do not make them wait. 2. Do not upset the hungry soul it and do not persecute a man when he is in need. 3. Do not trouble the heart in grievance and do not be late to give to the deprived one. 4. Do not reject the prayer of the wretched one and do not turn your face from the poor one. 5. From the one in need do not turn away your eye and do not give place to the man to curse you. 6. Because the prayer of the one who curses you, in the bitterness of his soul, will be heard by the One Who has made him. 115 7. Make yourself love to the assembly and to the greater one humble your head. 8. Give to the poor your ear and and with gentleness answer to him the ones of the peace. 9. Get out the persecuted one from the hand of the one who is persecuting him and do not be fainthearted when you judge. 10. Be to the orphan ones as a father and as a man to their mother. 11. And you will be as a son of the Most High and He will love you more than your mother. 12. The wisdom exalts its sons, and takes care to the ones who search for it. 13. The one who loves it, he loves the life and the ones who wake up for it early in the morning will be filled up with joy. 14. The one who keeps it will inherit glory and wherever he will go the Lord will bless him. 15. The ones who serve to it will serve to the Holy One and the ones who love it, the Lord love them. 16. The one who will listen to it will judge nations and the one who approaches himself to it will dwell without worry. 17. Who trusts in it he has part of it and his descendants inherit it, 18. Because it walks with him with its face hidden and tries him at the beginning with temptations and scares him and presses him, 19. And torments him with its learning, until he will gain trust in himself, and will tempt him in his atonements. 20. And again will come back straightly to him and will make him glad and will unveil to him the hidden ones of its. 21. And if he will go astray, it will forsake him and it will give him in the hands of his falling. 22. Guard the time and beware yourself from evil and for the faith of your soul do not be ashamed. 23. Because there is a shame which brings sin and there is a shame which brings glory and grace. 24. Do not take heed to anybody when it is about the damage of your soul and do not be ashamed for your loss. 25. Do not stop the word in time of salvation, 26. Because from the word it is know the wisdom and from the speeches of the tongue the instruction. 27. Do not speak against the truth, but be ashamed about your lack of instruction. 28. Do not be ashamed to confess your sins and do not stay against the direction of the river flowing. 29. Do not obey to the insane man and do not flatter the face of the powerful one. 30. Fight for the truth to the death, and the Lord God will fight with you. 31. Do not be tough with your tongue and lazy in your things. 32. Do not be like a lion in your house and do not upset with anger your household. 33. Do not be your hand stretch out for taking and closed to giving. 116 ( 3 You must not remain in sin, trusting in wealth and power. 1. Do not trust in your wealth and do not say: I have enough. 2. Do not follow to you desires, to not walk in the lusts of your heart. 3. And to not say: Who will humble me or who will abduct me? Because the Lord will not be late to punish you. 4. To not say: I have sinned and what it was done to me? Because the Lord is longOsuffering. 5. For purity to not be fearless, to not add sins over sins. 6. And to not say: His mercy if great, he will clean the multitude of my sins. 7. Because the mercy and the anger from Him are, and over the sinful ones will He rest His anger. 8. Do not be late to turn back to the Lord and do not postpone it from day to day. 9. Because without warning will burst out the wrath of the Lord and in the time of the revenge you will be given to perdition. 10. Do not trust in the wealth wrongly gained, for it will be useless in the day of the judgment. 11. Do not winnow at any wind and do not walk on any road; so is the sinner with two tongues. 12. Be steadfast in your thought and one to be your word. 13. Be quick to listen and dilatory to give the answer. 14. If you know, answer to your neighbor, and if not, put your hand over your mouth. 15. The glory and the mockery are in the speech and the tongue of the man make him falling. 16. Do not fear of the gossiper and with your tongue do not commit cunningness. 17. Because over the thief it is shame and a heavy reproach over the one with two tongues. 18. Do not do wrong either in the great things or in the small ones. ( 3 : About reproach; the characteristics of the true friendship and the rewards of the ones who love the wisdom. 1. Do not make yourself enemy instead of friend, because the bad name will inherit shamefulness and reproach; so is the sinner with two tongues. 2. Do not indulge yourself in your passions, to not be dragged by them as a furious bull. 3. Otherwise you will eat your leafs and you will lose your fruits and you will remain as a dried wood. 117 4. The evil soul will destroy the one who has it and will make joy to the enemies. 5. The sweet talk multiplies the friends and the wellOspeaking tongue obliges, often, to benevolent answers. 6. Many to be the ones who live in peace with you and your advisers to be one from a thousand. 7. If you want to make a friend, make him trying him and to not hurry yourself to trust in him. 8. Because he is friend to a while and he will not remain in the day of your tribulation. 9. And there is friend who turns into enemy and the argument from between you he will reveal it plainly, towards your reproach. 10. And there is friend companion to dinner, table companion, and he will not remain next to you in the day of your tribulation. 11. And in your good days he will be like you and with your servants he will dare. 12. But if you will be humbled, he will be against you and from your face he will hide himself. 13. Depart from your enemies and take vigil towards your friends. 14. The faithful friend is a strong cover; and the one who has found him he has find the treasure. 15. Nothing can be likened to the faithful friend and there is not measure for his kindness. 16. The faithful friend is the medicine of the life and the ones who fear of God will find him. 17. The one who fears God will keep well his friendship, because he cares about his neighbor as to himself. 18. Son! From your youth chose the learning and to your hoariness you will find wisdom. 19. As the one who plows and sows, get close to it and wait for its good fruits. 20. Because with its work you will Tyree yourself and soon you will eat its fruits. 21. How hard is to the untaught ones and the one without understanding will not insist in it. 22. Because it is for him as a heavy stone of trying, that`s why he will not linger to throw it. 23. Because the wisdom justifies its name and not to many it shows itself. 24. Listen, son, and receive my teaching and do not reject my advice. 25. And put your feet in its fetters and in its chain your neck. 26. Approach yourself to it with all your soul and with all your power guard its ways. 27. Try it and search for it and its will appear to you and, if you will find it, do not leave it. 28. Because latter you will find its rest and it will be turned back to you into joyousness. 118 29. And its fetter will be to you cover of strength and its chains adornment of glory. 30. Because adornment of gold it is in it and its ties threads of topaz. 31. A s with a garment of glory you will put it on and a crown of joy you will put in on your head. 32. If you will want, son, you will learn and, if you will put your soul, you will be skillful. 33. If you will love to listen, you will learn and if you will lean your ear, wise you will be. 34. Tarry in the company of the elders and with the wise one unite you. 35. All godlike speech desire to hear it and the parables of the understanding to not pass away from you. 36. If you will see a wise man, enter to him and the thresholds of his doors be worn by your foot. 37. You cogitate into the commandments of the Lord and into His law always be you thinking. 38. He will strengthen your heart and the lust of your wisdom will be given to you. ( 3 Advices about shunning from evil and hypocrite deeds. The respect for the elders, the duties of the parents towards the sons and of the sons towards the parents. Advice towards mercifulness. 1. Do not do evil and the evil will not catch you. 2. Depart yourself away from injustice and the injustice will depart away from you. 3. Son! Do not sow on the furrows of the injustice, to not reap from them with seven parts more. 4. Do not ask mastery from the Lord, neither chair of glory from the emperor. 5. Do not pretend yourself to be righteous in front of God and in the front of the emperor do not show yourself as being wise. 6. Do not try to be a judge, lest not be able to remove the injustices; 7. Lest to be shy in the face of the powerful one and to put offence in your justice. 8. Do not put yourself in conflict with the congregation of the city, neither mix yourself in the multitude. 9. Do not let yourself attracted twice in sin, because even for one time only, you will not remain unpunished. 10. Do not say: the Lord will look at the multitude of my gifts; when I will bring them to Him he will receive them. 11. Do not grow weak in your prayer and do not overlook to give alms. 12. Do not mock the man of whose soul is sad, because God is the One Who humbles and the One Who exalts. 119 13. Do not forge lies against your brother, neither against your friend do not do this. 14. Do not permit to yourself even one lie, because off is nothing good can come out. 15. Do not speak much in the assembly of the elders and do not repeat your word in prayer. 16. Do not hate the work full of toil and the work of the land the one ordered by the Most High. 17. Do not reckon yourself together with the multitude of the sinner; remember that the anger will not tarry. 18. Humble your soul very, because the fire and the worms are the damnation of the unfaithful one. 19. Do not, in no way, exchange your friend for money, neither the good brother for the gold of Ophir. 20. Do not deviate from the good and wise woman, because her grace is better than the pearls. 21. Do not torment the servant who works honestly, neither the hireling who puts all his soul. 22. Love the wise servant; do not lack him of liberty. 23. Do you have herds? Take care of them, and, if they are useful, keep them. 24. Do you have sons? Teach them and bend their neck from childhood. 25. Do you have daughters? Keep vigil on their purity and show to them a serious face. 26. Give your daughter in marriage and a great thing you will do, but give her after a wise man. 27. Do you have a woman according to your heart? Do not reject her, but with one whom you do not love do not get yourself entangled. 28. From all your heart honor your father and never forget the pains of your mother. 29. Remember that they have made your life; what will you give them instead of what they have done for you? 30. From all your heart fear of God and honor all the priests. 31. With all your powers honor the One Who has made you and His servant do not forsake them. 32. Fear of the Lord and honor the priest and give him his part as it has been commanded to you, 33. The first fruit and the sacrifice for expiation and the gift of the hips and sacrifice of sanctification and the first fruit of the holy ones. 34. And to the poor one stretch your hand forward, for your blessing to be perfect. 35. Your generosity to touch all the living ones and even to the dead ones make them part of your generosity. 36. Do not send back the ones who are crying, and be sad with the sad ones. 37. Do not fear to visit the sick ones because for these deeds you will gain the love. 38. In everything you do remember your end and you will never commit sin. 120 ( 3 ; Do not argue with anybody and do not despise the one who repents. Obedience to the elders, rebuking of the sinners, loan and guaranty. 1. Do not argue with the powerful one, to not fall in his hands. 2. Do not argue with the rich man, lest to be heavier than you. For many perished because of the gold and the hearts of the kings it leaned them downwards. 3. Do not argue with the man who speaks with you and do not put woods over his fire. 4. Do not joke with the unmannerly man, to not be your ancestors reviled. 5. Do not confront the man who denies the sin; remember that we all are guilty. 6. Do not dishonor the man at his old age, because we might also get old. 7. Do not rejoice of the death of your enemy; remember that all of us will die. 8. Do not overlook the words of the wise men, but memorize them, because from them you will take instruction and the skillfulness to serve the great ones. 9. Do not despise the speech of the old ones, for they have learned from their parent too. Because from them you will learn the wisdom and the skillfulness of giving a good answer if needed. 10. Do not sTyre up the brimstones of the sinner, to not burn on you by the flame of his fire. 11. Do not carry it to the end with the testy man, to not be there a trap set before your lips. 12. Do not give loan to the man who is stronger than you; and if you will give to him a loan, reckon this loan as lost. 13. Do not guarantee over your power; and if you have given guaranty, take care because you will have to pay. 14. Do not judge yourself with a judge, because the decision will be in hi benefit. 15. Do not hit the road with the daring one to not fall down your burden, because he does not listen but to his own opinion, and his insanity will destroy you. 16. Do not argue with the angry man and do not cross the desert with him, because to shed blood is nothing to him and where you will not have help there will he bring you down. 17. Do not take council with an insane man, because he will not be able to keep your secret. 18. Before of the stranger one do not do anything which has to remain secret; you do not know what he can contrive. 121 19. Do not open your heart to anyone and do not wait to achieve his benevolence. ( 3 < Advices of how to behave with the women, friends, and enemies. 1. Do not be jealous on your beloved wife and do not give her word to do wrong to you. 2. Do not give yourself in the hands of a woman, to not have power upon you. 3. Do not meet the fornicator woman, to not fall in her sides. 4. Do not be often with the singer woman, lest catch you with her craftsmanship. 5. Do not lay your sight on a virgin, to not have to suffer because of her. 6. Do not give yourself in the hands of the fornicator women, to not lose your heritage. 7. Do not watch on the streets of the city, neither wander on its dark places. 8. Turn away your eyes from the beautiful woman and do not rest your sight on foreign beauty. With the beauty of the woman many got astray, because through this one the love is kindled as a fire. 9. Do not sit by no means next to a married woman and do not party with her drinking at the table, lest your heart to be conquered by her witchcrafts and in your passion to not be dragged to perdition. 10. Do not forsake an old friend, because the new one is not like him. New friend, new wine; let him get old and drink it with pleasure. 11. Do not crave for the victory of the sinner, because you do not know how will end. 12. Do not make pleasure to yourself from the pleasure of the lawless one; remember that they will not remain unpunished to hell. 13. Stay far from the man who is capable to kill and fear nowise of death. And if you come close to him, beware yourself of any mistake, because he might take you life. Let yourself know well that you are surrounded by traps and that you walk on the edge of city walls. 14. Observe your neighbor as much as you can and take advice from the wise ones. 15. Dialogue with the wise people and all your word to be about the law of the Most High. 16. The righteous ones to be your guests and in the fear of the Lord be your praise. 17. A thing made by the hand of the craftsman is worthy of praise, but the leader of the people to be skilled in his speech. 18. The one who is a good speaker is feared in the city, and the babbler is hated. 122 ( 3 Praise to the wise mastery. About shunning of haughtiness. To not be dishonored the righteous poor, neither to be praised the rich sinner. 1. The wise leader directs his people well, and the governing of the skillful man is with good order. 2. As is the judge of the people, so are his servants and how is the chief of the city, so are all the ones who live in it. 3. An untaught king destroys his people, and the city increases through the wisdom of its rulers. 4. In the hand of the Lord is the mastery of the earth and He will raise the useful one to governing at his time. 5. In the hand of the Lord is the victory of the man and the Lord is the One Who puts His glory of the head of the master. 6. Do not get angry on your neighbor for any injustice and do nothing with passion and recklessness. 7. Hated is in front of the Lord and before of the people the haughtiness, because towards both of them it is the sin of the injustice. 8. The kingdom from a generation passes to another generation, for crookedness and for haughtiness and for richness. 9. What the one who is earth and ash gets haughty for, while in life he always rejects his own inside? 10. The prolonged sickness it is cut by the doctor and the king today he is and tomorrow he will die. 11. Because dying, the man will inherit snakes and beats and worms. 12. The beginning of the haughtiness of the man it is to forsake God and to turn away his heart from the One Who has made him. 13. The beginning of the sin it is the haughtiness, and the one who insists in it is like it would rain to him with abomination. 14. That`s for, wonderful rebuking brought the Lord and He has brought them down in the end. 15. The chairs of the great ones have been brought down by the Lord and He has put the gentle ones in their place. 16. The Lord brought down the strengths of the gentiles and He broke them to the foundations of the earth. 17. He weakened many of them and He destroyed them and He made to cease on earth their remembrance. 18. It has not been destined the haughtiness to the people, neither the wrath of the anger to the ones who are born from women. 19. Which is the nation worthy of honor? The human one. 20. Which is the honored nation? The one which fears God. 21. Which is the nation without honor? That nation which does not keep the commandments? 22. Among brothers, their adviser is honored, and the ones who fear of God they are the same in front of His eyes. 23. The praise of the rich one and of the honest one and of the poor one is the fear of the Lord. 123 24. It is not right to mock the wise poor and it is not lawful to extol the sinner man. 25. The great one and the powerful judge will be glorified, but none of them is greater than the one who fear of God. 26. To the wise servant the free ones will serve and the wise man will not niggle when he is rebuked. 27. Do not pretend yourself to be wise when you are doing your thing, do not exalt yourself in the time of your tribulation. 28. Better is the one who works in everything, than the one who wanders or exalts himself and is deprived of bread. 29. Son, into humbleness exalt your soul and give to it honor according to its worthiness. 30. The one who commits sin against your soul, who will correct him? And who will honor the one who makes his own life reproachable. 31. The poor one is honored for his knowledge and the rich one is honored for his wealth. 32. And the one who is condemnable in poverty, how much more would he be honorable if he would become reach? And the one despised into richness, in poverty, how much more would he be despised? ( 3 The consequences of the wisdom. 1. The wisdom exalts the head of the humble one makes him sitting among the great ones. 2. Do not praise the man for his beauty and do not be disgusted about the man for the ugliness of his face. 3. Tiny is the bee among the flying ones, but its fruit exceeds any sweetness. 4. Do not praise yourself with your clothing, neither in the day of the glory do not get yourself haughty, because wonderful are the things of the Lord and hidden His deeds among the people. 5. Many tyrants fell down to the earth, and the one to whom nobody thought wore the blazon. 6. Many powerful ones were much dishonored and the lofty ones have been given in the hands of the others. 7. Before researching, do not blaspheme; know firstly and then rebuke. 8. Before to hear, do not answer; and do not cut his speech to anybody. 9. For the thing that is no necessary to you, do not argue and at the judgment of the sinner do not stay with them. 10. Son! Do not mix yourself in many things. 11. Because if you will mix yourself in many things, you will not be without guilt. 12. And if you will run, you will not catch, and if you will run away, you will not escape. 13. There is some man who toils and labors and strives and the more he is poorer. 124 14. There is some man weak and without help, deprived of power and burdened by poverty, 15. And the eyes of the Lord looked at him with goodness and raised him from his humbleness and raised his head, and many wondered about him. 16. The good ones and the bad ones, the life and the death and the wealth are from the Lord. 17. The gift of the Lord remains to the wellObelievers and His benevolence will well increase forever. 18. There is some man that becomes rich through much care and avarice and this is the part of his toils, 19. Saying: I have found the rest and now I will eat from by good things, 20. And he does not know that the time passes and he will die and will let them to others. 21. Stay in what you have yourself promised and into that occupy yourself and live, and into your thing increase yourself. 22. Do not wonder about the works of the sinner; have hope in the Lord and remain yourself into your toil. 23. For easy it is to the Lord to make the poor one rich quickly and without warning. 24. The blessing of the Lord is the payment of the faithful one and in an hour, quickly, spring out His blessing. 25. Do not say: What I need? And from now on, what will be my wealth? 26. Do not say: I have enough, what for to bother myself now: 27. In the day of the good thing there is the forgetfulness of the evilness and in the day of the evilness there is not the remembrance of the good things. 28. Because easy is in the front of the Lord, in the day of the end, to give to the man according to his ways. 29. The time of the winter brings the forgetfulness of the delights and at the end of the man will be unveiled all his things. 30. Before the end do not reckon happy on anybody, for in his sons will be the man known. 31. Do not bring every man in your house, for many are the forgeries of the cunning one. 32. Quail caged in the basket, so is the heart of the haughty one and as a spy looks at the falling. 33. For the good ones he turns them back with cunningness in evilness and for the good one he will blaspheme you. 34. Form a spark of fire it is multiplied the firebrands, and the sinful man waylays the blood. 35. Beware from the malefactor, for he contrives evil deeds, lest to make you to be mockery always. 36. If you let the foreigner to dwell in your place, he will make you troubles and will estrange you from your things. 125 ( 3 The benefactions of the wisdom. The recognition of the friend and of the enemy. 1. If you do good, be you knowing to whom are you doing it, and you will have thanks for the good deed. 2. Do good to the wellObeliever one and you will find rewarding, if not from him, from the Most High. 3. It is not good for the one who always lives doing evilness and does not give alms. 4. Give to the wellObeliever, and do not help the sinful one. 5. Do good do the humble one, and do not give to the lawless one. 6. Keep his breads and do not give to him, lest that one to strengthen himself upon you. 7. Because twofold evilness you will find out in all the good deeds that you will made. 8. Because also the Most High hated the sinful ones, and to the lawlessness ones He will reward with the punishment. 9. Give to the good one and do not help the sinner. 10. It is not shown from happiness the one who a friend, neither in the evil ones does not hide the enemy. 11. When the things go well to the man, his enemies are sad, and when the things go bad, the friend avoids him. 12. Do not trust in your enemy ever; for in which manner the brass verdigrises, so his evilness. 13. And if he will humble himself to walk bowed, take heed at him and guard himself of him. 14. And to be towards him as the one who whips the mirror and you will know that he has not rejected all the rust. 15. Do not ask him to stay next to you, to not push you and to stay on your place. 16. Do not put him to sit on your right hand, lest to search your chair and after you will know my words and about my speeches you will be humiliated. 17. Who will have mercy on the whisperer bitten by the snake and of all of them who approach themselves to the beasts? 18. As so the one who goes to the sinful man and envelops himself with his sins. 19. An hour will remain him with you, and if you tatter, he will not remain with you. 20. With his lips the enemy will sweeten you and much will whisper to you and he will speak good things to you, 21. But in his heart he will advise to bring you down in the pit. With his eyes will the enemy shed tears, 22. But if he will find time, he will not be satisfied of blood. 126 23. If evil things will happen to you, you will find him there in front of you; with his eyes the enemy will shed tears, and, as he would help you out, he will dig under your feet. 24. He will shake his head and will clap his hands, and many will he whisper, and he will change his face. ( 3 5 Dangerous it is the union with the pride, rich and powerful one. The love for God and for the neighbor, the power of the rich one with the poor one. 1. The one who will touch the pitch besmear himself and the one who accompanies the haughty one like him will he be. 2. Heavier burden than you can carry do not lift; so also with the one who is stronger and richer than you do not associate yourself with him. 3. How will the pot be associated with the cauldron? The cauldron will hit the pot and the pot will be broken. 4. The rich one has made crookedness, and he got angry as well. 5. To the poor one it has been made crookedness and he prays for forgiveness. 6. Until you will be useful to him, he will work with you; and if you will end in poverty, he will forsake you. 7. If you have, he will live with you, and will make you poor and of the poor ones he will not have mercy. 8. If he need you, he will flatter you with all kind of words and he will smile to you and he will give you hope. 9. He will speak the good ones to you and will say: What do you need? And he will indebt with his feasts, until he will empty your purse twice, and trice, and after he will laugh of you. 10. And after that he will see you and he will forsake you and he will shake his head in front of you. 11. Take heed to nod be deceive and to not be overwhelmed by joy. 12. When the powerful one calls you, pretend as you would avoid that, and he will call you the more. 13. Do not beat yourself in, to not be cast out; neither stay too far, to not be forgotten. 14. Do not prolong the discussion with him; neither to believe to his many words. 15. Because he will tempt you with his many words, and he would laugh, and he will ask you. 16. Unmerciful is the one who do not keep his words and you will not escape of evil and of bonds. 17. Beware and take heed very well, for you are walking towards your falling. 18. Any beast loves the one who is like himself, and all man his neighbor. 19. Each body associates with the one of its kind and the man will associates himself with the one like him. 127 20. Will the lam associate with the wolf? So the sinful one with the pious one. 21. What have the lioness to do with the dog? And what have the rich one with the poor one? 22. Abominable is to the haughty one the humbleness; likewise to the rich one the poor one. 23. The rich one, when is shaken, his friends sustain him; and the poor one when falls, is rejected by his friends. 24. The rich one, when he slips, many are the ones who support him; when he says insane words, they agree with him. 25. The humble one has done wrong, and everybody rebuke him; he spoke wisely, and nobody pay attention to him. 26. The rich man spoke, and everybody kept their silence, and his word went up to the clouds 27. The poor one spoke, and they say: Who is this one? And if he stumbles, they overthrow him. 28. Good is the wealth to the one who is without sin and evil is the poverty in the mouth of the lawless one. 29. The heart of the man changes his face either towards good ones, or towards bad ones. 30. The joyful face it is a sign that the heart lives into the good things; and finding out of the wisdom; and finding out the wisdom request cogitation with toil. ( 3 6 The usage of the temporary goods. The domination of the tongue and habituation of the wisdom. 1. Blessed is the man who did not slipped with his mouth and is not hurt with the bitterness of the sin. 2. Blessed is the one who is not blamed by his soul and who has not fallen down from his hope. 3. To the niggard man the wealth is no good and the envier man what does he understand from his richness? 4. The one who gathers, depriving on himself, he gather to the others and with his goods other will delight themselves. 5. The one who is bad for himself, to whom will he be good? And he will not rejoice about his richness. 6. Nothing is worse than the one who envies on himself; and this is the reward of his evilness. 7. And if he does good things, he does it from forgetfulness; and latter he shows his evilness. 8. Evil is that one, who envies with the eye, and the one who turn away his face, and the one who overlooks the souls. 9. The eye of the covetous is not satisfied with his share and the injustice of the evil one dries out the soul. 128 10. The evil eye envies for bread and at his table he will be deprived. 11. Son! As much as you will be able do good to you and bring to the Lord worthy tribute. 12. Remember that the death to not tarry and the decision of the death it has not been shown to you. 13. Before dying do good to your friend and as you can stretch and give to him. 14. Do not let any good day to pass without profit and your share from the decent joy to overpass you. 15. Do you not leave your wealth to the other and your goods will be shared at lots? 16. But get and sanctify your soul; for in Sheol there is not for searching delights. 17. All the body as a coat gets old, for the bond from ages is to die with death. 18. As the lives that get green in thick tree, some of them fall, others spring out, 19. So is the fruit of the body and of the blood: one dies and another is born. 20. Everything that is corrupted it ends, and the one who makes it will go with it. 21. Blessed is the man who in wisdom will end and will speak with understanding; 22. The one who reckons its ways in his heart and the hidden ones of it he thinks; 23. The one who runs for it as a spy and its ways he watches, 24. The one who looks through its windows and listens to its doors. 25. The one who dwell near to its house he will plunge the poles in its walls, will stretch his tent anigh and he will dwell into the rest of the goods things. 26. He will put his sons under its cover, and under its branches will he live. 27. He will escape under it of heat and into glory he will rest himself. ( 3 About the profit of fearing God and of the wisdom. The will of the man. 1. The one who fears God he will do the good ones, and the one who keeps the law he will understand it. 2. And it will welcome him as a mother and as the woman of the youth it will receive him. 3. It will nourish him with the bread of the understanding, and with the water of wisdom it will give him to drink. 4. He will lean on it and he will not be shaken; he will hold on it and will not be ashamed. 5. And it will exalt him more the ones close to him and in the middle of the assembly it will open his mouth. 6. Delight and crown of joy and eternal name he will inherit. 129 7. The foolish people will not contain the wisdom and the sinful men will not see it; 8. Far away it is from haughtiness and the liar ones will not remember it. 9. It is not nice the praise in the mouth of the sinner, because it is not send by God to him. 10. For into wisdom it will the praise be spoken and and the Lord will better it. 11. Do not say: the Lord has moved me far, for what He has hated He will not do them. 12. Do not say: He has deceived me; He does not need the sinful man. 13. All the abomination the Lord hates it, and it is not loved to the ones who fear Him. 14. He has made the man from the beginning and He has left him in the hand of his advice. 15. If you will want, you will keep the commandments and the faith and you will do the wellOpleasant ones. 16. He has put before you fire and water, and to whatever you will want, stretch forth your hand. 17. Before the people there is the life and the death and whichever will they like it will be given to them, 18. Because much is the wisdom of God; He is strong into power and He sees all. 19. And his eyes are over the ones who fear Him, and He will know everything of the man. 20. And to nobody has Him commanded to work lawlessly and to nobody has Him given liberty to commit sin. ( 3 : The bad rearing of the children. the mercy of the Lord towards the good ones. The punishment of the faithlessness. 1. Do not lust for a multitude of useless sons, neither rejoice yourself of lawless sons. 2. I they will multiply, do not rejoice yourself about them, if there it is not the fear of God with them. 3. Do not have trust in the length of their life and do not hope in their multitude. 4. For better is one than a thousand and to die without sons, than to have sons without the fear of God. 5. Because a wise man will fill up the city with inhabitants; and the nation of the lawless ones will be desolated. 6. Many like this I have seen with my eyes, and stronger than these my ear has heard. 7. In the assembly of the sinners there will be poured fire; and in the nation of the sinners there it has been kindled anger. 130 8. He did not have mercy on the giants from aforetime, who got far from Him through their haughtiness. 9. He did not forgive the ones who lived with Lot, but He accursed them for their haughtiness. 10. He did not feel any mercy on the nation of the perdition, which exalted itself into its sins. 11. In the same way with the six thousands pedestrians gathered into the callousness of their heart. 12. If there will be one strongOheaded, a wonder will be if the will straighten himself. 13. Because the mercy and the anger are at Him; He can have mercy or to be angry. 14. As His mercy is much, so much is also His rebuking; He will judge the man according to his deeds. 15. The sinner will not escape with his lutes; neither will be late the patience of the wellObeliever. 16. To all the mercifulness He will give place; everyone according to his deeds will find out. 17. Do not say: I will hide myself from the Lord; Will He remember me from the height? 18. Into a big people I will not be remembered, because what is my soul in such a multitude of creatures? 19. Behold the sky and the heaven of God, the ocean and the earth tremble when the Lord visits them. 20. Also the mountains and the foundations of the earth, when He will look at them, they will tremble of fear. 21. But to these ones the heart of the man does not think and of His way who remembers? 22. As the blizzard which the man cannot see, so are hidden the most part of the things of God. 23. “The things of the righteousness, who will herald them? Or who will expect them? Because far away is the promise.” 24. So the man without understanding cogitates; and the mindless and gone astray man and cogitates the insane ones. 25. Listen, my son! And learn science and take heed with your heart to my words. 26. I will show the teaching in balance the, and in detail I will herald the science. 27. Into the judgment of the Lord the things are like so from the beginning and from when He did them He made their parts different. 28. He ordered forever His things and He decided for eternity their purpose; they do not know hunger, neither Tiredness nor they cease to do their duty. 29. No one from these things collides with the one next to itself and always listens to His commandment. 30. And after this, the Lord looked at the earth and filled it up with good things. 131 31. With all kind of live beasts He covered its face and into it will be their return. ( 3 The counting of the benefactions of God, and the advising towards repentance. 1. The Lord has made the man from earth and again turned him into earth. 2. Numbered days and a little time He has given to him and He has give to him mastery over the ones that are on the earth. 3. According to decency He has clothed him with virtue and after His image has He made him. 4. And He has laid fear over all the creatures and He has made him master over the beasts and birds. 5. Advice and tongue, eye, ears and heart He has given to the man to cogitate. 6. With the knowledge of the understanding has Him filled up the human beings and He has shown them good and bad things. 7. He has put His eye over their hearts, to show them the glory of His things. 8. And His holy name will they glorify, to speak the glory of His things. 9. He has put them science and the law of the life He has given it to them as heritage. 10. He has made an eternal bond with them and His judgments He has shown them. 11. The greatness of His glory their eyes saw it and the greatness of His voice their ears heard it. 12. And He said to them: Beware of injustice! And He gave them commandments giving to each on in care the duties towards his neighbor. 13. Their ways are always in front of Him, they will not hide from His eyes. 14. To each nation He has put an adviser and the part of the Lord is Israel. 15. All their things, as the sun are in front of Him; and His eyes ceaselessly over their ways. 16. Are not hidden their injustices in front of Him and all their sins are in front of the Lord. 17. The mercifulness of the human being is priced to the Lord as a ring with seal and the benefactions of the man He keeps them as the light of the eye. 18. And then the Lord will rise up and He will reward to them, and their reward over their head He will turn it. 19. But to the ones who repent themselves He has given the turning back, and on the ones who weaken He advices them to patience. 20. Turn back to the Lord and forsake the sins, pray in front of His face and diminish your offence. 21. Strive towards the Most High and turn yourself away from injustice and be utterly disgusted by the ugly thing. 132 22. Who will praise the Most High in Sheol? Instead of the living ones and of the ones who give witness? 23. From the dead, one as from the one who does not exist anymore, the witness perished. The living and healthy one will praise the Lord. 24. How great is the mercifulness of the Lord and the mercy towards the ones who turn themselves towards Him! 25. For the consummation cannot be among people; for the son of man is not immortal. 26. What is brighter than the sun? and though it darkens; the more the flesh and the blood will cogitate what is bed. 27. He looks at the height of the sky and all the people are clay and ash. ( 3 ; The mercifulness and the longOsuffering of God; the temperance in words and the shunning of evil lusts. 1. The One Who lives forever has built all that exists. 2. Only the Lord is right. 3. To no one Has he given power, to herald His things, and who will try His glory? 4. The power of His glory, who will measure it? And who will be able to speak about His mercifulness? 5. They cannot diminish, neither to add, nor to try the wonders of the Lord. 6. When the man will finish, then will he start, and when he will cease, then he will cease to exist. 7. What is the man at to what can be useful? Which is his good part and which is the bad one? 8. The number of the days, one hundred at most. 9. As a drop of water from the sea and as a grain of sand, so few are these years in the day of the age. 10. That`s why longOsuffering is the Lord with them and he has poured over them His mercy. 11. He has seen and knew their perdition, that is bed; for that He has multiplied His mercifulness. 12. The mercy of the man towards his neighbor, and the mercy of the Lord over all bodies; 13. Reproaching and rebuking and teaching, He turns His flock like a shepherd. 14. The ones who receive the teaching and the ones who strive towards His judgments He has mercy on them. 15. Son, in the good ones do not give weeping, and in all giving to not make the sad with the word. 16. It is not the dew that decreases the heat? So, better is the word than the giving. 17. Is it not better the word than the good giving? And both of them are to the generous man. 133 18. The foolish one, plucks the eyes out with his reprimands and the gift of the envious one makes the eyes to shed tears. 19. Before to speak, learn, and before all take care of your illness. 20. Before the judgment, tempt yourself, and in the judgment hour you will find out mercy. 21. Before the sickness humble yourself, and in the time of the sins show turning back. 22. Do not impede yourself to fulfill the good promise, and do not wait to the death to do what you have promised. 23. Before promising, prepare yourself, and do not be as the man who tempts the Lord. 24. Remember yourself the anger from the day of the end and the day of the rewarding, when the Lord will turn away His face. 25. Remember the famine in the middle of the abundance, and the poverty and lack in the days of richness. 26. From the morning to the evening changes the weather and all are swift in front of the Lord. 27. The wise man will fear in all things, and in the days of the sins he will shun himself of mistake. 28. All that is knowledgeable knows the wisdom and the one who has found it will give witness. 29. The ones wise to their words have become wise also and they have abundance of chosen examples. 30. Do not go after your lusts and from your lusts turn yourself back. 31. If you will give to your soul the pleasure of the lust, you will make yourself you to your enemies. 32. Do not rejoice with much delectation, neither bond yourself with the heaviness of it. 33. Do not make yourself poor making feasts from borrowing, when you have nothing in your purse. ( 3 < About restraint, verbosity, reproach and the humbleness with perfidy. 1. The drunkard worker will not become rich; the one who despises the few that he has he is quickly damaged. 2. The wine and the women deceive the wise ones. 3. And the ones who himself sticks to the fornication will be more reckless. 4. The moths and the worms will inherit him, and the lawless soul will be eradicated. 5. The one who quickly believes is light at heart and the one who commits sin over his soul wrongs. 6. The one delighted with the heart will be blasphemed and the one who hates the speaking he will have less bad things. 7. Never say to the others what you have heard and nothing will be diminished to you. 134 8. Towards friend and towards enemy do not tell, and, if it is not a sin, do not reveal it. 9. Because he listened to you and honored you, but in time he will hate you. 10. Have you heard word? Let it die at you; be careless, that it will not break you out. 11. Due to a word that has to be kept secret, the foolish one will be tormented, as the one who give birth to a little child. 12. The arrow pierced in the ribs of the body, so is the word in the heart of the foolish one. 13. Rebuke the friend, lest he has done the same and, if he has done it, to not do it anymore. 14. Rebuke the friend, lest he would have said it, and if he said it, to not say it anymore. 15. Visit the friend, because for many times he is afflicted, and do not believe every word. 16. There is someone who slips, but not in the heart, and who has not mistaken with his tongue? 17. Rebuke your friend, and before affraying him, give place to the law of the Most High. 18. All the wisdom is in the fear of the Lord, and in all the wisdom there is the fulfillment of the law. 19. And the wisdom it is not the science of the evilness; and where the council of the sinner is, there is no wisdom. 20. There is some sort of skillfulness that is abomination and there is softhead who has no evilness. 21. Better is the one who understands a little by the fear, than the one who exceeds with the mind and transgresses the law. 22. There is some sort of smartness in businesses that is unjust, some people who turn the judgment to obtain a decision pleasant to him. 23. There is someone who does evilness, and walks humble, and the ones from within him are full of cunningness; 24. Who leans downwards his face and pretends himself to be deft, but when you do not notice him, he will start harming you. 25. And because for the weakness of the power he cannot commit sin, if he will have time, he will do evilness. 26. From sight is known the man, and from the image of the face is known the wise one. 27. The clothing of the man, the unveiling of his teeth when he laughs, and his walking, heralds what he is. 28. Sometimes the rebuking is not done to an appropriate time and sometimes the one who keeps his silence it is proven wise. ( 3 About the right usage of the tongue. The gifts and the lie. 1. It is much better to rebuke, than, keeping the silence, to boil with anger. 135 2. And the one who confesses himself will be defended against the lost. 3. As the desire of the eunuch is to approach to the virgin, so is the one who makes the judgment forcedly. 4. There is someone who keeps his silence and he is found wise, and there is someone who becomes hated due to his much speaking. 5. And there is one who keeps his silence, because he has nothing to answer, and another one who keeps his silence, because he knows that it is the time to be silent. 6. The wise man will be silent for a while, and the haughty and foolish one will pass over the time. 7. The one who multiplies the words becomes hated to everybody and the arrogant one likewise. 8. There is profit that brings loss to the man and there is gain towards misfortune. 9. There is giving that will not be profitable to you, and there is giving with twofold rewarding. 10. It can come to you the humbleness after glory and it is possible that, after humbleness, to rise you head to the glory. 11. Someone buys many with a little, and the other one pays with seven parts more. 12. The one wise in words will himself make loved, and the gifts of the foolish ones will be rejected. 13. The gift of the mindless one will not be useful to you; because his eyes, instead of one, there are many. 14. He will give a few and will ask for many, and he will open his mouth as a steward. 15. Today he will give a loan, and tomorrow he will ask it back. Hated man is one like this one. 16. The foolish one will say: I have no friends and my good deeds do not receive any gratefulness. 17. The ones who eat my bread are evil with the tongue. 18. For how many times and how many will mock them? 19. Better is the falling on the ground, that the falling because of the tongue; so the falling of the bad ones will come sooner. 20. A hateful man is as a bad joke, ceaselessly repeated by the lightOheaded ones. 21. From the mouth of the stupid one it is not received an example, for he will not say it at its time. 22. There are people who are stopped from the sin due to the poverty; these ones, in their sleep, they are not persecuted by remorse. 23. There is someone who loses his life by unwise shame and for the sake of a fool he ruins himself. 24. And there is someone who due to the shame he makes great promises to his friend, and gains him as enemy in vain. 25. Bad mockery is the lie to the man, in the mouth of the untaught ones it will always be. 136 26. Better is the thief than the one who always lies; and both of them will be the inheritors of the perdition. 27. The inurement of the liar man it is the reproach and his shame is with him always. 28. The one right in his word will be exalted and the wise man will please to the great ones. 29. The one who works the field will raise his mow, and the one who is pleasant to the great ones will be cleaned of injustice. 30. The feasts and the gifts blind the eyes of the wise men and, as the snaffle in the mouth, they deviate the reproaches. 31. The hidden wisdom and the unknown treasure, what use they have? 32. Better is the man who hides his foolishness, than the man who hides his wisdom. ( 3 Advise to beware of sins. The difference between the wise ones and the fool ones according to their characteristics. 1. Son, have you committed sin? Do not add more; and for the ones of you from before pray yourself. 2. As by the face of the snake so run away from the sin; for is you will approach it, it will bite you. 3. Teeth of lion are its teeth that kill the soul of the people. 4. As the double edged sword it is all the lawlessness; its wound has no healing. 5. The mockery and the haughtiness will desolate the wealth; so also the house of the haughty one will be desolated. 6. The prayer of the poor one penetrates from the mouth to the ears of the Lord and His judgment will come soon. 7. The one who hates the revilement follows to the sinner, and the one who fears the Lord will turn back from the heart. 8. By far if know the one with a strong tongue, and the wise one knows him when he slips. 9. The one who builds the house with foreign money is like the one who gathered to him tomb stones. 10. Entangled oakum is the assembly of the lawless ones, and their perdition flame of fire. 11. The way of the sinners is flattened with stones, at the end of it there is the pit of the hell. 12. The one who guards the law he masters his thought; and the end of the fear of God is the wisdom. 13. Will not be taught the one who is not smart; there is smartness that multiplies the bitterness. 14. The science of the wise one will be multiplied as a flood, and his advice as a spring of water. 137 15. The heart of the foolish one is as a broken vessel and it will not keep any science. 16. If the knower one will hear the wise word, he will praise it and over it he will add. 17. The spoiled one has heard it and he has not liked it and he has rejected it behind himself. 18. The word of the foolish one is as the baggage in the way; and through the lips of the wise one it will be found grace. 19. The mouth of the wise one will be searched for in the assembly and his word will be cogitated in the heart. 20. As a house in ruins it is the wisdom of the stupid, and the science of the fool one, meaningless words. 21. The instruction is as fetters in the feet to the foolish ones and as some cuffs on the right hand. 22. The fool one, when laughs, he rises his voice, and the dutiful man will barely smile. 23. Because the golden adornment is the instruction to the wise one and as the bracelet on the right hand. 24. The foot of the foolish one is quickly in the house; and the man who has much science will shy of meeting with everybody. 25. The foolish one watches inside the house from the door, and the taught man stays outside. 26. It is a sign of a stupid man to listen at the door; and the wise one will himself move away from this kind of dishonor. 27. The lips of the mindless ones speak always about other; and the words of the wise ones will be weighted. 28. The heart of the foolish one is in his mouth, and the mouth of the wise one is in his heart. 29. When the lawless one curses satan, he curses his own soul. 30. Defiles his soul the ones who will snake in darnels and wherever will he live he will ne hated. ( 3 The lazy one is dishonored by everybody. About the untaught sons and about the mistakes which brake the friendship. 1. To the mudded stone has been likened the lazy one and everybody will whistle towards his mocking. 2. As a pile of garbage is the lazy one; everyone who will rise him up will shake his hand. 3. Shame to the father is the untaught son; and when is a daughter she was born towards the lost of his father. 4. The wise daughter makes her father rich; and the one without shame is towards sadness to the one who has born her. 5. The shameless daughter makes to blush both her father and her husband and by both of them she is despised. 138 6. Music in a day of grievance the inappropriate reproaches are; the beatings and the rebuking all the time are wisdom. 7. The one who teaches the foolish one is like the one who glues together the broken pot and awakes the one who sleeps a heavy sleep. 8. As he would speak to the one who snoozes, so is the one who speaks to the foolish one and at the end that one will say: What is it? 9. For the dead one you weep, because he lacks the light, and for the foolish one you weep, because he lacks the mind. 10. Sweeter weep the dead one, for he got rest; and the life of the foolish one is worse than death. 11. The mourning for the dead to be days, and for the fool and lawless one, in every day of his life. 12. With the fool one do not prolong the talk, and do not walk in front of the stupid one. 13. Beware of him, to not have trouble and to not be defiled, by touching him. 14. Beware of him and you will find out rest and do not burden yourself with him insanity. 15. What is heavier than the led and how is called him? The fool one. 16. Easier is to carry sand, salt and iron, than to dwell with a mindless man. 17. The wooden connection tied in the wall of the house will not collapse by earthquake; so the heart strengthened in the thought of the advice, will not fear any moment. 18. The heart placed on the thought of the understanding is like the adornment made on the smooth wall. 19. The fence pricked in the top of the hill will not remain standing when the storm will hit it; so the fearful heart, in the thought of the fool, it will not stand before any fear. 20. The one who pricks the eye will get tears of it, and the one who pricks the heart ransacks the feeling. 21. The one who throw the stone upon the birds he banishes them and the one who reviles the friend he breaks the friendship. 22. Upon the friend if you will draw out the sword, do not despair, because he will not draw if out upon you. 23. Upon the friend if you will open your mouth, do not fear, because there is reconcilement, 24. Except of mockery, of haughtiness, of unveiling of the secret and of the cunning wound, because for these ones any friend will run away. 25. Have faith towards your neighbor into his poverty, for together with him to satisfy yourself with his goods, when he will be rich. 26. In the time of his need remain at him, for into his inheritance together to inherit. 27. Before the fire there appears firstly steam of oven and smoke; so before the blood shedding, first the curses. 28. I will not be ashamed to cover the friend and I will not hide myself from his face. 139 29. And if bad things will happen to me because of him, anybody that will hear of it will beware of him. 30. Oh, if somebody will put guard to my mouth and over my lips seal of wisdom, to not fall myself because of it and my tongue to not destroy me! ( 3 5 Prayer towards God for achieving the true wisdom, for restraining of the tongue and of the lusts. 1. Lord, the father and the Master of my life, do not let me to be carried away by my mouth as it wants and do not allow me to slip because of it! 2. Who will put beatings over my thought? And over my heart the teaching of the wisdom? For my wanderings to not be speared and the sins to not be allowed? 3. For my mistakes to not multiply and my sins to not increase and to not fall in the hands of my adversaries and my enemy to not rejoice of this? 4. Lord, the Father and God of my life! The raising of the eyes to not give it to me, and turn back the lust from me. 5. The lust of the belly and of the copulation be not engulfing me, and to the shameless spirit do not given me. 6. Hear you the teaching of the mouth, sons; this one who will guard it he will not fall caught. 7. From his words the sinner will be caught; the reviler and the haughty one will perish in the same way. 8. Do not teach your mouth to swear and to name the saint one do not be shy. 9. Because as the servant, who often is controlled, receives many beating, so also the one who always swears and call the name of the Saint One, of sin he will not be cleaned. 10. The man who swears much is filled up by lawlessness and the whip will not depart from his house. 11. If he will mistake, his sin will be upon him, and if he will not take heed, he mistakes twofold. 12. And if he has sworn vainly, he will not straighten himself, because his house will be filled up with evil. 13. There is speech which is like death; to not be this in the heritage of Jacob. 14. Because from the wellObelievers all these ones will be removed and they will not wallow in sins. 15. With the intemperate word do not habituate your mouth, for into that there is the word of the sin. 16. Remember your father and your mother, when you sit in the middle of the great ones, 17. Lest not forget about yourself in front of them and behave as a stupid one, 140 18. So that you may want that you would have not been born and to curse the day of your birth. 19. The man who habituates himself with cursing words, in all his days, he will not become wise. 20. Two kinds of people multiply the sins, and the third one brings wrath: 21. The hot soul as the burning fire, which will not be quenched until appeases; 22. The man who lusts the body of his flesh and he will not cease, until he will sTyre up fire; 23. For the fornicator all the bread is sweet, he will not cease until the end. 24. The man who commits sin in his bed and says into his heart: Who will see me? 25. Darkness is around me, the walls cover me and nobody sees me, why I do shy? 26. My sins will not be mentioned by the Most High. So he fears only of the human eyes. 27. And he does not know that the eyes of the Lord are of then thousands time brighter than the son and they look at all the ways of the people and they see all the hidden parts. 28. Before being made, everything is known to Him; so also after it has been done. 29. One like this will be punished on the streets of the city and he will be caught where he did not think. 30. So also the woman who forsakes her husband and make inheritor from strangers. 31. Because firstly she transgressed the law of the Lord, secondly her husband has mistaken, thirdly into fornication she has fornicated, and with a stranger man she has made children. 32. This one will be brought to the assembly and for her sons she will receive punishment. 33. Her sons will not increase with the root, and her branches will not bring forth fruits. 34. Her remembrance will remain into curse and her revilement will not be erased. 35. And the ones remained will know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord and nothing is sweeter than to keep the commandments of the Lord. 36. Great honor is to follow God, for the length of the days you will take it from Him. ( 3 6 The praise of the wisdom. The profit and how it is achieved its beginning. 1. The wisdom is praise to itself and in the middle of the people will increase. 141 2. Into the assembly of the height one will open its mouth and before of His power it will praise itself. 3. “I have come out from the mouth of the Most High and as the fog I have covered the earth. 4. I have dwelled myself into the high ones and my chair is in a pillar of cloud. 5. I have crossed all around the pound of the sky and the bottom of the depths I have walked it. 6. In the waves of the sea and in all the earth and in every people and nation I am master. 7. After all of these I searched rest and I said: Into whose inheritance will I dwell? 8. Them the doer of all things commanded to me and the One Who made me has placed my dwelling place, 9. And he said: into Jacob you live and into Israel you inherit. 10. Before the age from the beginning he built me and I will never end. 11. In the holy place, in front of Him I ministered, and so in Zion I strengthened myself. 12. In the beloved city in the same way He rested me and in Jerusalem is my power. 13. And I have rooted myself in a glorified people; in the part of the Lord, of His heritage. 14. As a cedar tree in Lebanon I have risen myself and as a cypress tree in the Hermon mountains, 15. As a willow tree at the shores I have risen myself and as the seedlings of the roses in Jericho. 16. As a beautiful olive tree in the field and I have risen myself as a sycamore tree. 17. As the cinnamon and the perfumed balsam I gave scent and as the chosen myrrh I effused flavor. 18. As the gold and as the onyx and as the stacte and as the airs of the flavors from the tent of the witness. 19. I as a turpentine tree I stretched my branches and my branches are the branches of the greatness and of the gift. 20. I am as a vine with enchanting branches, but also my flowers are the fruit of the greatness and of the richness. 21. Come close to me you who want me and satisfy yourselves from my fruits. 22. For my remembrance is sweeter than honey and my heritage than the honeycomb. 23. The ones who eat me will get hungry again; and the ones who drink me, will get thirsty again. 24. The one who listen to me will not be ashamed and the ones who work into me will not commit sin”. 25. All of these are the book of the bond of the Most High God, the law commanded by Moses as heritage to the assemblies of Jacob. 142 26. This law makes the wisdom to flow as the Pison River and as the Tigre River, in the days of the spring. 27. It fills up, as the Euphrates, the understanding, and as the Jordan, in the days of the reaping. 28. And it show the instruction as the light, as the Gihon in the days of harvesting. 29. The first one has not perfectly known it; also the last one has not found out its borders. 30. More than the sea has been multiplied its thought and its advice than the depth of the sea. 31. And I as a riverbed and as a spring of water I have come out from Paradise. 32. I said: I will water my garden and I will make drunk my planting. 33. Behold it was done to me river from the riverbed and from my river it has been done a sea. 34. Because the teachings as the dawn I spread it and I show it far. 35. And as the prophecy I will pour the teaching and I will let it in the nations of the ages. ( 3 Three things are pleasant to God, and three hated. Nine thought make the heart happy. About the longOtongued and evil woman. 1. With three things I have adorned myself and I get up beautiful in front of the Lord and before the people: 2. The union of the brothers, the love between friends, and the man and the woman who get along well one with another. 3. And three things my soul hated and I have been very disgusted by their life: 4. The haughty poor, the liar rich and the fornicator old man and without wisdom. 5. Did you not gathered in your youth, so how will you find out at your old age? 6. How beautiful thing is the judgment to the gray hair and to ole ones to know the advice. 7. How beautiful is to the old ones the wisdom and to the great ones the understanding and the advice! 8. The crown of the old age is the knowledge of many things and their greatness, the fear of the Lord. 9. Nine thought I have blessed in my heart and the tenth I will speak it with the tongue. 10. The man who has joy of sons and who lives and sees the falling of the enemies. 11. Blessed is the one who dwells with an understanding woman and who has not slipped with the tongue and who has not served to the one who is less worthy than him. 143 12. Blessed is the one who has found the wisdom and the one who speaks it at the ears of the ones who listen to it. 13. How great is the one who has found the wisdom? For there is no other greater than the one who fears the Lord. 14. The fear of God overwhelms everything and the one who keeps it, to whom will be him likened? 15. No wound is as the wound of the heart and no evilness is as the evilness of the woman. 16. No persecution is as the persecution from the ones who hate you and no victory is as the victory of the enemies. 17. There is no head more venomous than the head of the snake and there is no anger like the anger of the enemy. 18. I better wish to dwell with the lion and with the dragon, than to live with the evil woman. 19. The evilness of the woman disfigures her face and darkens her face as a sack. 20. Her husband sits at the table of the neighbors and he moans involuntarily. 21. Any evilness is small in comparison with the evilness of the woman; the fate of the sinner to fall upon her. 22. As the sandy climbing is under the feet of the old man, so is the gabbler woman for the honest man. 23. Do not look at the beauty of the woman and do not lust her beauty. 24. Offence, desolation and shame are when the woman feeds her husband. 25. Broken heart and sad face and wound to the heart the evil woman is. 26. Lazy hands and weak knees are the bad woman, who does not make her husband happy. 27. Form the woman is the beginning of the sin and through her all of us die. 28. Do not make way to the water to get out, neither to the bad woman power upon you. 29. If she does not walk after your hand, remove her from your body. ( 3 : The praise of the food women, the rebuking of the bad ones, and guarding of the girls. 1. Blessed is the husband of the good woman and the number of his years is twofold. 2. The worthy woman makes gladdens her husband and his years she will fill them up with peace. 3. The good woman is a good part and is given as gain to the ones who fear of the Lord. 4. Either rich, or poor, her husband has a glad heart and always a joyful face. 5. Of three things my heart feared and of the fourth one I am afraid: 144 6. Of the gossip of the city, of the assembly of the people and of the liar persecution; all those are worse than death. 7. Pain to the heart and mourning is the jealous woman upon another woman and the vice of the tongue is mixed in everything. 8. As the oxen that are not fitted to the yoke the bad woman is; the one who keeps her is like the one who catches a viper. 9. Great wrath is the drunkard woman and her shame will not be covered by anything. 10. The fornication of the woman in the rising of the eyes and in her eye lashes is known. 11. Over the shameless one, strengthen the guard, lest, finding occasion, to fulfill her lust. 12. Of the shameless eye beware yourself and do not wonder is it will wrong to you. 13. As the thirsty traveler open his mouth and drinks from any water comes at hand, 14. So also her will sit about any pillar and before the arrow will open the quiver. 15. The grace of the woman will make her husband happy and her bones will be strengthened by her science. 16. The gift of the Lord is the quiet woman and the wellOmannered has no price on earth. 17. But over the gift the shy woman is and no treasure values as a restraint woman. 18. When the sun rises in the High Ones of the Lord and the beauty of the good woman, adornment is to your house. 19. The light which lights in the holy candlestick, as so is a beautiful face on a wellOfulfilled body. 20. Golden pillar on silver bases and beautiful legs of on the wellOstrengthen soles. 21. Son, guard whole the flower of your age and do not give to others your strength. 22. For two things my heart gets sad and the third one makes me angry: 23. The rich man who skimp himself and suffers of hunger and the people with a great name when they are not noticed. 24. When somebody deviates from righteousness to sin, the Lord will prepare that one towards the sword. 25. Hard is to the merchant to escape from mistake and the tapster is not without mistake. ( 3 About the lack and dearth. About buying and selling. The restraint of the tongue, the gaining of the friends. 1. Due to the money, many committed sin and who tries to get rich he turns his eye from righteousness. 145 2. Between the joints of the stones there is pricked the pillar, and between selling and buying there will sin gathers. 3. If somebody will not hold himself with zeal in the fear of the Lord, soon his house will crumble down. 4. When the sieve is shaken, the garbage remains; likewise the chaff of the man in his words. 5. The pots of the potters are burnt by the fire; and the temptation of the man his thought. 6. How the tree has been worked, it is shown by its fruit; so also the word shows the thought from the heart of the man. 7. Do not praise anybody before talking to him, because the word is the testing stone of the man. 8. If you will run after justice, you will catch it and you will put it on you and with a long coat of glory. 9. The birds tarry at the ones who are like themselves and the truth comes back to the ones who do it. 10. The lion stalks the pray; so also the sins on the ones who do injustices. 11. The word of the pious one is always with wisdom; and the fool one changes like the moon. 12. When you are in the middle of the stupid ones, spear your time; and with the wise ones tarry without fear. 13. The speaking of the stupid ones is a horror and their laughing burst out in the delectations of the sin. 14. The word of the one who swears much it rises the hair up and when he argues deafens your ears. 15. The blood shedding come from the strife of the haughty one and theirs cursing is hard to the hearing. 16. The one who unveils the secrets he has lost the faith and he will not find a friend according to his heart. 17. Love the friend and be faithful to him; and if you will unveil his secrets, you will not be his friend anymore. 18. Because as a man has lost his inheritance, so also you have lost the friendship of your neighbor. 19. And as you have let go a bird from your hand, so you have lost your friend and you will not gain him again. 20. Do not run after him, because he departed far and he has run as a dear from the snare. 21. Because the wound can be bandaged and for strife there is peace; and the one who has unveiled the secrets he has lost the trust. 22. The one who blinks his eye contrives evilness and the wise one will depart from him. 23. Before your eyes, he will sweeten his mouth and he will wonder about your words, praising you; 24. And behind you he will change his speaking and will attribute to you words which do harm. 25. Many I have hated, but this more than anything; and the Lord will hate him also. 146 26. The one who throws a stone upwards, he throws it over his head and the cunning hit will produce wounds. 27. The one who digs the pit to the other, he will be the first to fall in it and the one who sets the trap will himself catch into it. 28. The one who does evil deeds, they will fall over him and he will not know from where they come. 29. The mockery, the cursing are the part of the haughty ones and the punishment will stalk as the lion upon them. 30. In the snare will be caught the ones who rejoice of the falling of the righteous ones and the pain will consume them before death. 31. The anger and the wrath are ugly things; and the sinner man keeps them in his memory. ( 3 ; To not lust the victory, but to forgive the injustice. The evilness of the tongue, the dangers and its restraint. 1. The one who avenges himself, he will find out the punishment from the Lord, and He will keep his sins in memory. 2. Forgive the injustice from your neighbor, and, when you will pray, the sins will be forgiven to you. 3. The man who gets angry upon the man, how can he ask healing from God? 4. He does not have mercy on the man like him and for his sins he prays. 5. He being body keeps angry, and who will clean his sins? 6. Remember the ones from the end, of corruption and death, and guard yourself of strife and remain into commandments. 7. Remember the commandments and the establishment of law of the Most High, and do not get angry of the neighbor, forgiving the nescience to him. 8. Depart from strife and you will diminish the sins, because the angry man will sTyre the strife up. 9. And the sinner man will disturb the friend and, amidst the people who have peace, he will throw in the strife. 10. As the matter is to the fire, so it will be kindled and according to the power the strife will increase. 11. According to the power of the man will be his angry; and as his wealth it is, he will rise up his anger. 12. The quick arguing kindles fire and the quick strife sheds bloods. 13. If you will blow on the spark, it will be kindled, and if you will spit over it, it will be quenched; both of them come out from your mouth. 14. On the gossiper and on the one with two tongues curse them, for they destroyed many who had peace. 15. The slanderer tongue shook many and scattered them from a nation in another nation and strong cities ruined and broke the houses of the great ones. 147 16. The slanderer tongue worthy women banished and deprived them of their labors. 17. The one who listen to it, he will not find out rest, neither will he dwell with quietness. 18. The hit of the whip makes bruise, and the hit of the tongue breaks the bonds. 19. Many perished by the edge of the sword, but much more by the plotting of the tongue. 20. Blessed is the one who has escaped from it and who has not passed in its anger, 21. Who has not pulled its yoke and with its bonds he has not tied himself. 22. For its yoke is a yoke of iron and its bonds are bonds of copper. 23. Evil death it is its death and more useful is the Sheol than it. 24. It will not overcome the wellObelievers and in its flame they will not be burning. 25. The ones who forsake the Lord will fall in it and it will be shown into them and it will not be quenched. 26. The lion will be sent upon them; and as the leopard it will destroy them. 27. See, fence your domain with thorns and tie well your silver and your gold. 28. And to your words make yoke and scales and to your mouth make door and latch. 29. Take heed not to slip with it and to not fall before the one who stalks you with cunningness. ( 3 < About loan and gage. The mercifulness, the ungrateful guests and about the ungrateful strangers. 1. The one who give alms he gives loan to his neighbor; and the one who gives from his purse he keeps the commandments. 2. Give loan to your neighbor in the time of his need; and again give back to the neighbor at its time. 3. Keep your word and have trust in it and you will always find what you need. 4. Many reckoned the loan as found money and did trouble to the ones who helped them. 5. Until they took the loan, they kiss the hand of the one who gives and for the money of the neighbor they speak enticingly, 6. And when is the time to give back, they delay it, and defend themselves with word of laziness and they blame the weather. 7. If they could, they barely give back a half and they will reckon it as give away money. 8. And if not, for he lacked him of money, it becomes enemy to him for nothing. 148 9. Curses and oaths will rewards to him, instead of honor he will pay to him with dishonor. 10. Many, for this evilness, they turn their back to the man and do not give loans, fearing to not lose vainly. 11. But with the humble one be forbearing and do not be late to make mercy with him. 12. For the commandment, help the poor one and into his poverty do not refuse him vainly. 13. Sacrifice your money, for a friend and a brother, to not rust under a stone being lost. 14. Pile up alms in your chambers and they will get you out from any misfortune. 15. More than the shield of the power and more than the spear of the strength they will make war for you against the enemy. 16. The good man puts himself gage for his neighbor; and the one who has lost the shame will forsake him. 17. The good made gage does not forget it, for he put his life for you. 18. The good of the bailsman is broken by the sinner, and by the one who is ungrateful in his thought forsakes the one who helped him. 19. The gage lost many and tossed them hither and thither as the waves of the sea. 20. The strong men it pulled them out from their houses and made them wandering to foreign nations. 21. Help your neighbor according to your power and take heed to not fall. 22. The most important things in the life of the man are the water, the bread, the clothing and a house, for sheltering. 23. Better is the life of the poor one, under a covering made of planks, then illustrious feasts among strangers. 24. Towards the small one and towards the great one, be willing good. Either you have few or many, be satisfied and you will not be reckoned as a stranger. 25. Sad is the life to walk from house to house, and where you will stay, you will not dare to open your mouth. 26. You will feed and you will give to drink to ungrateful ones and from them you will hear bitterness: 27. “Come here, you, the stranger one, and set the table and with what will be in your hand, feed me”. 28. “Get out, you stranger, give place to a worthier one, because my brother has come guest to me and I need my house”. 29. Hard are these to the man who has mind: the rebuking from the master of the house and the reproach that you are a usurer. ( 3 5 About rebuking and the teaching of the commandments. Taking care of the health. The gladness, the temperance and the restraint. 149 1. The one who loves his son he beats him, to rejoice of him after. 2. The one who rebukes his son will be pleased and among his acquaintances he will praise with him. 3. The one who teaches his son he entices the enemies, and before his friends he will rejoice of him. 4. His father died and it is like he would not have died, for like him has been left after him. 5. In his face he has seen him, and he has rejoiced of him and at his death he was not sad. 6. Upon the enemies has left an avenger and to the friend a rewarder of the grace. 7. The one who is soft with his son he will bandage his wounds and of any cry will the ones from inside him be troubled. 8. The untamed horse reaches to be kicker, so also a child left in his will reaches to be illObehaved. 9. If you are affectionate with your son, he will scare you; play with his and he will sadden you. 10. Do not laugh with him to not suffer together with him and at the end to be set on edge. 11. Do not let him in his ways in his youth and do not overlook his mistakes. 12. Bend his neck in his youth and beat his until he is a young child, lest, getting hardOheaded to cease to listen to you. 13. Rebuke your son and make him to work, to not stumble into shame. 14. Metter is the healthy poor and strong with the power, than the rich ones who has his body wounded. 15. The health and the good strength are better than all the gold, and the healthy body and with strength, the the countless wealth. 16. Is not better the wealth than the health of the body and there is no greater joy than the joyfulness of the heart. 17. Better is death than the bitter life or than the ceaseless sickness. 18. Many goods, poured around the close mouth, are as the food put in the tomb. 19. What uses the sacrifice for, to the idol? For neither eats, nor smells; so is the one who masters the wealth, but he cannot enjoy of it. 20. The one who sees with the eyes and sighs is as the eunuch who embraces the virgin and sighs. 21. Do not give towards sadness your soul and do not bother yourself with your own advice. 22. The joy of the heart is the life of the man and the gladness is the prolongation of his days. 23. Love you soul and comfort your heart, and far from you banish the sadness, 24. For many were killed by the sadness and there is no profit in it. 25. The envy and the anger shorten the days and the worrying brings old age before time. 150 ( 3 5 About richness and poverty. Advices for parties. The wine, the temperance and the taking care of the health. 1. The watchfulness of the rich one melts the body and his care disturbs the sleep. 2. The care of the watchfulness banishes the falling in the sleep and as the hard sickness banishes the sleep. 3. The rich one got Tired gathering money and into his rest he satisfies himself of hid delectations. 4. The poor one tosses about because he has not from what to live, and when he rests everything misses to him. 5. The one who loves the gold will not be bettered and the one who runs after corruption will not be satisfied by it. 6. Many fell because of the gold, and before them it was their perdition. 7. Wood for impediment it is the gold to the ones who sacrifice to it and very mindless one will be caught in it. 8. Blessed is the rich one who has been found righteous and after gold he has not walked. 9. Who is this? And we will congratulate him, for he has done wonderful things for his people. 10. Who has been tempted with the gold and he remained consummated and it was to him towards praise? 11. Who is the one who could transgress the commandment and he did not? And what could he do wrong, and he did it not? 12. His good will be strengthened and his mercifulness will be told by the assembly. 13. When you sit at big table, do not open your mouth towards it, 14. And do not say: “Many or set on the table!” Remember that evil thing is the cunning eye. 15. What is worst among creates things, than the cunning eye? For it sheds tears at everything that sees. 16. Do not stretch forth your hand where another one will look at, for not put your hand in the plate with him. 17. From yourself know the ones of the neighbor and think at all things. 18. Eat decently the ones that are put in front of you and do not munch, to not make yourself unbearable. 19. Finish decently the first one and do not be insatiable, to not offend. 20. When you sit among many, do not stretch forth your hand before they do it. 21. The wellOmannered man is satisfied with few and in his beddings he will not gasp of too much eating. 22. With healthy sleep rests the belly of the temperate one; he awakes himself in the morning and his thought is clean. 23. The toil of the lack of sleep and nausea and the pains of the satiation are with the insatiable man. 151 24. And if you have forced yourself into foods, get up, walk around, and you will feel yourself relieved. 25. Listen son, and take heed, and latter you will understand my words. 26. In all your things be temperate and not helplessness will encounter you. 27. That one who gives illustrious banquets, will be blessed by the lips and the witness of his generosity is founded. 28. Upon the table of the niggard the city will niggle and the witness of his evilness is true. 29. Do not make yourself valiant at wine, for many were destroyed by the wine. 30. The oven tries the hardened steal; so also the wine, the hearts of the haughty ones, which are ready to come to blow. 31. Just as the water for the life it is the wine for the man, if you will drink it with temperance. 32. What life has the one lacked of wine? For this one has been made to rejoice the people. 33. The joy of the heart and the gladness of the soul is the wine, when is drunk at time with measure. 34. Bitterness to the soul is the wine when is drunk a lot; arguments and falling it does. 35. The drunkenness multiplies the anger of the mindless one towards stumbling and diminishes the virtues and collects wounds. 36. At the banquet of the wine do not rebuke your neighbor and do not defame him at his gladness. 37. Do not tell him word of mockery do not trouble him with some request. ( 3 5 How the health is preserved. The respect to the elders. The trust in the self and the faith in God. 1. He has put you adviser; do not boast yourself, be among them as one of them. 2. Take care of them and then sit down, and, after you will do all that you need, go to sleep, 3. To rejoice of them and, for adornment, to take the crown. 4. Speak you, that are older, knowingly, that you ought not to stop the music. 5. Where there is no obedience, do not spend you words and, when is not appropriate, do not show yourself wise. 6. As a ring with a precious stone on the golden adornment is the purpose of the singers to the feast of the wine. 7. Emerald seal with gold craftsmanship it is the voice of the singer to the sweet wine. 8. Speak, young man, when you need to; but after you will be asked for two or three times. 152 9. Limit your word; with few say many; be as one who knows, but who keeps his silence. 10. Among the great ones do not pretend as you would be like them and, being another man speaking, you do not speak much. 11. Before the thunder hurries the lightning bolt; and before of the shy one will go the grace. 12. Get up from the table at time and do not be the last one; run home and do not be lazy. 13. There be satisfied and fulfill your whishes and do not speak haughty word. 14. And for this blessed the One Who has made you and rejoice from His good things. 15. The one who fears of God he will receive the teaching and the one who depart early (who search for Him early morning) they will find out benevolence. 16. The one who searches for the law will be satisfied by it and the one who work the hypocrisy he will stumble on it. 17. The ones who fear of God they will find out the right judgment and recommendations as the light they will kindle up. 18. The sinful man avoids the reproach and according to his own will he will find matching. 19. The adviser man will not leave the cogitation; and the foreign and haughty one will not dread of fear even he will do something without advice. 20. Without counsel to not do anything; and after you did it, to not be sorry. 21. On collapsed road do not walk, to not stumble on rubble. 22. Do not trust either in the straight road and guard yourself of your sons. 23. In everything believe to your soul, for this is the basis of the commandments. 24. The one who believes to the law he listens to the commandments; and the one who hopes towards God will not be deprived. ( 3 55 The godlike wisdom exalts some ones, and humbles some others. The wise man does not obey to the stupidity of your son, neither to the woman, nor to somebody else. 1. On the one who fears the Lord, the evil will not encounter him, except the temptation, and he will be delivered again. 2. The wise man will not hate the law, and the one who is hypocrite in that, he is like a boat in the storm. 3. The thoughtful man will believe to the law and the law will be faithful to him. 4. Prepare the word and speak as so, he ties the teaching together and answers. 153 5. As the wheel of the chariot is the heart of the fool, and as the axel on which his thought turns over. 6. As a stallion is the blasphemer friend; he neighs whosoever would mount on him. 7. Why the day exceeds other day and all the light of the day of the year is from the sun? 8. Through the wisdom of the Lord they have been made different to eachO other, he has established the diver times and the feast days. 9. From among them, He exalted and sanctified some; other ones He has put them in number of the days. 10. And all the people are from dust and from earth were built Adam. 11. With the multitude of the science the Lord has made them different and has changed their ways. 12. From among them He blessed and exalted, sanctified them and brought them close to Himself. 13. From among them He cursed and obeyed them and drove them out from their dwelling places. 14. As the clay of the potter, so are they in His hand; all his ways according to His good pleasure. 15. So are the people in the hand of the One Who has made them, to give them according to His judgment. 16. Against the evil there is the good and against the death, the life. 17. So also against the sinner, the pious one. 18. Likewise look at all the things of the Most High; they are pairs, pairs, one against another. 19. And I, even I am as one arrived latter, I have watched and I have inherited everything as from the beginning. 20. As one who gathers in the vine behind the gatherers, but with the blessing of the Lord I have reached like the one who gathers and I have fillet up the winepress. 21. You reckon that not only for me alone I have inherited; but also for all the one who search the teaching. 22. Listen to me, you, rulers of the people; and the gathered advisers, put it in your ears. 23. To the son and to the woman, to the brother and to the friend, in your life, do not give them power upon you. 24. And your money do not give it to somebody else, to not be sorry and to pray for it. 25. As long as you live and your soul in within you, do not obey yourself to any flesh. 26. Good is that your sons to pray to you, than to be you looking at their hands. 27. In all your things be you the master and do not allow upon you honor any stain. 28. At the end of the days of your life and at the time of the death, share your heritage. 154 29. Food, staff and burden to the donkey; and to the servant bread, rebuking and work. 30. Work with the servant and you will have rest; if you will have loose his hands he will ask freedom. 31. The yoke and the bridle bend the necks and the bad servant the bonds and the torments. 32. Put him at work, to not sit, for much evilness has the laziness learnt. 33. Put him at work as is ought and if he will not obey to you, make his fetters heavier. 34. Do not do anything without the way and without judgment do not work anything. 35. If you have a servant, let him be with you, for you have gained him with blood. 36. If you will upset him and he will run away, wherever will you search for him? ( 3 56 The emptiness of the dreams and of the spells; the hope in God; the helping of the poor one and wage of the servant. 1. Vain and liar hopes the man without understanding does and the dreams make the unwise ones to get besides themselves. 2. As the one who grabs the shadow and runs after wind, so is the one who believes to the dreams. 3. Only mirroring is the; the likeness of the face before the real face. 4. What can you draw out from the devil? And from lie what truth can you draw out? 5. The guessing, the interpretation of the signs and the vain dreams are as to the one who is ready to give birth; the heart raves. 6. If they will not be sent from the Most High, for trying you, do not give your heart towards them. 7. For many were deceived by the dreams and the one who trusted in them fell. 8. Without lie it is the law to be fulfilled and the wisdom is consummated in sincerity. 9. The taught man knew many and the one who know many will speak wisely. 10. The one who learnt not, he know only a few, and the one who walked many countries he multiplied the wisdom. 11. Many I have seen in my trips and more than my words it is my understanding. 12. Many times I was in mortal danger and I escaped through these. 13. The ghost of the ones who fear of God will be alive, for their hope is for being saved. 14. The one who fears of God he has no fear of anything else; he does not tremble, because God is his hope. 155 15. Blessed in the soul of the one who fears the Lord. 16. And on whom he leans and who is his strengthening? 17. The eyes of the Lord over the ones who love Him; powerful shield and strong strengthening is the Lord; 18. Shelter against the wind from the desert, shadow against the noun heat, defense against the impediments, assurance against the fallings. 19. He exalts the soul and enlightens the eyes, giving healing, life and blessing. 20. The one who sacrifices from injustice, brings blasphemed tribute, and are not towards goodOwill the tributes of the lawless ones. 21. The Most High does not deign towards the gifts of the lawless ones; neither the multiplication of the sacrifices of the lawless ones cleans the sins. 22. Who brings sacrifice from the wealth of the poor ones he stabs the son before his father. 23. The bread of the deprived ones is the life of the poor and the one who takes this is the man of the blood shedding. 24. The one who takes the food of his neighbor is like the ones who kills his neighbor, and the one who refuses to pay the the wage to his servant, like the one who sheds blood. 25. When one builds and the other one brakes, what do they profit, except they get Tired? 26. When one prays and the other one swears, whose voice will the Master hear? 27. Who washes himself from the dead and he touches him again, what will the washing be useful to him for? 28. So also the man who fasts into his sins, and goes again and does the same things. 29. His prayer, who will listen to it? And what has he profited by humbling himself? ( 3 5 About the pleasant and unpleasant sacrifices to God. The comforting of the widows, poor people and orphans. 1. The one who guards the law he multiplies the sacrifices. 2. Sacrifice the sacrifice of reconcilement the one who does not take heed to the commandments. 3. And the one who thanks is like the one who brings sacrifice of pure wheat flour; and the one who give alms is like the one who sacrifices sacrifices of praise. 4. Pleasant if the Lord when you get away from the evilness and sacrifice of cleaning is when you separate yourself from crookedness. 5. Do not show yourself in the front of the Lord with bare hands, because all the sacrifices are from the commandment of the law. 156 6. The sacrifice of the righteous anoints the altar and its smell good is in front of the Most High. 7. The sacrifice of the man is accepted and its remembrance will not be forgotten. 8. With good eyes serve God and do not lessen the first fruit of your hands. 9. Always when you give, you be with a joyful face and with gladness sanctify the tithe. 10. Give to the Most High, as He has given to you, and give from all your heart from your gains, 11. Because the Lord is rewarding and with seven parts He will reward to you. 12. Do not buy Him with presents, because He will not accept them. 13. Do not hope in the unjust sacrifice, because the Lord is judge and there is no partiality to Him. 14. The Lord will not receive the one who oppresses the poor, and the prayer of the oppressed one He will listen to it. 15. He will not overlook the prayer of the starveling and neither the widow when she will weep to Him. 16. Are not the tears of the widow flowing down the cheek? Her crying out upon the one who made her cry will be heard. 17. The one who serves to God, with benevolence will he be received and his prayer will reach to the sky. 18. The prayer of the humble one will penetrate the clouds and will not be comforted until will reach there. 19. And will not depart from them until the Most High will notice it and He will make judgment with justice and He will give the justice. 20. And the Lord will not tarry neither will prolong the patience over them, until He will crush the loins of the merciless ones. 21. And to the gentiles He will reward with the punishment, until He will break the multitude of the mockeries and the scepters of the lawless ones He will crush; 22. Until He will reward to the man according to his things and and to the things of the people according to their thoughts; 23. Until He will judge the judgment of His people and will make him glad with His mercy. 24. Beautiful is the mercy in the time of the tribulation of His people, as the clouds of the rain in the time of draught. ( 3 5: The prayer for Israelites and for the holy city oppresses by the foreign nations. The praise of the good and wise woman. 1. Have mercy on us, Lord, Master, the God of everybody, and tries us! 2. Send Your fear over all the nations. 3. Raise Your hand over the foreign nations, for they to see Your power. 157 4. As before them You sanctified Yourself into us, so before us glorify Yourself into them. 5. For they to know You, as we have known You; for there is no God except You, Lord. 6. Renew the signs and change the wonders. 7. Glorify Your hand and the right arm. 8. Awake Your anger and pour out Your wrath. 9. Lose the enemies and destroy the adversary. 10. Hurry the time and remember the oath, to be told Your glories. 11. The wrath of the fire to consume the one who has escaped, and the ones who oppress Your people let them find their perdition. 12. Crush the heads of the leaders of the enemies who say: “There is nobody else except us!” 13. Gather all the tribes of Jacob and give them back the inheritance, as at the beginning, 14. Have mercy, Lord, on the people, which is called with Your name and on Israel, which likened You with the first born. 15. Be You merciful towards Jerusalem, the city of Your holy dwelling place, the city of Your rest. 16. Fill the Zion with Your praise and Your dwelling place of Your glory. 17. Give witness to Your things from the beginning and fulfill the prophecies made in Your name. 18. Give payment to the ones who are waiting for You and make Your prophets trustful. 19. Listen, Lord, to the prayer of the ones who pray for Your people, according to the blessing of Aaron, to know all the ones from the earth that You, Lord, are the God of the ages”. 20. The belly receives food, but there is a morsel better than another morsel. 21. The throat with the taste chose the food of the game; so the wise heart the liar words. 22. The obdurate heart brings upset, but tried man, knows how to stand against it. 23. The woman accepts any man, but there are better faces than others. 24. The beauty of the woman gladdens the face and overwhelms all the lust of the man. 25. If there is on her tongue mercy and gentleness, so her man is rare amongst men. 26. The one who gains for himself such a woman he has a good earning, help after him and pillar of rest. 27. Where is no fence, the earning will be plundered; and where is no woman, there is sigh and disorder. 28. For who will believe to the agile thief, who walks from city to city? So also the man who has no nest and dwells wherever the nigh catches him. 158 ( 3 5 Let be discerned the true friends from the liar ones and the right advisers from the hypocrite ones; about temperance. 1. All the friend says: I have kept the friendship with him; but he is only called a friend. 2. It is not there sadness to death, when the comrade and the friend become enemies? 3. Oh, evil thought! Where from have you appeared to cover the earth with cunningness? 4. The comrade with the friend they live well in gladness; and in the time of the tribulation they become enemies. 5. The true friend fights against the enemy and put his hand on the shield in the front of the adversary. 6. Do not forget your friend, when he is at war and do not forget him into your wealth. 7. Every adviser praises his advice; but there is someone advises thinking at his own interests. 8. Guard you soul against the adviser and know first what is his need, for he fallows his interest, 9. Lest be him throwing his nest upon you and to say: Good is your way and he will stay about to see what will happen to you. 10. Do not take council with the one who overlooks you, and from the one who envies your fate, hide your soul; 11. Neither with the woman about her adversary, nor with the fearful one about war, 12. Neither with the merchant about the exchange, nor with the one who buys about selling, 13. Neither with the envious one about satisfaction, nor with the merciless one about the mercifulness, 14. Neither with the lazy one about all work, nor with the servant from your house about doing, nor with the lazy servant about much working. 15. About nothing do not take council with these ones; but with the pious man be often, who you will know that he keeps the commandments of the Lord, 16. Of whom soul is like your soul and, if you will fall, he will be hurt together with you. 17. Strengthen the advice of your enemy, for is not more faithful to you other than this one. 18. Because the soul of the man habituates sometime to herald the man more than seven spies, who stay in a high place to take heed. 19. And into all these pray to the Most High, to straighten into truth your way. 20. The beginning of all thing is the word, and before all the deed is the advice. 159 21. The sign of the changing of the heart is the face and it is shown in four ways: the good and the evil, the life and the death and the tongue always masters over these ones. 22. There is some wise man who teaches many and to his soul is useless. 23. The one who shows himself wise in words, he will be hated and will be deprived by all food, 24. Because it was not given to him gift from the Lord; for he is deprived of all wisdom. 25. But there is someone wise for his soul and the fruits of his understanding are believed. 26. The wise man teaches his people and the fruits of his understanding last. 27. The wise man will be filled up with blessing and he will be blessed by all the ones who see him. 28. The life of the man has the days numbered and the days of Israel are countless. 29. The one who is wise into his people he will inherit the faith and his name will be alive forever. 30. Son! In your life study your soul and see what is evil and to not give to it! 31. For not all are useful to everybody and not every soul deigns in everything. 32. For in the much food there will be pain and the insatiability will come to disgust. 33. For insatiability many perished; and the restraint one will prolong his life. ( 3 5; About the healing of the diseases; how it must be the mourning for the dead; about craftsmanship and working of the field. 1. Honor the doctor with the honor that is ought to him, for so also he has been made by the Lord. 2. Because from the Most High is the medicine and from the king he will take gift. 3. The science of the doctor will rise up his head and before the great ones he will be wonderful. 4. The Lord has built the medicines on earth, and the wise man will not himself disgust of them. 5. Not from wood has been sweetened the water, to be His power known? 6. And He has given the science to the people, to be glorified into His wonderful medicines. 7. With these ones He heals and removes the pain. 8. The pharmacist makes pomade with these ones. There is no end to the things of the Lord and peace from His is over the face of the earth. 9. Son! In your sickness do not be without care; but prays yourself to the Lord and He will heal you. 160 10. Remove the sin and stretch your hands towards the right deeds and clean your heart of all sins. 11. Give scent with good flavor and remembrance of wheat flour and stab fat sacrifices, as much as your powers help you. 12. And give also place to the doctor for he also has been made by the Lord and do not let him get away from you, for you need him also. 13. For there is a time when also in his hands there is a scent of good flavor. 14. For he also will pray to the Lord, to give rest and health towards life. 15. The one who commits sin against his Creator, let him fall in the hands of the doctor. 16. Son! For the dead one shed tears and, as you would have endured great sufferings, and then commence weeping. 17. And as it is lawful cover his body and do not overlook his burial. 18. Make a bitter weeping and a hot mourning. 19. And cry yourself, according to his worthiness, a day or two, to banish the slandering and comfort you of sadness. 20. Because from sadness comes death, and the sadness of the heart weakens the virtue. 21. During tribulation is worse than the death and a burdened life pushes the heart to curse. 22. Do not give your heart to the sadness, but remove it far, remembering the ones from the last. 23. And do not forget that there is no turning back for the deceased one and you will not be of any use to him and you will harm yourself. 24. Remember His judgment, because so it will be also yours; to me yesterday, to you today. 25. With the rest of the dead one make his remembrance to stop and comfort yourself about him for the exit of his soul. 26. The wisdom of the scribe is gained slowly and the one who does not take heed to much at the cares of the life he will become wise. 27. Of what wisdom will be filled up the one who holds the plow and praise himself with the handling of the pin, 28. Who drives the oxen and spends his life with them and his word in only about the cattle? 29. He is like any carpenter and any mason that spends the night and the day working. 30. Likewise, the one who carves images on the seals: hi thought is how to change the faces. 31. He will force his heart to resemble the drawing and his watchfulness, to do the work. 32. So the ironsmith, sitting next to the anvil, he habituates himself with the weight of the iron. 33. The steam of the fire will make his flesh callous and with the heat of the oven will he being fight. 34. The sound of the hammer fills up his ear and his eyes watch the resemblance of the planned thing. 161 35. He puts his heart towards committing the things and his watchfulness is to adorn them after he finishes them. 36. So also the potter, sitting at his work and spinning the wheel with his feet, 37. He always takes care of his work, for his work to be plenty. 38. With his hands he will imagine the clay and under his feet he will soften the hardness of the clay. 39. He will give his heart to commit the smoothing and his watchfulness to clean the oven. 40. All these hope into their hands and each of them in his craftsmanship are with understanding. 41. Without these ones the city is not built, neither they will dwell, nor will walk the one from the city. 42. But at the assembly they will not pass higher; and the establishment of the judgment is not for them, neither will they show the justice and the judgment. 43. And they will not be skilful in parables. 44. Because they strengthen the walls of the age and their lust is the working of the craftsmanship. 45. Different is the one who consecrates his soul and cogitates in the law of the Most High. ( 3 5< The wise one studies the words and the deed of the one from aforetime; the duties of the wise man. God is praised in all His things. 1. The wisdom of all of them from aforetime will be studied by the wise man and he will occupy himself with the prophecies. 2. The word of the famous men he will guard and he will traverse the full of meaning words. 3. The hidden meaning of the examples and he will understand the secrets of the proverbs. 4. He will serve among the great ones and before of the advisers he will show up. 5. He will walk in the land of the foreign nations, for he weights the good and the bad ones among people. 6. His heart, in the morning, he rises it towards the Lord, the One Who has made him, and before the Most High he will pray himself. 7. He will open his mouth into prayer and for his sins he will pray. 8. If the Great Lord will desire, he will be filled up by the ghost of the understanding. 9. Then as the rain will he pour out the words of his wisdom and in the prayer he will confess himself to the Lord. 10. He will straighten his advice and the science and into the mysteries of the Lord will he cogitate. 162 11. He will show out the teaching of his mentorship and in the law of the bond with the Lord will he praise himself. 12. Many will praise his wisdom; forever will not be quenched. 13. His remembrance will not perish and his name will be alive in the generations of the nations. 14. His wisdom will be told by the nations, and his praise will be heralded by the assembly. 15. As long as he will live, he will make himself a name more the a thousand others; and when he will die, his glory will increase. 16. Also the ones that I have thought I will speak them and I as the moon I am full of understanding. 17. Listen to me, you the pious sons, and sprout out as the rose which grows up next to the flowing of the water. 18. And have a good scent like the incense and make flower as the lily. 19. Give scent and praise with singing, blessed the Lord in all things. 20. Give glory to His name and confess yourselves in His praise with the songs of the lips and with psalteries, and so you to say into confession: 21. The things of the Lord are all good and all the work will be fulfilled at its time. 22. And there is nothing for which to say: What is this? For at their time all of them are proved to be useful. 23. Through His word the water stood as the mow and through the words of His mouth the gatherings of the waters. 24. Into His commandment all the benevolence is and there is nobody to lessen the deliverance that He gives it. 25. All the deeds of the men are present in front of Him and nothing can hide from His eyes. From age to age He watched and nothing is foreign in front of Him. 26. I cannot say: What is this? For what is this? For all of them are made with a purpose. 27. His blessing has covered the earth like a river and as a flood watered the land. 28. So His anger will be discovered by the nations, as He transformed the sweet water in brine. 29. His ways, for the pious ones, are straight, and for the lawless ones are full of impediments. 30. From the beginning the good ones were built, and for the sinner, the bad ones. 31. The beginning of all the need of the life of the man is: the water, the fire and the iron, the salt and the wheat flour, the honey and the milk, the blood of the grape, the oil and the clothing. 32. All these to the pious ones into goods will be; and will be they turned back into the bad ones to the sinners. 33. There are winds made to bring punishment and into their wrath they strengthen their beatings. 34. And in the time of committing they will pour out the wrath and the anger of the One Who has made them they will appease it. 163 35. The fire and the hail, the hunger and the death, all of these are made towards punishing. 36. The teeth of the beasts and the vipers, the snakes and the avenger sword are to destroy the sinners. 37. When the Lord commands, they will be gladdened and on earth to works they will hurry themselves up, and in the established times they will not pass over His word. 38. That is why from the beginning I have strengthen myself and I have cogitated and I have left in the letter: 39. All the things of the Lord are good and all the use at time they will give it. 40. And one cannot say: This one is worse than that one, for all of them will be proved true at their time. 41. And now with all the heart and mouth praise and bless the name of the Lord. ( 3 6 Advice towards praising the Lord. Mourning about the wickedness of the evil people. 1. The big toil has been destined to each man and heavy yoke is over the sons of Adam. 2. From the day of the exit from the belly of their mother to the day of returning to the mother of everybody. 3. Their thoughts, the fear of the heart, the cogitation of the waiting, all of them go towards the day of the death! 4. From the one who sits of the chair with glory to the humble one, in dust and ash, 5. From the one who wears topaz and crown to the one who clothes himself with thick fabric, 6. The anger, the zeal and the disturbance, the ague and fear of death, the envy and the arguing do not spare anybody; and in the time of the rest, into beddings, the sleep of the night burdens his thought. 7. Few as nothing it is his rest, and in the sleep he struggles as in the time of guarding. 8. Afraid by the hallucinations of his heart, as he would have escaped from the face of the war, 9. In the moment in which he would escape, he awakes and wonders that he does not see any danger. 10. So it is with all the creatures from the man to the animal; and with the sinner seven times more. 11. Namely: the death and the blood, the arguing and the sword, the persecutions and the hunger, the crushing and the beating. 12. For the lawless ones all these have been built; and for them the flooding was made. 13. All that are from earth in the earth they return; and the ones that are from the sea they return into the sea. 164 14. All the gifts and the crookedness will be erased; and the faith will remain forever. 15. The money of the unjust ones as the river will dry out and as the big lightning in the rain will they sound. 16. The one who will open his hands will rejoice, and the ones who transgress the law until the end they will perish. 17. The tribes of the lawless ones will not multiply the branches, but they will be as the unclean roots on the hard rock. 18. The reed that grows next to the water and next to the banks of the river, it is snatched off before all weed. 19. The grace is like a paradise full of blessings; and the mercifulness forever will last. 20. The life of the temperate one and of the worker will be sweetened; and more than theirs, the life of the one who finds out the treasure. 21. The sons and the building of the city strengthen the name; and more than these two is reckoned the righteous woman. 22. The wine and the music gladden the heart, and more than both these, the love for wisdom. 23. The whistle and the harp sweeten the singing, and more than both of these the sweet tongue. 24. The gift and the beauty delight your eye; and more than these two more pleasant is the green grass land. 25. The friend and the comrade meet, and more than both of these, the woman and the man. 26. The brother and the help are useful in the time of tribulation; and more than these the mercifulness will deliver. 27. The gold and the silver strengthen the feet; and more than both of them, the advice is pleasant. 28. The money and the strength exalt up the heart; and more than both of them, the fear of God. 29. To the fear of the Lord nothing misses, and with it there is no need of help. 30. The fear of God is a blessed paradise, and more than all the glory, its price. 31. Son! Do not live a beggar life; better to die than to beg. 32. The man who sings at a foreign table, his life is not being reckoned as life. 33. He will defile his soul with foreign foods; and the knowledgeable and taught man will shun himself of it. 34. In the mouth of the shameless one sweet if the begging; and in his belly, it will burn like the fire. ( 3 6 To what people is the death pleasant or bitter; the taking care of the good name and of what things to be ashamed. 165 1. Oh, death! How bitter is your remembrance to the man who lives happily among his wealth, 2. To the careless man and who increases in everything and who still can eat! 3. Oh, death! Good is the judgment of the man deprived and lessened in power, 4. To the one with great age and to the one who is surrounded by everything and he is in disbelieving and he has lost the patience. 5. Do not fear of the judgment of the death; remember the first ones and the last ones of yours. 6. This judgment from the Lord is to all body. 7. And why you do not want what is pleasant to the Most High? Either ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years, there is not in the dwelling place of the dead a reckoning for the years. 8. The heritage of the sons of the sinner will perish and with their seed always will be revilement. 9. The lawless father will be blasphemed by the sons, because for him they are of mockery. 10. Woe to you, lawless men who have forsaken the law Most High God, 11. Because if you will be born, towards the curse will you be born, and if you will die, you will be chosen for damnation. 12. All that are from earth, in earth they will return; so also the lawless ones, from curse in perdition. 13. The sadness of the people is for their bodies; and the bad name of the sinner will be quenched. 14. Take care of the name, for this one it will remain to you more than a thousand of gold treasures. 15. The good life has its days numbered; and the good name remains forever. 16. Guard the teaching with peace, sons! Hidden wisdom and the unknown treasure, what they are useful for? 17. Better is the man who hides his insanity, than the man who hides his wisdom. 18. Therefore, be you ashamed by my word, for not every shame it is appropriate; and not everything to everybody are truly pleasant. 19. Be ashamed of fornication before the father and the mother and of lie in front of the leader and of the powerful one; 20. Of judge and of lord, for the sin; by the assembly and by the people, for the lawlessness, 21. By the comrade and by the friend, for crookedness; and by the people with whom you life, for theft; 22. And by the truth of God and by the promise, for putting your elbow over the breads to steal them; 23. By the wearing of the taken and giving and by the ones who obey to you; 24. By the looking at the dissolute woman and by turning the face away from the kindred; 25. By the taking of the part and of the gift and by the looking at the woman with husband; 166 26. By the looking at your housemaid and by the sitting in her beddings; 27. By the friends for the words of reproach, and by reproaching after you will give. ( 3 6 Keeping of the secret; taking care of the things of the house; the virgin girls to guard themselves; the avoiding of the company of the women. 1. So also be ashamed by telling the heard words and of the unveiling of the hidden words. 2. And so you will be a true shy one and you will find grace before all men. 3. And of these ones you do not be ashamed, and do not look forward, to speak: 4. Of the law of the Most High and of his establishment and of judgment to straighten the lawless one; 5. Of financial reckoning with the friend and with the comrade traveler; of right sharing of the inheritance between relatives; 6. Of the true scales and of the measures and of the gaining of the many and of the few ones, 7. Of the gain from selling and buying, of the rebuking of your sons and of the bloody punishing of your servant. 8. To the bad woman, the seal is good, and where are many hand, lock there up. 9. No matter what you will give, give it with number and measure, and what you give and take, write them all up. 10. Do not shy to give teaching to the mindless one, to the insane one and to the old one who argues with the young ones; and you will be truly taught and praised before all the living ones. 11. The hidden daughter, is watchfulness to the father, and the care of her removes the sleep from him, as long as she is young, lest to pass her age, and after she is given in marriage, to nod be hated by her husband; 12. As long as she is virgin, lest not to be defiled and to remain pregnant in the parental house, 13. And when she will be with her husband, to not be offended, 14. And living together with her husband to remain barren. 15. With the hardOheaded daughter strengthen the guard, lest not be you made joy to your enemies, 16. Story in the city and defamation to the people and to be ashamed before many. 17. Do not look at every man for beauty and among of the women do not stay. 18. Because from the coat come out the moth and from the woman the evilness of the woman. 19. Better is the evilness of the man than the woman doer of good, and than the one who does sham and mockery. 167 20. So, I will remember the things of the Lord and what I have seen I will tell with the words of the Lord. 21. The sun shining looks over all and of the glory of the Lord full is its thing. 22. Has not given the Lord to the saints to tell all His wonders, which the Omniscient Lord has strengthened them, to be all of them strengthened into His glory? 23. Study the depth and the heart and know their cunningness. 24. because the Lord has know all the science and He has looked to the sign of the age 25. Heralding the ones that has passed and the one that will come and unveiling the traces of the hidden ones. 26. No thought is unknown by Him and no word has been hidden to Him. 27. He has adorned the works of His wisdom the One Who is before the age and forever. 28. Neither was Him added, nor lessened, and he did not need the advice of anybody. 29. How beautiful are His things, and, to a spark, worthy to be watched! 30. All of these are alive and live forever, in all the needs all of them listen. 31. All of them are pair, one against the other one and He did not make anything with diminution. 32. One with another one strengthened the good ones and who will be satisfied seeing His glory? ( 3 65 God is praise for the building of all the creatures; but than all the praise He is greater 1. The size of the height is the cleanness of the sky, into the showing of the glory of the Lord. 2. The sun heralds in rising up, when it shows, as a wonderful vessel, the creature of the Most High. 3. When it is at noon it dries out the land and before its heat, who will stay? 4. The over burns for the things of the smithy, three times stronger is the sun burning the mountains. 5. Blowing out steam of fire and shining ray, it darkens the eyes. 6. Great is the Lord the One Who has made it, and with His commandment He hurries the passing. 7. And the moon, always exact, signs the months and divides the time. 8. From the moon is the sign of the feast, the light that diminishes until the end. 9. The months of the year are according to its passing, wonderful changes it makes growing up. 10. Tent to the camps into the height, shining into the strength of the sky. 11. The beauty of the sky is the multitude of the stars, adornments lighting into the high ones of the Lord. 168 12. According to the law of the Holy One, they are staying in order and they do not get Tired in their watch. 13. See the rainbow and bless the One Who has made it; for beautiful it is in its shininess. 14. It surrounded the sky around with glory; the hands of the Most High touched it. 15. With His commandment he hurried the snow and hurries the thunder bolts with His judgment. 16. That`s why the treasures are opened and the clouds fly as the birds. 17. With His Glory He hardens the clouds and crumbles the stones of the hail 18. And of His regard the mountains will be shaken. 19. With His will the wind from South blows; the voice of His thunder made the earth roaring, 20. And the blizzard from North and the storm of the wind; 21. He intersperses snow ass the flying birds and as the locust alights, so is it descent. 22. Of the beauty of its white the eye will wonder about and of its blizzard the soul will be frightened. 23. And the rime He pours it over the earth, which, if freezes, it is made as the tops of the spike. 24. Cold wind will blow from North and all the water will freeze; it will cover the gathering of the water and the water will be dressed up as with a breast plate. 25. The power of the Lord will eat the mountains and will burn the wilderness and will quench the greenery as the fire. 26. Quick medicine is the cloud; the dew after the heat gives life. 27. His word made the sea to stop and planted in it islands. 28. The ones who cross the sea tell about its dangers and their stories fill us with wonder. 29. And there are unbelievable things; animals and sea creatures. 30. Through Him all things reach at their purpose and in His word all of them have been placed. 31. We could tell many things, without finishing; in one word: He is everything. 32. How will be us able to glorify Him? For He is bigger than all His things. 33. Fearsome is the Lord and great very and wonderful is His power. 34. Glorifying the Lord, exalt Him as much as you will be able, for it will be still not enough. 35. And exalting Him, strengthen yourself and do not get Tired, for you will not be enough. 36. Who saw Him and will tell you about? And who glorifies Him as He is? 37. Many things bigger than these ones are hidden; for a few we have seen from His things. 38. Because the Lord has done all of them and to the pious ones He has given wisdom. 169 ( 3 66 The praise of the enlightened men: Enoch, Noah, Abraham and the promises of Isaac and Jacob. 1. Let`s praise the men renown within their nation. 2. Much glory has the Lord done, His glory is forever. 3. Mastering in their kingdoms, and being men renown in power, 4. They were full of advice in their understanding, renown being they in prophecies. 5. Guides of the people in advices and in the understanding of the science. 6. They had wise words into their teaching, trying the verses of the singers and written songs speaking, 7. Being rich men, gifted with power and having peace in their dwelling places. 8. All of these in their nations were glorified and in their days they were condemnable. 9. There are some of them who left name, to be their deeds praised. 10. And there are others who have no remembrance and they perished as they would have never been, and they have been born as they would have never been born and their sons after them. 11. But only these ones are the men of the mercy, of whom righteousness has never been forgotten. 12. With their seed will the heritage of the descendants remain good, in establishments of law their seed stood, and their sons in their place. 13. Their seed will remain forever and their glory will not perish. 14. Their body was buried with peace, and their name lives among nations. 15. Their wisdom is heralded by the peoples and their praise is heralded by the assembly. 16. Enoch, wellOpleasant being to the Lord, he was moved with the body and he is example to the nations for repentance. 17. Noah was found perfect and righteous in the time of the anger of the Lord and he reach to be the reconcilement of the human kind. 18. That`s why he remained remnant on earth, when the flood was made. 19. The eternal bond with him was laid, for not to be all the body destroyed by the flood. 20. Abraham was a great father of many nations and there was not found another equal to him in glory, 21. As one who guarded the law of the Most High and made the connection with Him; 22. And in his body he put the bond and in temptation he was found faithful. 23. Therefore with oath has God established that into his seed he will bless his kindred, and He will multiply it as the dust of the earth, and as the stars he will rise his seed, 24. To give them inheritance from sea to sea, and from the river to the end of the world. 25. He also into Isaac strengthened these things, for Abraham, his father. 170 26. The blessing of all the people and the establishment of law He placed them on the head of Jacob. 27. He knew him into His blessings and He gave him inheritance. 28. And he divided his parts; in twelve nations He split them. ( 3 6 The praise of Moses and Aaron; the zeal of Phinehas. 1. And the Lord rose from Jacob a pious man, who found grace in front of the eyes of all body, Moses the one beloved by people, of whose remembrance is among blessings. 2. He gifted him with the glory of the saints and he glorified him with fear over the enemies and through His words the Lord fulfilled hasty wonders. 3. He glorified him before the face of the emperors. 4. He gave through him commandments to His people and He showed him His glory. 5. For his faith and for his gentleness Ha sanctified him; He chose him from among all the mortals, Ha made him to hear His voice and brought him in the cloud on the mountain. 6. And Ha gave Him face to face commandments, the law of the life and of the science, to teach Jacob His establishment of law and Israel His judgments. 7. He raised Aaron saint like Moses, his brother from the tribe of Levi. 8. He strengthened with him eternal bond and ha gave him the priesthood of the people. 9. He blessed him with good adornment and he girdled him with the garment of glory. 10. He clothed him with commitment of praise and strengthened him with the weapons of the virtue. 11. And He gave him the vestment of the hips, and the tunic, and he saw on the vestment, around, golden little pomegranates and little bells amongst, 12. For the bells ringing to his walk and hearing to make the sound in the temple of the Lord, remembering Him about the sons of His people. 13. He clothed him in a vestment weaved with gold thread and from topaz and porphyry, a work of a master weaver, with the handbook in which were Urim and Thummim, 14. And which was made from twisted thread, a work of a master, with precious stones carved as the seal, with writing carved according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 15. He had also the gold crow over the miter, the image of the seal of the holiness, the glory of the honor, the work of the virtue, the delight of the eyes, beautiful adorned. 16. Before him nobody was alike; to the end of the age nobody was clothed like so from another nation, but only his sons and his nephews always. 17. The sacrifices for the Lord must have been brought ceaselessly twice every day. 171 18. He gave to Moses but He also anointed him with holy oil. 19. He was to Him towards the eternal bond and to his tribe in all the days of the sky, to serve and to be priest and to bless His people in His name. 20. He chose him from among all the living ones, to bring sacrifice to the Lord; incense and scent of good fragrance into remembrance, to pray for His people. 21. He gave him His commandments and power over the establishments of the judgment, to teach Jacob His witnesses and law to enlighten Israel. 22. The foreign ones stood against him, and they envied him in the desert 23. The people that was with Datan and with Abiram and the assembly of Core with angry and wrath. 24. The Lord saw and did not like it, and they were consumed by the wrath of the anger of the Lord. 25. He did wonders with them, consuming them with the fire of His flame. 26. And he added to Aaron anger and gave him inheritance; 27. The first fruit He shared to them. He prepared firstly bread to them to be satiated, 28. And to eat the sacrifices for the Lord, which He gave him and to his tribe. 29. And in the land of the people Aaron will not have inheritance neither will have mastery within people. 30. Because God is the part of his inheritance. 31. And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, is the third one into glory, craving him into the fear of the Lord. 32. For he stood, when the people deviated, with the kindness and the zeal of his soul, and he prayed for Israel. 33. Therefore He put him a bond of peace, standing in front of the holy ones and of his people, to be him and to his tribe the glory of the priesthood forever. 34. There was also the bond with David, a son from the tribe of Judas, for his sons inherit the kingdom, one after another; but different is the inheritance given to Aaron and to his tribe. 35. Let the Lord be giving you wisdom, to judge his people with justice, to not be quenched their good things and the glory within their tribes. ( 3 6: The praise of Joshua, of Caleb and of the righteous judges. 1. Strong in wars was Joshua and following Moses in prophecies. 2. He was great towards the deliverance of the chosen ones of the Lord, defeating the enemies who rose against him, to inherit Israel. 3. How glorified was him made, rising up his hands and stretching his sword upon the cities! 4. And was it as so before him? For the wars of the Lord, wore him. 5. Not through his had was turned back the sun and a day became as two? 6. He called the Almighty One, when the enemies narrowed him from around. 172 7. And the Great Lord answered him, sending him the stones of the hail of His power. 8. The Lord rushed upon the adversary nation and, when He descended, he destroyed the enemies. 9. To know the nations what expects them for from the commandment of the Lord is the war, and he obeys to His commandments. 10. And in the days of Moses he and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, had mercy, and stood against the adversary, and stopped the people from sin and appeased the boiling of the evilness. 11. And they two were delivered only from the six hundred pedestrians, to bring them into heritage in the land where flow milk and honey. 12. And the Lord gave to Caleb strength and he live to the old age, to climb up the plateaus of the country; and his seed had the inheritance, 13. To see all the sons of Israel that is good to listen to the Lord. 14. And all the judges, on their name, of whose heart did not fornicate and who did not turn away from the Lord, let their remembrance be into blessedness! 15. Their bones to shoot from their place and their name to be renewed into their glorified sons. 16. Love by God was Samuel, the prophet of the Lord; he established mastery and he anointed lord over his nation. 17. With the law of the Lord he judged the assembly and the Lord examined Jacob. 18. Into his faith he was proved prophet and he was known into his faith faithful to the vision. 19. And he called the Mighty Lord, when he beat his enemies from around, by bringing a lamb which drinks milk. 20. And he lightened from the sky and with a great sound Ha has made known His voice. 21. And he defeated the advisers of the Tyrians and all the chieftains of the Philistines. 22. And Samuel before the time of his death, he confessed before the Lord and His anointed: “No money, not even shoes I took from anybody” and no man blamed him. 23. And after he died, he prophesied and showed to the king his end, he raised his voice from earth into prophecy, to destroy the lawlessness of the people. ( 3 6 Nathan, the prophet, David, Solomon, Roboam and Jeroboam. 1. And after Nathan rose to prophecy in the days of David. 2. As the tallow separated from the reconcilement sacrifice, so it was David separated from his brother. 3. With the lions he played and with the baby goats and with the lambs of the sheep. 173 4. In his youth, did he not kill the giant? And did not go the revilement from nation to nation throwing with the slingshot the stone which brought down the haughtiness of Goliath? 5. Who called the Most High God the One Who gave power on his right hand to kill the man strong in the war, to raise the horn of his nation. 6. So in tens of thousands He glorified him and in blessings the Lord praised him, bringing him blazon of glory, 7. For he defeated the enemies from around and he defamed the powerful Philistines; to this day he crushed their forehead. 8. In all his things, he gives witness to the Most High Saint, through word of glorification. 9. With all his heart he praised and loved the One Who made him. 10. And he put singers before the altar and from their voice the verses were sweetened. 11. He gave decency to the feasts and he adorned the feasts to the most, praising them the holy name of the Lord and from the morning filling with singing the holy dwelling place. 12. The Lord erased his sins and raised forever his horn and gave him the promise of the kings and the chair of the glory of Israel. 13. After that the wise son rose up, that after the wars of David, he rested into wideness. 14. Solomon reigned in the days of the peace, and God gave him the rest from around, to rise up temple in His name and to prepare a place holy forever. 15. How wise you were in your youth and you were filled up as a river of understanding! 16. Your soul covered the earth and you filled it with your deep in meaning parables. 17. To the holms, far away, your name reached and you were loved into your peace. 18. For your songs, for your parables, for opinions and for interpretations the countries wondered about you, 19. In the name of the Lord God, the One Who called Himself the God of Israel. 20. You gathered the gold as the tin and as the led you multiplied the silver. 21. But you leaned your breast to the women and you made them masters over your body. 22. You gave into revilement your glory and you defiled your seed, to bring anger over your sons and heavy sigh over your nation and to be the kingdom divided in two and from Ephraim to start the rebel reigning. 23. And the Lord will not forsake His mercy and He will not get far from His things. 24. Neither will He destroy the descendants of the chosen one and the seed of the one who loved Him, He will not quench it. 25. And he left the remnant to Jacob and to David the root from him. 26. And Solomon rested with his parents. 174 27. And he left after himself from the seed of insanity of the people, namely Roboam, the one with little wisdom, who with his advice got the people astray. 28. And Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to commit sin and he gave to Ephraim the way of the sin. 29. And their sins were multiplied very, so that He moved them from their land. 30. And they done all the evilness until the punishment came over them. ( 3 6; Elijah, Elisha, Hezekiah; Isaiah, great prophet, through advice the Jews were delivered from Assyrians. 1. And the prophet Elijah rose as the fire and his word burnt like the torch. 2. He brought famine over them and with his zeal he diminished them. 3. The word of the Lord stopped the sky and for three times it descended fire. 4. How much you have been glorified into your wonders, Elijah! And who is like you, to himself praise? 5. The one who rose the dead from the dead ones and from the dwelling place of the dead one with the word of God. 6. The one who overthrew king into perdition and the glorious ones from their chair. 7. The one who heard in revilement in Sinai and in Horeb the judgment of the revenge. 8. The one who anointed kings for reward and prophets following after you. 9. Who was raised through blizzard of fire and with chariot with horses of fire. 10. The one who is, as it is written, assigned for future times, to appease the anger before the anger, to turn the heart of the father towards the son and to establish the tribes of Jacob. 11. Blessed are the ones who saw and who dies into love, but we will also be alive. 12. When Elijah was kidnapped to the sky, in blizzard, Elisha was filled up by his ghost. 13. In his days he did not fear of conquerors and nobody got him obeyed. 14. All the word was not hidden before him and dying his body prophesied. 15. And in his life he done wonders and at his dying, wonderful was his things. 16. Despite of all these things the people did not repent and did not cease from sins, until it was brought out from its country and scattered over all the earth. 17. And remained few people and lord from the house of David. 18. Some of them done what are pleasant; and some of them multiplied the sins. 19. Hezekiah strengthened his city and brought water in its middle. 175 20. He carved with iron the squared stone and built the water springs. 21. In his days Senaeherib come up and sent Rabshakeh and he raised up his hand upon Zion and he boasted himself with his haughtiness, 22. The trembled their hearts and their hands and they were tormented, as the ones who give birth and called the Merciful Lord, stretching their hands towards Him. 23. And the Holy One from heaven quickly heard them and delivered them through the hand of Isaiah. 24. He struck the camp of the Assyrians and His angel killed them, 25. Because Hezekiah don what was pleasant to God and strengthened himself in the ways of David, his father, which have been ordered by Isaiah in his vision, the great and faithful prophet. 26. In his days the son was turned back and prolonged the life of the king. 27. With great ghost he saw the ones from the end and comforted the ones who were crying in Zion. 28. To the end have been showed the ones to be and the hidden ones before to come. ( 3 6< About Josiah and the kings from Judah. 1. The remembrance of Josiah is well scenting as the composition of the incense, crafted by the maker of flavors. 2. In every mouth as the honey will be sweet and as the music at the feasts of the wine. 3. This one straightened and turned the people back and hated the damages of the lawlessness. 4. He directed towards the Lord his heart, and in the days of the lawless ones he strengthened the right faith. 5. Except David and of Hezekiah and of Josiah, all the people committed sin. 6. Because they forsaken the law of the Most High, the kings of Judah ceased, for they gave their power to others and their glory to the foreign nation. 7. They burnt the chosen city of the sanctification and desolated its roads, due to Jeremiah, 8. For they tormented him, who from the womb was sanctified as prophet, to uproot and to bother and to destroy and alike to build and to plant again. 9. Ezekiel saw the vision of the greatness that was showed him through the chariot of the cherubs. 10. And I remember also Job, who kept well and the paths of the righteousness. 11. And the bones of the twelve prophets let them be shooting out from their place! 12. And He comforted Jacob and He saved them with the faith of the hope. 176 13. How will be us glorifying on Zerubbabel? For he is also as a seal in the right hand. 14. In the same way Joshua, the son of Jehozadak; for in their days they built again the dwelling place of the Lord and they erected sanctified temple to the Lord, for eternal glory. 15. And the remembrance of Nehemiah for a long time, who erected to us the fallen walls and strengthened gates and water springs and erected our houses. 16. No one was made as Enoch on earth, for he was also kidnapped from earth. 17. Neither as Joseph, the one who became adviser to the brothers, and his carefully bones were hidden. 18. Seth and Shem among people were exalted more than any breathing creature into the creation of Adam. ( 3 The praise of Simon, the son of Onie and the blasphemy of the ones from another nation; the one from Shechem and Samaria, 1. Simon, the son of Onie, the chief priest, in his life supported the temple of the Lord and in his days he strengthened the holy dwelling place. 2. And by him was erected the double sized wall, the towers from the corners and the wall from around the altar. 3. In his days was dug the waters house, a gatherer wide as the sea; 4. He guarded his people against falling and he strengthened the city against the enemy invasions. 5. How great was he in the torrent of the people, when he came out from the temple of the Lord! 6. As the morning star in the middle of the cloud; as the full moon in its days; 7. As the sun shining over the dwelling place of the Most High and as the rainbow lighting in the middle of the glory; 8. As the flower of the rose in the summer days, as the flower of the lily at the flowing of the waters; 9. As the child of Lebanon in the summer days, as the fire and as the incense on the incense burner; 10. As the gold vessel, adorned with all kind of precious stone; 11. As the olive tree which shoots out fruits and as cypress which rises in the clouds. 12. When he took the glory coat and put on all the adornment, 13. When he went up to the holy altar, he was filled up by the glory of the holy dwelling place, and when he received the parts from the hands of the priests and he stood next to the fire from the altar, 14. Around him being the crown of the brothers; he seemed then as the offspring of the cedar from Lebanon, and they surrounded him as the blooming branches. 177 15. And all the sons of Aaron into their glory and the sacrifices for the Lord were in their hands, before all the assembly of Israel. 16. And ministering at the altar, to adorn the sacrifice for the Most High the AllOKeeper, 17. He stretched to the cup his hand and taking from the blood of the grape, 18. He poured out at the foundations of the altar scent of good flavor to the Most High, the Emperor of everybody; then cried the sons of Aaron from their copper trumpets. 19. They made heard a loud voice into remembrance in front of the Most High. 20. Then all the people together hurried up and fell on their face to the earth, to bow down to the Lord and to AllOKeeper, to the Most High God. 21. And the singers praised in the big house with their voices, the verse was sweetened and the people prayed of the Lord Most High with the prayer in front of the Merciful One, until the adornment of the Lord was finished and and the religious service for Him finished. 22. Then, coming down, he raised his hands over all Israel to give the blessing from the Lord with his lips, uttering the name of the Lord, in His name be him praise. 23. And they bowed down once more, to receive benediction from the Most High. 24. And now, bless God, all of you, the One Who makes great things everywhere. 25. The One Who rises our days from our mother`s bosom and makes with us according to His mercy 26. To give us the gladness of the heart and to be peace in our days into Israel, until the days of the age will be, to strengthen to us the faith of His mercy and in His day to deliver us. 27. Two nations my soul hates, and the third one is not a nation: 28. The ones who sit in the mountain of Samaria, the Philistines and the lawless people that lives in Shechem. 29. The teaching of the understanding and of the science I have written in this book, I, Joshua, the son of Sirach from Jerusalem, who poured out rain of wisdom from his heart. 30. Blessed is the one who will live into these; and the one who will put these in his heart wise will he be. 31. For if he will do these, he will overcome in everything, for the light of the Lord it is his path and gives wisdom to the believers. Blessed in the Lord forever. Be it! Be it! ( 3 The thanks giving of Sirach for the benefactions of God and the last advises. 1. I will confess myself to You, Lord Emperor, and I will praise You, God, my Deliverer! 178 2. I am confessing myself to Your name, for coverer and help have You made Yourself to me and You saved my body from perdition! 3. And you set me free from the snare of the reviling tongue and from the lips of the ones who speak the lie, and You have made Yourself help to me against my enemies. 4. And you have delivered me according to the multitude of Your mercy and of Your Name, from the ones who shouted out ready to eat me; 5. From the hand of the ones who were searching for my soul; from many troubles that I had; 6. From the chocking from the smoke from around and from the middle of the fire that I was not lit; 7. From the depth of the belly of the dwelling place of the dead and from the unclear tongue and from the liar word and from the unjust tongue with denunciation to the emperor. 8. My soul come close to the death and my life was close to the bottom of the kingdom of death. 9. They surrounded me from all sides and there was nobody to help me, I searched for the help of the people and it was not there. 10. And I remembered Your mercy Lord, and of Your work from eternity. 11. Because you save the ones who are waiting for You, and You deliver them from the hand of the enemy. 12. And I raised on earth my prayer and I prayed for my salvation from death. 13. I called the Lord, the Father of my Lord, to not let me without help in the days of my tribulation and in time of heavy mourning. 14. I will pray ceaselessly Your Name and I will search for it into confession and my prayer was heard. 15. Because You delivered me from perdition and You brought me out from bad weather. 16. Therefore I will confess and I will praise You and I will bless the Name of the Lord. 17. When I was younger, before going myself astray, I sought to have wisdom into my prayer. 18. Before the holy dwelling place I prayed for it and until the ones from the end I will search for it. 19. As of the face of the reaped grape, so was my heart gladdened. 20. My foot walked into righteousness, from my youth I have been searching for. 21. I leaned a little my ear, and I received, and much instruction I have found. 22. Great profit I had of it; to the One Who has given me wisdom I will give glory. 23. For I cogitated to follow it and I craved for good and I will not be ashamed. 24. Very much my soul toiled for it and into all my deed I was zealous. 25. My hands I stretched towards height and, when I knew it not, I wept myself. 179 26. I directed my soul towards it and, standing into cleanness, I stuck my heart with it from the beginning. 27. Therefore I will not be lacked of it. 28. And my inside was troubled searching for it, that`s why good treasure a have achieved. 29. The Lord has given to me the tongue as reward and with it I will praise Him. 30. Come nigh to me, the untaught ones, as remain in the house of the teaching! 31. What you are late to these ones even you souls get very thirsty? 32. I opened my mouth and I spoke: Gather to yourself, without silver. 33. Subdue your headstrongness under the yoke, and be your soul receiving instruction; close it is to the ones who seek it. 34. See with your eyes that I labored only a few and much rest I have found. 35. Take the instruction, for much silver and gold you will gain with it. 36. Let your soul be gladdened by the mercy of the Lord and do not be ashamed by about praising Him. 37. Take you things before time, and He will give the payment at the right time. # B ( 2 8 4 0 8 ( %$ $ 2 8# & # 4 B 3 The service of the idols. The death of the dragon and the deliverance of Daniel from the pit of the lions. 1. And king Astiag was added to his parents and Cyrus the Persian took the kingdom. 180 2. And Daniel lived together with this king and he exceeded with the glory all the friend of that one. 3. And there was an idol at Babylonians, called Baal, and it was spent every day to him twelve measures of wheat flour, forty sheep and six pails of wine. 4. And the king honored it and went each day to worship it; and Daniel worshipped his God. 5. And the king said: Why do you not worship Baal? 6. And he said: Because I do not believe in idols made by hands, but in the Living God, Who has done the sky and the earth and has mastery over all body. 7. And the king said: But does not seem to you that Baal is a living god? Do you not see how much eats and how much drinks each day? 8. And Daniel said: Do not let yourself to be deceived, your mastery; this is from clay in his inside, and of copper outside, neither eats nor drinks ever. 9. And the king getting angry, he called his priests and said them: if you will not tell me who the one who eats this sacrifice is, you will die. 10. And if you will show me that Baal eats these, Daniel will die, for he blasphemed Baal. 11. And Daniel said to the king: Be it so, after your word. 12. And the priests of the Baal were seventy men strong, except women and children. 13. And the king came with Daniel in the temple of Baal. 14. And the priests said: Behold, we go outside, and you, king, put the food and the wine and close the door and seal it with your ring. 15. And the next morning, when you will come, if you will not find all of them eaten, be us dying or, a contrary, Daniel who lied upon us. 16. And they said so, for they have made on beneath of the table a secret entry and through that one they always got in and ate the food. 17. And after the king came out and they put the food before Ball, Daniel commanded to his servants and they brought ash and scattered it all around the temple, in the presence of the king. 18. And, getting out, they closed the door and sealed it with the ring of the king and they went away; 19. And the priests came during the night and, according to their custom, and their women and children, and ate and drank. 20. And the king came in the morning and Daniel together with him. 21. And the king said: Are the seals untouched, Daniel? And he said: Yes, master. 22. And immediately as the door was opened, looking at the table, the king shouted with a loud voice: Great are you Ball. And at you there is no cunningness. 23. And Daniel laughed and stopped the king to enter inside, and he said: See the face of the earth and know whose these footprints are. 24. And the king said: I see that they are footprints of men, women and children. 181 25. And getting angry the king caught the priests, their women and their sons; and they showed to him the hidden doors through which they were entering and eating the food from the table. 26. And the king killed them, and he gave Bell to Daniel, and he destroyed it and its temple. 27. And there was a big dragon in a place, and it was worshipped by the BabylOniasns. 28. And the king said towards Daniel: Will you say also about this ne that it is from copper? 29. This is alive, it eats and drinks, you will not be able to say that this is also not a living God; so bow down to it. 30. And Daniel said: to the Lord my God I will bow myself down, for that One is a living God; and you, oh, king, give me approval and I will kill the dragon without sword and without staff. 31. And the king said: I am giving it to you. And Daniel took resin and tallow and hair and boiled them together and made ball from it and threw them in the mouth of the dragon and, eating, the dragon burst out. 32. And Daniel said: Behold you worshipping. 33. And when the BabylOniasns heard they were very upset and rebelled themselves against the king. 34. And they said: A Jew became king; he destroyed Ball, he killed the dragon and he cut up the priests. 35. And coming they to the king, told to him: Give Daniel to us; 36. And if not, we will kill you and your house. 37. And seeing the king that they were very decided against him, and being forced, he gave Daniel to them. 38. And they threw Daniel in a pit with lions, and he was there for six days. 39. And in the pit there were seven lions, and they were given each day two condemned people and two sheep; and during the six days they gave them nothing, to eat Daniel. 40. And then Habakkuk was prophet in the country of Judeans and that one boiled the food and put bread in the basket and went to the field to bring food to the reapers. 41. And the angel of the Lord said towards Habakkuk: Bring the lunch that you have, in Babylon, to Daniel, in the lions` pit. 42. And Habakkuk said: Lord! I have never said Babylon and the pit I do not know here is it! 43. And the angel of the Lord took him by the top of the head and, holding him by the hair of his head, put him in Babylon above the pit, in the quickness of his ghost. 44. And Habakkuk shouted out, saying: Daniel! Daniel! Take the food sent to you by God. 45. And Daniel said: Oh, You remembered me, God, and have not forsaken the one who search for You and love You! 46. And Daniel got up and ate; and the angle of the Lord brought Habakkuk straightway at his place. 182 47. And the king came in the seventh day to mourn Daniel, and when he came to the pit and looked inside, he saw behold Daniel sitting. 48. And the king shouted out with a loud voice: Great are You, Lord God of Daniel! And there is no other except You! 49. And he took out Daniel from the pit; 50. And the ones who wanted his perdition, he threw them into the pit, and the lions ate them in front of him. 183 , ( 2 !! 3 Antioch Epiphan, after he defeated the Egypt, coming upon Jerusalem, he pillages the temple of the Lord, oppresses the people and force it to forsaken the parental laws. 1. After Alexander Macedon, the son of Philip, who came out from the country of Chitim, he fought and overcame Darius, the king of Persians and Medians, and he reigned in his place, being the first emperor of Greek blood. 2. And he made many wars, he overcame many cities and he destroyed the kings of the earth. 3. And he crossed to the edges of the earth, he took loots from many nations and the earth was obeyed to him. 4. And he rose up and his heart was raised up and he gathered much power and very strong army. 5. And he mastered countries and nations and tyrants were tribute payers to him. 6. And after that he fell ill to bed, and he understood that his death is coming close. 7. Then he called his honest servants, who were with him, raised up from their childhood, and he divided his kingdom, still being him alive. 8. And Alexander reigned for twelve years and after that he died. 9. And his servants reigned in his place. 10. And all of them put effigies after he dies, and their sons after them for many years, and the evilness was multiplied on earth. 11. And from these ones emerged a sinful root, Antioch Epiphan, the son of the Antioch the king, who was lien to Rome, and he reigned in the year one hundred thirty seven of Greek mastery. 12. In those days from Israel came out lawless sons and they urged many by saying: 13. let`s go and make the connection with the surrounding nations, because, from when we have separated ourselves from them, much evilness came upon us. 14. And this word was pleasant before their eyes. 15. And some from the people got excited and they went to the king to give them power to live according to the tradition of the pagans. 16. And they built school in Jerusalem according t the laws of the pagans. 17. And they have not circumcised themselves anymore, they deviated from the holy law, they mixed with the nations and sold themselves to do evil. 18. And when Antioch strengthened well his reign, he thought to enslave Egypt, to be him king over both countries. 19. And he entered in Egypt with a strong army, with chariots and elephants and with horse raiders and with many war vessels. 20. And he waged war with Ptolemy, the king of Egypt. But Ptolemy ran fled from before his face, and many fell wounded. 184 21. And he overtook the big cities of Egypt and he took rich loot from Egypt. 22. And Antioch after he defeated Egypt he turned back in the year one hundred and forty three. 23. And he went up against Israel and Jerusalem, with many people, he entered proudly in the temple, he took the gold altar and the candlestick of the light and all its vessels, the table for the shewbread, the scoops, the goblets, the gold incense burners, the veil and the crowns and the adornment of gold, that were on the forehead of the Lord, and he crushed them all. 24. Then he took the silver and the gold and the hidden treasures, which he found; and taking them, he brought them in his country. 25. And he made people killing and he spoke with big haughtiness. 26. And there was a great weeping in Israel and everywhere. 27. And the chieftains and the elders sighed, the virgins and the young got thinner, and the beauty of the women changed. 28. Every bridegroom burst in tears and the bride who sat in her room she was in mourning. 29. And the earth trembled because of the ones who lived on it and all the house of Jacob put on the revilement. 30. And after two years the king sent the chief over the tributes in the cities of Judaea and this one came in Jerusalem with a great multitude. 31. And he spoke with cunningness words of peace towards them, and they believed him. 32. And he fell upon the city without warning, hit it with a great wound and he destroyed many people from Israel. 33. And he looted the city and burnt it with fire and they crumbled down the houses and the walls from around. 34. And they enslaved women and children and many cattle they took. 35. And then they strengthen the city of David with big wall and strong towers, to be them towards defense. 36. And they put there a sinful nation, lawless men, and they strengthen themselves into that city. 37. And they put weapons and food and, gathering the loots from Jerusalem, they put them there. 38. And it was that stronghold as a trap against the holy dwelling place and as an evil enemy for Israel, forever. 39. And they shed innocent blood around the holy things and they defiled the altar. 40. And because of them the ones who lived in the city of Jerusalem fled, and the city was made dwelling place to the foreigners, and stranger to its sons, and its children forsook it. 41. The holy dwelling place was desolated as the wilderness; the feasts were turned into grief, its days of rest into mockery, and its honor into defamation. 42. Its glory passed into dishonor and its height turned into grievance. 43. And king Antioch wrote to entire kingdom to be all of them one nation and to forsake each of them his law. 185 44. And all the nations accepted the word of the king. 45. And many from Israel accepted the imposed ministering, and they sacrificed to the idols and they did not keep the day of rest. 46. And the king sent cards through the hand of his servant in Jerusalem and in the cities of Judaea, commanding them to behave accordingly to the foreign of country laws. 47. And to stop the burnt offerings and the sacrifices and the holy pouring. 48. And to defile the resting days and the feasts. 49. Also the holy place and the saints; 50. To build altars and temples and the house of the idols and to bring sacrifice of pork meat and unclean cattle. 51. And to let their sons uncircumcised and to defile their souls with all the uncleanness and defilement, to forget the law and to change all the commandments; 52. And the one who will not obey the commandment of the king to be put in death. 53. After these words, he wrote to entire his kingdom and he put overseers over all the people. 54. And he commanded to the cities of Judaea to sacrifice from city to city. 55. And many people gathered to them, all of them forsook the law of God and they did lawlessness on earth. 56. And they forced Israel in hidden places to seek their escape. 57. And in the fifth day of month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty five, they raised the abomination of the desolation on the altar of God and in the cities of Judaea from around they built idols` temples. 58. And they burnt incense before the doors of the houses and in streets. 59. And the books of the law, which they found, they burnt them with fire, totally destroying them. 60. And wherever was found to somebody the book of the law and whosoever kept the law, that one was killed from the commandment of the king. 61. With his power he did so each month to the Israelites who were in the cities. 62. And in twenty fifth day of the month, they sacrificed of the altar which was above the holy altar. 63. And on the women who circumcised their sons, they killed them according to the commandment. 64. And they hanged the children by the neck and they pillaged their houses and they killed the one who circumcised the children. 65. And many from Israel strengthened themselves and they put oath into themselves, not to eat unclean. 66. And willing rather to die, than to defile themselves with unclean meals and to transgress the holy law; therefore they received the death. 67. And great wrath came upon Israel. 186 ( 3 Mattathias the priest, with his sons, resisting the oppression of Antioch and going in the Modin Mountain, gathers army; dying, he urged his sons towards craving the parental laws. 1. In those day rose Mattathias, the son of John of Simon the priest, from the sons of Ioasib from Jerusalem and he sat in Modin. 2. And he had five sons: Ionan, alias Gadis, 3. Simon, also called Tasi, 4. Judas, called the Maccabeus, 5. Eleazar, called Avaran, 6. And Jonathan, called Apfus. 7. And seeing the blasphemies which were done in Judaea and in Jerusalem, 8. He said: “Woe to me! What have I been born for, to see the crushing of my people and crumbling of the holy city and to sit there, when it is given in the hands of the enemies? 9. The holy ones are in the hands of the foreigners, and the temple of the Lord has reached as a man without honor. 10. The vessels of its glory have been brought in slavery, the young children die on street, and its young people were killed with the spear. 11. Which nation has not inherited its inheritance and has not mastered its loots? 12. All its adornment has been taken away; instead of being free it has been made a slave. 13. And behold our temple and our beauty and our glory have been desolated and they have been defiled by the gentiles. 14. What to live us any longer for?” And Mattathias and his sons tore apart their clothes and they put on sackcloth and they cried. 15. And the ones sent by the law came, who were forcing the ones from the Modin city to forsake God and to sacrifice to the idols. 16. And many from Israel have gone to them; and Mattathias and his sons gathered there. 17. And answering the men of the king they said to Mattathias: great chief you are and honored into city and strengthened with sons and brothers. 18. But now come and do the commandment of the king, as all the nations and men of Judah have done, the ones who remained in Jerusalem, and you and your house will be among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be glorified with silver and gold and with many presents. 19. And answering Mattathias, he said with a loud voice: Even if all the nations from the range of the mastery of the king will obey to him and to his commandments and will they estrange themselves from the worshipping of our parents, 20. Though I and my sons will walk into the establishment of law of our parents. 21. Merciful to be God to us, to not be us forsaking His law and commandments. 187 22. We will not listen to the words of the king, to disregard our ministering. 23. And after they ceased to speak these words, a Jew man came before all of them to bring sacrifice in the idols temple of Modin, according to the commandment of the king. 24. And Mattathias saw it and he was lit by zeal and his entrails and, loosening his just anger, he ran and stabbed him on the altar. 25. And on the man of the king, who forced them to bring sacrifices, he killed him at the same time and he broke the altar of the idols. 26. And he was lit for the zeal of the law, as Phinehas did to Zimri, the son of Salu. 27. And Mattathias shouted out loudly in the city, saying: “Everyone who has the zeal of the law and keeps the covenant, to come with me. 28. And he and his sons fled into the mountains and they left everything that they had into the city. 29. Then many descended, searching for justice and judgment into wilderness, 30. To sit them and their sons and their women and their cattle there, for the evilness multiplied over them. 31. And they obeyed to the king and to the soldiers, who were in Jerusalem, in the city of David, for the people who do not keep the commandment of the king went into hidden places into wilderness. 32. And many ran after them and, reaching them from behind, they rushed upon him with war in the day of rest; 33. And they said towards them: It`s enough now! Come out and do according to the word of the king and you will live. 34. And they said: We will not come out neither will us do according to the commandment of the king, to disregard the day of rest; 35. And they started upon them with war. 36. But they did not answer to them, neither stone they threw upon them, nor they covered the hidden places, saying: 37. Let us all die into our innocence and the sky and the earth will witness for us because you are killing us without judgment. 38. And they rose with war upon them in the day of rest and they died and their women and children, about a thousand souls. 39. And Mattathias and his friends found it out and their cried a lot for them. 40. And everyone said towards his neighbor: If all of us will do as our brother did and we will not start war against these nations for our souls and law, they will soon destroy us from the earth. 41. And they held council in that day, saying: Against every man who will come with war against us let us fight even in the day of rest and to not die all of us, as our brother died in the hidden places. 42. Then the assembly of the Asides, strong men in Israel and who guarded the law. 43. And all the ones who were fleeing from evilness added themselves to them and they became towards strengthening. 188 44. And they made an army and they beat the sinful ones with their anger and the lawless men with their wrath and the remained ones fled to the gentiles to escape. 45. And Mattathias and his friend encouraged them, and they broke the idols temples. 46. And they circumcised the children as many as they found inside the borders of Israel. 47. And they banished the sons of the haughtiness and the work increased in their hands. 48. And they got out the law from the hands of the gentiles, of the kings and they put a hindrance the sinner. 49. And the days of Mattathias came close to die and he said to his sons: Now became strengthened the haughtiness and the reproaching and the time of the end and the wrath of the anger. 50. Now, sons, zealous be you to the law and give your souls for the bond of our parents. 51. Remember the things of your parents, which they did into their centUriahs and you will get glory and eternal name. 52. Abraham, did he not show himself faithful when he was tempted and it was reckoned to him towards rightfulness? 53. Josef in the time of the tribulation he kept the commandment and he was made ruler of Egypt. 54. Phinehas, your father, he burnt for the zeal for God, and he took the bond of the eternal priesthood. 55. Joshua, fulfilling the word, was made judge in Israel. 56. Caleb, for he confessed into assembly, he took the heritage of the land. 57. David with his mercy inherited the chair do the reigning forever. 58. Elijah, burning by the zeal of the law, he was raised to the sky. 59. Ananias, Mazariah and Mishael, believing, they were delivered from the flame of the fire. 60. Daniel, into his innocence, he escaped from the mouths of the lions. 61. And so reckon you nation by nation, that all the ones who hope in Him will not be weak. 62. And do not fear the words of sinful man, for his glory is garbage and worms. 63. Today he raises and tomorrow he will not be anymore, because he turned back into his dirt and his planes perished. 64. Therefore you, sons, strengthen and encourage yourselves in the law, for in it you will be glorified. 65. And behold Simeon, your brother, I know that he is a holy man; listen to him every day and he will be father to you. 66. And Judah the Maccabeus, who is with strong power from his youth, this one will be chieftain to the army, to make war upon the nations. 67. And you bring to you all the ones who love the law and avenge your people, 68. Reward to the pagans for all they have done to us, and take heed to the commandments of the law. 189 69. And he blessed them and he was added to his parents and he died in the year one hundred and seventy six. 70. And his sons buried him in the tombs of his parents in Modin and all Israel wept him with a great weeping. ( 3 5 The wars of Judas the Maccabeus with Apollonius and with Sironi, the chieftains of the army of Antiochus. 1. And Judas who was called the Maccabeus, his son, rose up in his place. 2. And being helped by all the brothers and all the ones who stuck with their father, they started the war for Israel with joyfulness. 3. And he spread the fame of his people and he put on the mail shirt as a giant and he girdled himself with the weapons of war and started the battles, defending the camp with sword. 4. And he resembled himself to the lion in his works and as a roaring lionet he hunted. 5. And he banished the lawless ones, rebuking them, and the ones who troubled his people he burnt them with fire. 6. And all the lawless ones withdrew for their fear and all the workers of the lawlessness together were troubled and the salvation increased in his hand. 7. And he made bitter many emperors and gladdened Jacob with his deeds and forever is his remembrance into benediction. 8. And, crossing through the cities of Judah, he destroyed the lawless ones from within them and he diverted the anger from Jerusalem. 9. And it was heralded to the edges of the earth and he gathered together the ones who were perishing. 10. And Apollonius gathered gentiles and great power from Samaria, to make war against Israel. 11. And Judah found out, and came out in front of him and beat him and killed him and many fell wounded, and the other fled. 12. And they took their loots and the sword of Apollonius was taken by Judas, and with that one they made war in all the days. 13. And Sironi, the governor of Syria, hearing it, that Judah gathered with him assembly and the band of the believers and of the ones who come out at war, he said: 14. I will make a name to me and I will be glorified into mastery and I will beat Judah and the ones who are with him and the ones who do not listen to the word of the king. 15. And they proceeded with the strong camp of the pagans, who came to help him to be victorious against the sons of Israel. 16. And when they came close to the slope of the Bethoron, Judah came out in front of him with few men. 190 17. And seeing them that the army comes in their way, they said towards Judah: Can we, a few, to wage war to such a multitude? For we got weak not fasting today. 18. And Judah said: It is easy to lock the many in the hands of the few ones and there is no difference in front of God of the sky, whether the salvation comes through many of through a few. 19. For not in the multitude of the army consists the victory in war, but from the sky the power is. 20. Those ones come with much haughtiness upon us and with lawlessness, to destroy us and our women and our sons and to pillage us. 21. And we make war for our souls and for our laws. 22. The Lord Himself will crush them on our sight; you do not have fear of them. 23. And after he ceased to speak, they jumped upon them suddenly, and Sironi and his army were crushed in front of him. 24. And they chased them down of the slope of the Bethoron, and fell from among them about eight hundred men, and the others fled to Philistines. 25. And the fear and dismay of Judah and of his brothers started to enter among the nations from around them. 26. And his name reached to the king and about the wars of Judah spoke and the nations. 27. And after Antioch heard these words, he got angry and, by sending, he gathered together all the armies of his kingdom, a very big army. 28. And opening his treasury, he gave the payment of his soldier for one year and ordered them to be ready for battle in a year. 29. And if he saw that the silver from the treasures was finished and the taxes of the country are few for the strife and the wound that he made on earth, breaking the laws that were from the beginning, 30. He feared lest to have once again expenses and gifts, as the ones which he gave before with generosity, exceeding in generosity all the one who were before him. 31. And he doubted very much with his soul and he took council to go in Syria, to take the tributes of the countries and to gather much silver. 32. And he left Lisias, notable man and of kingly kindred, governor over the things of the king, from the Euphrates river to the borders of Egypt. 33. And to raise up Antioch, his son, until he will come back. 34. And gave him a half of the army and elephants and he gave him orders about all the works, which he had in his mind, and especially concerning the inhabitants of Judaea and of Jerusalem, 35. To send army upon them to crush and to destroy the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem and to make perishing their remembrance from that place. 36. And to be placed people from another nation within their borders and to give them their land by casting lots. 37. And the king took the other half of the army, which remained, and he rose from Antioquia, the city of his mastery, in the year one hundred and forty seven. 191 38. And he crossed the water of Euphrates River and was walking through the upper countries. And Lisias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorimene, and Nicanor and Gorgias, strong men from among the friends of the king, 39. And he sent with them forty thousand pedestrians and seven thousands horde riders, to come in the country of Judaea and to destroy it totally, according to the word of the king. 40. And they rose up with all their strength and came and camped close to Emmaus on the plane. 41. And the merchants of the country heard their name and they took much silver and gold and servants and came to the camp, to take the sons of Israel as slaves. 42. And added to him the power of Syria and of the land of the ones of another nation. 43. And Judah and his brother saw that the evilness was multiplied and the armies invaded their borders and their learned the words of the king who ordered the destruction of the people. 44. And each of them said towards his neighbor: let`s remove the crumbling down of our people and to make war for it and fro the holy ones. 45. And the assembly gathered, to be ready at war and to pray and to ask the mercy and the benevolences of the Lord. 46. The Jerusalem was inhabited as a wilderness; there was nobody to enter and to come out from the born ones of it and the holy place was trampled and the sons of the ones of foreign nation were at the outskirt of the city and there was the dwelling place of the gentiles, and the gladness was taken from Jacob and the flute and the theorbo were finished. 47. And they gathered and come at Mitpa, night to Jerusalem, because the place of the prayer of Israel was before Mitpa. 48. And they fasted in that day and put on sackcloth and put ash on their head and they torn apart their vestments. 49. And they opened the books of the law, in which the gentiles sought to find out fittings with their idols. 50. And they brought the priestly clothes and the first fruit and the tithes and they put forth the Nazarenes, who accomplished their days. 51. And they shouted out with a loud voice to the sky, saying: What will we do to these ones and where will we bring them? 52. And Your holies have been transgressed and have been defiled and Your priests are in weeping and in humbleness. 53. And behold the nations gathered upon us to destroy us; You not the ones that they thing upon us. 54. How will we be able to stay against them if You will not help us? And they trumpeted with the trumpets and shouted out with a loud voice. 55. And after that Judah set up advisers to the people over thousands, and over hundreds and over fifty and over ten. 56. And he said to the ones who were building houses and to the ones who took women in engagement and planted vines and to the fearful ones, to go back each of them to his home, according to the law. 57. And he proceeded with the army and camped eastwards Emmaus. 192 58. And Judah said: Girdle yourself and be strong and be ready for tomorrow, to start war against these nations which gathered against us, to destroy us and our temple. 59. For better is to us dying in war, than to see the evilness brought to our nation and to the holies. 60. And as will the will be in heaven so be it. ( 3 6 Other two wars of Judah Maccabeus against Gorgias and Lisias and his victories. The cleaning of the temple of the Lord. 1. And Gorgias took five thousands pedestrians and one thousand horse riders and set the in movement by night, 2. Upon the camp of the Jews, to hit them unnoticed. And the guards from the city were guides to him. 3. And Judah heard them, and awaked him and the strong ones, to strike the army of the king the one from Emmaus. 4. For it the army from the camp was still scattered. 5. And Gorgias came in the night at the camp of Judah and he found nobody and searched for them through the mountains, for he said: those ones are fleeing away from us. 6. And with the day Judah emerged in the field with three thousands men, but they worn no breastplates and sword, after their will. 7. And they saw the camp of the gentiles strong and armed and with horse riders around it and those ones seasoned in wars. 8. And Judah said to the men who were with him: “Do not fear their multitude and of their invasion do not be scarred. 9. Remember haw were our parents delivered at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh chased them with much power. 10. And now let`s shout out to the sky, for Him maybe will have mercy on us, will remember the bond of our parents and will crush today this army in front of us. 11. And all the nations will know that He is a Savior and Deliverer for Israel”. 12. And the ones of another nation raised their eyes and saw them coming forth and they came out from their camp at war. 13. And trumpeted the ones who were with Judah and they clashed and they crumbled the nations and fled at field; and the last ones fell all of them by the sword. 14. And they chased them away to the Ghezer and to the planes of Edom and of Azot and of Jamnia. 15. And fell from those one about three thousands men. 16. And Judah and his army came back after their banishment. 17. And he said towards the people: Do not crave for the loots, because the war is nigh to us, and Gorgias and his army are in the mountain close to us; 193 18. But resist now with strength to our enemies and make them war and after that you will take their loots with boldness. 19. And while Judah still spoke, a part of the army emerged from the mountain. 20. And they saw the defeat ad how the ones who were with Judah lit the camp, for the smoke seen showed what was done. 21. And seeing them all these they got utterly scarred and, seeing the camp of Judah on the field, ready for war, 22. They all fled in the country of the Philistines. 23. And Judah turned back to spoil their camp; and he took much gold and silver and emerald and porphyry and great wealth. 24. And turning back, he praised and blessed the Lord of the sky that He is good, that His mercy is forever. 25. And there was made salvation in Israel in that day. 26. And as many escaped from the ones of another nation, going, they told Lisias everything that happened. 27. And he, hearing it, got troubled and upset, because it was not done for Israel what he wanted and did not happen what the king commanded him. 28. And in the next year Lisias prepared sixty thousands chosen pedestrians and five thousand horses, to beat Jerusalem. 29. And they came in Edom and camped at Better, and Judah came out in front of them with ten thousands men. 30. And seeing their strong camp, they prayed saying: “Blessed are You, the Savior of Israel, the One Who crushed the invasion of the strong one through the hand of Your servant David and gave the camp of the Philistines in the hand of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and of the weapon carrier. 31. Close this camp in the hand of Your people Israel and to be they ashamed with their pedestrians and with their horse riders. 32. Give them dismay and melt down the boldness of their power and to be them trembling of their crushing. 33. Bring them down with the sword of the ones who love You and to praise You with singings all the ones who know Your Name!” 34. And they clashed one on another, and from the camp of Lisias fell about five thousands men under the eyes of the Jews. 35. And seeing Lisias the defeat that was made to his camp and the boldness of Judas and that they are ready either to live, or to die valiantly, he went away to Antioquia and gathered foreign people and, multiplying the already gathered army, he though again to come in Judaea. 36. And Judah and his brother said: Behold our enemies destroyed. Let us go up and clean the sanctuary and to renew it. 37. And all the army gathered and went up in the mountain of Zion. 38. And saw the holy place desolated, the altar defiled, the gates burnt and in the yards bushes grown, as in a forest or in a mountain and the dwelling places crumbled down. 194 39. And they tore their clothes, they wept with a great weeping, they put ash on their heads 40. And fell down on their face and they trumpeted with the trumpets and shouted out to the sky. 41. Then Judah ordered men, to harass the ones from the city until they will clean the temple. 42. And he chose righteous priests, the faithful ones of God. 43. And they cleaned the holy ones and took away from there the stones of the uncleanness in an unclean place. 44. And they held council for the defiled altar for the burnt offerings, what to do with it. 45. And good advice came to them, to break it, lest to be to them for reproach, because the gentiles defiled it; and they broke that altar. 46. And they brought the stones in the mountain of the temple, in a good place, to answer for them. 47. And they took whole stones, according to the law, and they build a new altar, as the one from before. 48. And they built the temple and the ones from inside and the yards. 49. And they made new holy vessels and they brought inside the temple the candlestick and the altar of the burnt offerings and of the incense burnings and the table, in the temple of the Lord. 50. And they incensed the altar and lit the candles on the candlestick and they lighten in the temple of the Lord. 51. And they put breads of the table and stretched the veil and they accomplished all the things that they had to do. 52. And they ate in the morning in the twenty fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month Chislev of the year one hundred and forty eight. 53. And they brought sacrifice according to the law on the new altar for burnt offerings that they made. 54. In the time and in the day when the gentiles defiled it, into that one it was renewed with singings and with psalteries and with harps and with cymbals. 55. And all the people fell down on their face and they bow down and blessed the God of the sky, Who helped them. 56. And they made the renewal of the altar in eight days and they brought burnt offerings with gladness and they sacrificed sacrifices of peace and praise. 57. And they adorned the face of the temple of the Lord with gold crowns and with shields and they renewed the gates and the cell and they put doors to them. 58. And great gladness was made among people and the dishonor from the gentiles was erased. 59. And Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel ordered to be kept the days of the renewal in its times from year to year, from the twenty fifth of the month Chislev, with gladness and joyfulness. 60. And they walled in that time the mount Zion with a surrounding wall and with strong towers, lest the gentiles to trample it, as they did before. 195 61. And there they ordered army to guard it. Then they strengthened with guards the Better city, for having the people defense from the direction of Edom. ( 3 Other ten victories of Judah Maccabeus against the enemies. 1. And if the nations from around heard that the altar was built and the holiness was renewed as before, they got very angry, 2. And they held council to destroy the nation of Jacob, he ones who were among themselves, and they started killing them and destroying them. 3. And Judah started was against the sons of Edom, in the Acrabatene county, because they kept invading Israel; and they dreadfully beat them and pressed them and took from them rich preys. 4. And he remembered the evilness of the sons of Beon, who were to the people towards snare and hindrance, guarding the roads with cunningness. 5. And he locked them in towers, and he rushed upon tem, he killed them and he burnt the tower with all the ones who were inside them. 6. And he passed to the sons of Ammon and he found strong hand and Timothy, their adviser. 7. And he made wars against them and he defeated them and he beat them. 8. And he took the Jeezer and its places, and turned back to Judah. 9. And the nations from Gilead gathered together against the Israelites who lived among their borders, to destroy them, but they fled in the Datema city. 10. And they sent letters to Judah and to his brothers, saying: 11. “Gathered together upon us the nations from around us, to destroy us, and they are being prepared to come and get the city in which we fled and Timothy is in front of their army. 12. Now then, coming, get us off their hand for many of us perished. 13. And all the brothers, who were in the Tubi County, they were killed and their women and their sons were taken in slavery and they took their wealth and they lost there about a thousand men.” 14. Still being the letter read, other messengers came from Galilee with their clothes torn, speaking after those words, 15. And saying that upon them gathered from Ptolemais, from Tyre, from Sidon and all the Galilee of the one of another nation, to destroy them. 16. And whether Judah and the people heard these words, there gathered a great multitude to hold a council about what they will do for these brothers in need, beaten by those ones. 17. And Judah said to Simon, his brother: “Choose men and go and save your brother from Galilee, and I and Jonathan, my brother, we will go in Gilead”. 18. And he left Josef, Zacharias, and Azariah, the chieftain of the people, with the other army in Judah for guarding. 196 19. And he commanded to them, saying; be leaders upon this people and do not start war upon the gentiles until we will come back. 20. And they divided themselves: to Simon, men three thousands, to go in Galilee; and to Judah, men eight, to go in Gilead. 21. And going Simon in Galilee he made many wars against the gentiles, crushing the gentiles in front of him, he chased them to the gate of Ptolemais. 22. And from the gentiles feel about three thousand people and they took a rich prey. 23. And they took them from Galilee and from Arbat, with the women and with the children and with everything that they had and they brought them in Judaea, with great joy. 24. And Judah Maccabeus and Jonathan, his brother, they crosses the Jordan and walked a three days road in the wilderness. 25. And they crossed with Nabateans, who, coming before them with peace, they told them everything that happened to their brothers in Gilead, 26. And that many of them are caught in Bosra and Beter, in Alema, Casphone, Mached and Carnaim; all of these are big and strong cities. 27. And in the other cities of Gilead they are locked, and for tomorrow they have prepared to burst upon the cities and take them and destroy all of them in a day. 28. And Judah and his army tuned the way towards the wilderness to Bosra, without warning, and he took the city and killed every male part with the edge of the sword and took its preys and burnt it with fire. 29. And they get up from there in the night and went upon Datema City. 30. And when the day came, raising the eyes, behold many people, countless, elevating ladders and tool to take the city and bringing war upon them. 31. And saying Judah that the war has been started and the crying of the city went up to the sky with trumpets and with loud voice, he said to the men of the power: 32. “Make war today for your brothers!” 33. And they came out with three battle lines behind them and they trumpeted with the trumpets and shouted out with prayers. 34. And the camp of Timothy knew that this is Maccabeus, and fled from him, and he beat them with a great battle, and in that day fell about eight thousands men. 35. And befalling Maccabeus upon Mitpa, he made war upon it and took it and killed all the made part within it and burnt it with fire. 36. And proceeding from there, he took Casphone, Mached, Beter and the other cities of Gilead. 37. And after these happenings, Timothy gathered another army and camp in front of Rahon, beyond the creek. 38. And Judah sent to spy the camp, and these ones told him, saying: “There are gathered at them all the gentiles from around us, very much power. 197 39. And he hired the Arab s towards their help and they are camped beyond the creek, ready to come upon you with war; and Judah went in their way. 40. And Timothy said to the chieftains of his army: “When Judah and his army will come close to the water creek, if he will cross to us firstly, we will not be able to stand against him, for he will be stronger than us; 41. And if he will get scarred and will camp beyond the creek, let us cross to him and we will be stronger”. 42. And when Judah came close to that creek with water and ordered to them: “Do not let anybody stop here, but all of them to come at war”. 43. And going upon them, he crossed beyond being first of them and all the people after him; and the gentiles were defeated and, leaving their weapons, they fled towards the temple from Carnain. 44. And he took the city and the temple, and burnt them with fire together with all the ones from within it, and the Carnain was defeated and could not stand against Judah any longer. 45. And Judah gathered the entire Israel, the one who were in Gilead, from the smallest one to the older one, and their women and children and their wealth, a very large camp, to come in the land of Judah. 46. And he came to Efron, and this is a very big city and with a very large entrance; he could not avoid it through the left or through the right, but they must go through its middle. 47. And the ones from the city locked them outside the city. 48. And they clogged the gates with stones. 49. And Judah sent to them words of peace, saying: 50. “We will pass through your land to go to our land, and nobody will harm you, only with our feet we will pass”. And they did not want to open. 51. And Judah commanded to shout out in the camp, for everybody camp wherever he is; and the soldiers camped, and they made war to the city all that day and all the night, and the city fell in his hands. 52. And he destroyed all the male part under the edge of the sword, and he took the prey and passed through the city walking on the killed ones, and he crossed the Jordan at the great field of Betsean. 53. And Judah gathered the last ones and comforted the people along the road, until they came in the land of Judaea. 54. And they went up in the mountain of Zion with gladness and with joyfulness, and they brought burnt offerings, because nobody fell from among them until they came back with peace. 55. But in the days in which Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead, and Simon, his brother, in Galilee in front of Ptolemais, 56. Heard Joseph, the son of Zacharias, and Azariah, the chiefs of the armies, about the valor and about the war that had been made, and they said: 57. “Let`s make also us, fame to ourselves and to go to make war to the nations from around us”. 58. And they commanded to the ones from the army, who were with them, and they went upon Jamnia. 198 59. And Gorgias and his men came out from the city at war. 60. And Josef and Azariah were defeated and chased away to the border of Judaea and in that day fell from the people of Israel about two thousands men and a great defeat was made in Israel, 61. For they did not listen to Judas and to his brothers, thinking to do feat of valor. 62. And these ones were not from the tribe of the men through whose hands was made witness to Israel. 63. And Judas and his brothers were glorified in front of all Israel and of all the nations, where their names were heard, 64. For many gathered to them praising them. 65. And Judah and his brothers came out, to beat the sons of Edom in the land towards South, and they beat Hebron and his brother and broke its strength, and its towers they burnt them. 66. And they rose up to go in the land of the ones of another nation and they passed through Samaria. 67. In that day fell the priests of the city, wanting to make manhood and getting out to the war without advice. 68. And Judas came along Azot, the land of the ones of another nation, and crumbled down their idols temples, and the carved idols he burnt them with fire and he took the prey of the cities and turned back in Judaea. ( 3 : Antioch Eupator, falling in a terrible illness, dies in torments. 1. And king Antioch, walking through the upper countries, he heard that in Persia`s Elimaida great city with wealth, with silver and gold, 2. And the temple from it very rich, and there are coverings of gold and body armors and weapons, which were left there by Alexander, the son of Philip, the king of Macedonians, who first reigned among Hellenes. 3. And he came to take a city and to plunder it, and he could not, because his plan was found out. 4. And they upright upon him with war, and he fled and went from there with great sadness, turning back to Babylon. 5. And someone came in Persia told him that the camps were defeated O the ones which went in the country of Judah, 6. For Lisias went firstly with a great power, and was defeated by them, and they strengthen themselves with weapons and with power and with many preys, which they took from the camps that they defeated, 7. And that they broke the abomination which was above the altar from Jerusalem, and the temple, as before, they surrounded it with tall walls, as also Bethulia, its city. 8. And by hearing these words, the king was afraid and he fell sick of great sadness, for it was not done to him as he taught. 9. And he was there for many days, for the sadness lasted in him and he taught that he would die. 199 10. And he called all his friends and said towards them: The sleep was taken from and the sadness shook my heart. 11. And I said in my heart: At what trouble have I reached and in what disturbance am I? I that I was good and loved for my mastery; 12. And now I remember the evilness that I have done in Jerusalem, by taking all the gold and silver vessels, which were in it and I sent to destroy without cause to the ones who live in Judah. 13. I know that for those ones I have found by these evil things, and behold I am perishing by great sadness in foreign land. 14. And he called Philip, who was one of his friends, and put him over all his mastery, 15. And handed over to him the blazon and the vestment and the ring, to bring Antioch, his son, and to raise him for reigning. 16. And king Antioch died there in the year one hundred and forty nine. 17. And Lisias found out that the king died and put his son, Antioch, his son, in his place, who he raised him from young age and named him with the Name Eupator. 18. And the army from the city held Jerusalem surrounded around the temple and always searched for creating shortcoming to them, and to be supportive to pagans. 19. And Judas thought to destroy it and gathered all people to surround it. 20. And they gathered themselves together, and surrounded the city in the year one hundred and fifty, and they made upon them surrounding fortifications for war machines. 21. And coming some of them out of besetting, to these ones stuck also some of the disbelievers or Israel, and went to the king and said to him: 22. Until when you will not make judgment and you will not avenge our brothers? 23. We liked to serve your father and to walk into his commandments and to listen to his commandments. 24. For this reason the sons of our people ended being enemies top us. And wherever someone of us would be, they killed him and our inheritances they stole them. 25. And he did not stretch forth hi hand only upon us, but also upon all their borders. 26. And behold they camped today upon the fortification of Jerusalem to take it over; and they fortified the temple and Better. 27. And if you will not take ahead quickly, they will do even bigger than these ones, and you will not be able to defeat them anymore. 28. And hearing this, the king got angry and gathered all his friends, the chieftains of his power, and the one who were over the horse riders. 29. And from other kings and from the islands of the seas came to him paid armies. 30. And the number of their power it was one hundred thousand pedestrians, twenty thousand horse riders, and thirty two elephants trained at war. 200 31. And they came via Edom, camped at Better, made war for many days and they built war machines; but the surrounded ones came out and burnt the machines with fire, warring with manhood. 32. And Judah get up from the city and camped at BetOZacharias near to the camp of the king. 33. And waking the king up he gathered up the camp and started towards the road of BetOZacharias, the armies were divided for war and they trumpeted with the trumpets. 34. And they gave blood of grape and blackberry to the elephants, to entice them up to the war. 35. And they divided the animals in rows and put next to each elephant a thousand of men armored with chains and copper helmets on their heads and five hundred chosen horse raiders were next to each beast. 36. These ones accompanied the beats from the beginning and wherever the beast was they were also, and whenever the beast went, they went with it and they did not separated of it. 37. And strong wooden tower were on each elephant and covered them, the tower being strengthened with straps and to each tower there were thirty two men that warred from above, except the elephant driver. 38. And they placed the horse riders on both sides of the camp, to disturb the enemy and to defend the flanks. 39. When the sun shined over the gold shields, the mountains glittered of them and gleamed as some lit candles. 40. And a part of the king`s camp stretched over the high mountains, and another one over the lower places, and they walked with guard and good order. 41. And all the ones who heard the voice of their multitude trembled and the pace of the multitude and the the hitting of the weapons, for the camp was big and powerful. 42. And Judah and his camp came closer at war and from the king`s camp fell about six hundred men. 43. And Eleazar Avaran saw the animal mailed with the kingly mail, and it was taller than all the other elephants, and it seemed to him that one was the king. 44. And he gave himself, to save his people and to gain for himself eternal name. 45. And running at it with boldness in the middle of the row, he killed to the right and to the left, and they retreat away from his face, here and there. 46. And he went under the elephant, and stuck his sword in the belly of the beast and killed it, and the elephant felt to the ground upon him and Eleazar died. 47. And seeing the Jews the power of the king and the invasion of the armies, they withdrew. 48. And the ones from the camp of the king went up in Jerusalem upon them, and the king camped in Judah and at the mountain of Zion. 201 49. And the king made peace with the ones from Better and they went out of the city, for they had not food there to barricade themselves into it, because it was a year of rest in that land. 50. And the king took better and put there a guard, to keep it. 51. And he went upon the temple for many days, he made surrounding towers there, machines and flame throwers and stone throwers and scorpions, to throw arrow, and slings. 52. And the surrounded one also made machines against the machines of the enemies and the war last for many days. 53. And there were no food in the vessels because it was the seventh year, and the ones who escaped in Judah from the gentiles ate even the remnant put for preservation. 54. Andin the holy place remained only a few men, for they were defeated by hunger, and everyone scattered at his place. 55. When Lisias heard that Philip, who was put by the king Antioch, while he was still alive, to raise up his son, to make him a king, 56. Came back from Persia and Media, he and the king`s armies which were with him, and that they are trying to take over the mastery, 57. Then he hurried up to go from the city and to tell to the king and to the chieftains of the army and to the men: “We are lessened every day, we have few foods, and the place where we are camped is strong, and upon us are the worries of the kingdom. 58. Now then let`s stretch forth our hand to these people and to make peace with them and with all their nation. 59. And to let them be according to their laws as they did before, because for their laws, which we scattered away, got they angry and did they all these things”. 60. And the word was pleasant to the king and to the chieftains and sent them to make peace, and they accepted. 61. And the king and the chieftains sworn to them and they went out from the city. 62. And the king entered in the mountain of the Zion and he saw the strength of the place, he broke the oath that he made and he commanded, and crumbled down the wall all around. 63. And he got up quickly and turned back to Antioquia, he found Philip guarding the city, he made war against him and took the city by force. ( 3 The continuation of the battles of the Maccabees, the victory of Judah upon Nicanor. 1. In the year one hundred and fifty one fled Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, from Rome, and he came with few men to a city next to the sea and reigned there. 202 2. And after he came in the house of the mastery of his parents, the army caught Antioch and Lisias, to bring them to him, 3. And when he was announced about this, he said: “Do not show to me their faces”. 4. And the army killed them, and Demetrius sat on the chair of his kingdom. 5. And all the lawless men, and the faithless ones from Israel and Alkım, their leader, who wanted to be hierarch. 6. And they denounced the people to the king, saying; “Judah and his brother destroyed all your friends, and they scattered us from our land. 7. Now, then, send a faithful man, for, going, to see all this destruction, that they did it to us and to the king`s country, and to punished them and all the ones who help them”. 8. And the king chose Bachide, his friend, who mastered beyond the river, great ruler of the mastery and faithful to the king. 9. And he sent Him and Alkım the lawless, whom he made hierarch, and he commanded him to avenge upon the sons of Israel. 10. And they proceeded and came with much power in the land of Judah and they sent with cunningness messengers to Judah and to his brothers with words of peace. 11. But they did not believe their words, for they saw that they came with much power. 12. And gathered to Alkım and to Bachide an assembly of scribes, to search the right ones. 13. And the Asides were the first ones among the sons of Israel and asked peace from them. 14. For they said: “A priest from the tribe of Aaron came here with the armies and he will do no injustice to us”. 15. And he spoke towards them words of peace and swore to them, saying: “We will not do any harm to you and to your friends”. 16. And they believed him, but those ones caught sixty men and killed them in one day, according to the written words: 17. “The bodies of Your pious ones and their blood they shed them around Jerusalem and there was nobody to bury them”. 18. And the fear and tremble fell upon all the people and they said: “For there is no truth and judgment in them, for they broke the oath and the covenant made. 19. And Bachide went to Jerusalem and camped to Betzet and he sent to catch the ones who fled from his gang as also some people whom, after he killed them, he threw them into a fountain. 20. And he entrusted the country to Alkım and he let with him many army to help them and Bachide went to the king. 21. And Alkım struggled to take over the archiepiscopate. 22. And gathered to them all the ones who troubled his people and defeated the country of Judah and caused great tribulation to Israel. 23. And they saw all the evilness done by Alkım and by the ones who were with him among the sons of Israel, more than the gentiles. 203 24. And he went out at all the borders of Judaea from around and established punishments to the men who went willingly with Alkım and stopped them to go in the county. 25. And whether Alkım saw that Judah and his ones strengthened themselves, he knew that he would have not been able to stand against them and, turning back to the king, he accused them of the most evil deeds. 26. And the king sent Nicanor, one of his most important chieftains, who had hatred and enmity upon Israel, and it has been commanded to him to destroy the people. 27. And came Nicanor in Jerusalem with many army and sent to Judah and to his brothers with cunning peace offer, saying: 28. “Let`s not be strife between us and you; I will come with few people to see your faces in peace”. 29. And Judah knew that he came upon him with cunningness, and the enemies were ready to kidnap Judah. 30. And Judah knew that he came upon him with cunningness, he feared of him and he did not want to see his face anymore. 31. And Nicanor knew that his plan had been unveiled and he went out in the way of Judah, towards Cerfasalam, at war. 32. And fell from the ones who were with Nicanor about five hundred men, and the other ones fled in the city of David. 33. And after these happenings, Nicanor went in the mount of Zion and some of the priests came out from the holy place and from the elders of the people to bend down to him with peace and to show him the burnt offering that is brought for the king. 34. And him mocked them and reviled them, speaking with haughtiness. 35. And he swore with anger, saying: “If Judah and his camp will not be showed to me now, when I will turn myself back here victorious, I will burn down this temple!” And he went out with great wrath. 36. And the priests went inside and standing in front of the altar and of the temple of the Lord, they cried saying: 37. “You, Lord, have chosen this temple to be Your name called in it, to be place for prayer and request for Your people. 38. Bring punishment upon this man and upon his camp and let him falling on the sword; remember their blasphemies and do not suffer them”. 39. And Nicanor went out from Jerusalem and camped at Bethoron and he was met also by another Syrian army. 40. And Judah camped in Adasa with three thousands men and Judah prayed, saying: 41. “When the messengers blasphemed the ones sent by the king of Assyrians, Your angel came out, Lord, and beat one hundred and eighty five thousands from them. 42. So You crush this army before us today, to know also the other that he blasphemed Your temple. Judge him according to his evilness”. 43. And the camped clashed at war in the thirteenth of the month Adar and the camp of Nicanor was defeated and he fell firstly in war. 204 44. And if the camp saw that Nicanor fell, abandoning the weapons, they fled. 45. And they chased them away a day`s trip to where comes Gezer and they ceaselessly trumpeted after them with the trumpets. 46. And from all the villages from around came out and surrounded them. And they came to blow each – other and all the enemies fell and no one left of them. 47. And they took rich prays, and the head of Nicanor and his right hand which he raised it with haughtiness, the brought it with them and hanged it at Jerusalem. 48. And the people rejoiced and feasted in that day with great gladness. 49. And they established that in each year to be kept this thirteen day of Adar as a feast. 50. And for few days Judah had peace. ( 3 ; About the bond of Judah with the Romans. 1. And Judah heard about the name of the Romans, that they are powerful and willing good to all the ones who stick with them and with all the ones who come to them and make friendship and that they are strong and powerful. 2. And it was told to him about their wars and the feats that they did upon the Galatians and how they defeated them and brought them under tribute. 3. And how many they did in the country of Spain and they took hold on the silver and gold mines from there. 4. And despite this country is far away, they took hold on it through their reasonability and patience; and the kings that came against them from the edge of the world, they crushed them and defeated them with great defeat; and the other ones give them tribute each year. 5. And on Philip and Perseus, the king of Chitenians and the ones who rose up against them, they crushed them with big war and defeated them. 6. And Antioch the great, the king of Asia, who went against them at war, having one hundred and twenty elephants and horse riders and very much power, he was defeated by them. 7. And they caught him alive and he made oath to them, for him and the ones who will reign after him, to give them big tribute and hostages and land as bail, 8. Namely the land of India and Media and other form their best counties, which, being taken from him, they gave them to king Eumene. 9. And that the ones from Hellas held council to go and to destroy them and the Romans found out this word, 10. And they sent against them a chieftain and started war against them and fell from among them many wounded and they enslaved many, and their women and their children, and they plundered them and mastered their 205 land and they destroyed the cities, and looted them and mastered them to that day. 11. And the other kingdoms and counties, which resisted against them, they destroyed and enslaved them. 12. And with their friends and with the ones who unite with them they guarded the friendship and destroyed the nearby kingdoms and the kingdoms from far away and as many heard their names they feared them. 13. The ones whom they want to help them and to make them reigning, they are reigning, and whom they want, they deprive them of mastery; and they exalted themselves very; 14. And despite all of these, at them nobody put the blazon and did not dressed in porphyry, to be glorified in it. 15. And they made to themselves a senate and in all days there take council three hundred and twenty senators upon the businesses of the people, to take care well of them. 16. And they entrust their mastery in a year to a man, who reigns over all their land and all of them listen to one man and there is no enmity, neither craving among them. 17. Judah chose Everolimus, the son of John of Acos, and Jason, the son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to conclude with them friendship and alliance. 18. And this one to remove from them the yoke, for they were seeing that the mastery of the Greeks menaced Israel with slavery. 19. And they went to Rome, and the trip was very long and they entered in their senate and they spoke, saying: 20. “Judah the Maccabeus and his brothers and the multitude of the Jews sent us to you to establish connection and peace and to be inscribed among comrades your and friends. 21. And the word was pleasant in front of them. 22. And this is the copy of the book that they wrote on copper tables and sent it to Jerusalem, to be there to them remembrance of peace and alliance. 23. Be there good to the Romans and to the nation of the Jews, on the sea and on land and the sword and the enemy be far away from them. 24. And if there will happen war upon Rome firstly of upon any of their allies in all their mastery, 25. The nations of the Jews to help with a full heart, as much as the circumstances will allow. 26. To not give to the enemy either food, or weapons, or silver or ships. This is the will of Rome, the the Jews will guard these duties without receiving anything in return. 27. And likewise, if to the Jews will happen firstly war, the Romans will help from the heart, as much as the circumstances will allow 28. And they will not give to the enemies: grains, weapons, silver, and ships; so the Romans are deciding and they will keep these duties with good faith. 206 29. On these words the Romans set covenant with the people of the Jews. 30. And after these words whether these or those will have something to add or to remove, they will do as they will understand each–other and what they will add or will remove will be acknowledged. 31. And for the evil deeds that king Demetrius does to them, we have written to him, saying: “What have you made heavier your yoke for, over the Jews friends and the allies of Judaea 32. So, if they will complain again before us about you, we will make justice to them and we will come with war upon you on the sea and on land. ( 3 < The revenge of Judah the Maccabeus and his death. Jonathan follows in his place and makes war. 1. And Demetrius s heard that Nicanor and his army fell in war and he sent for the second time Bachide and Alkım in Judaea in front of the right wing of the army. 2. And they went on the road from Galilee and they camped with their camp to Mesalot, in Arbel, which they took it and killed many inhabitants. 3. And in the first month in the year one hundred and fifty two, they set up the camp upon Jerusalem. 4. And they get up and went to Berea with twenty thousand pedestrians and two thousands horse riders. 5. And Judah had his camp in Eels, with three thousand chosen men. 6. And they saw the multitude of the armies and they feared much and many of them fled from the camp and there remained only about eight hundred men of them. 7. Seeing Judah that their camp was scattered and the war hurried him up, he had a broken heart, for he had not time to gather the runaways, and his army became weak. 8. Then he said to the remained ones: “Let`s get up and go up upon our enemies, for we might beat them”. 9. And they turned him back, saying: “We won`t be able to do it, but only to save our souls now; turn back for your brothers and how can we fight with these ones, being so few?” 10. And Judah said: “It`s far from me to do this thing and to flee from them, for if our time is close, let`s us die bravely, to not let blasphemy instead of our glory”. 11. And the armies went from where they had the camp; the horse riders divided in two parts and the sling shooters and the bowmen walked in the front of the army, for they were the top warrior, being all of them strong. 12. And Bachide was in the right wing and the armies got closer from both sides and the shouted out with the trumpets. 207 13. And the soldiers of Judah trumpeted also with the trumpets and they earth trembled by the sound of the camps and there was made war from the morning to the evening. 14. And Judah saw that Bachide and the strength of the army it is on the right flank and came to him all the ones who were strong at heart. 15. And they crushed the right wing and they chased them away to the edge of the Azot. 16. And the one from the left wing saw that the right one was crushed and they turned back after Judah and after the ones who were with him from the back. 17. And the war became difficult and many wounded fell from these ones and from those ones. 18. And Judah fell and the other fled away. 19. And Jonathan and Simon took up their brother, Judah, and buried him in the tomb of his parents in Modein. 20. And all Israel cried for him and wept him with great weeping, for many days, and said: 21. “How the strong one fell, who delivered Israel?” 22. And the other words of Judah and the wars and the deeds of valor that he did and the glory of his deeds weren`t written for they were too many. 23. And after the death of Judah the lawless ones showed themselves and in the borders of Israel sprouted up all the ones who worked the lawlessness. 24. And in those days there was a great famine and the country willingly accepted them. 25. And Bachide chose lawless men and put them rulers of the country. 26. These ones followed and searched for the friends of Judah and brought them to Bachide and took avenge upon them and mocked them. 27. And there was made a great tribulation in Israel, as was now seen from the day in which there was not issued anymore a prophet from among them. 28. And all the friends of Judah gathered and said to Jonathan: 29. Since your brother Judah died, there is no man like him, to go out upon the enemies and upon Bachide, upon the ones who envy our nation. 30. Now then we have chosen you, to be us chieftains in his place and adviser, to carry on our war. 31. And Jonathan accepted that advice and rose up in the place of Judah, his brother. 32. And Bachide understood it and searched for killing him. 33. But understanding Jonathan and Simon, his brother, and all the ones who were with him, the fled into Tekoa wilderness and placed the camp on the shore of the lake of Asfar. 34. And Bachide finding out he came with all his army, in a rest day, beyond Jordan. 35. And Jonathan sent his brother John, who was adviser of the people, to ask the Nabateans, his friends, to bring to them his many treasures. 208 36. And the sons of Jambres from Medeba came out and caught John and everything that he had and they went with it. 37. And after these deeds Jonathan and Simon, his brother, were told that the sons of Jambres make a big wedding and bring a bride with great company from Nadabac, the daughter of a big chieftain of Canaanites. 38. And he remembered John, his brother and they went up and hid in a cave of the mountain. 39. And raising his eyes, he saw appearing in the middle of a great noise, a great multitude and the bridegroom and his friends and his brothers, coming in their way to welcome them with drums and music and many weapons. 40. And they rose up from where they were upon them and killed them and many fell wounded, and the remained ones fled into the mountain; and they took all their prey. 41. And the wedding was turned into weeping and the voice of the music into mourning. 42. And they avenged the blood of their brother and turned back to the Jordan`s ravine. 43. And Bachide heard it and came into a resting day to eh water of the Jordan with much power. 44. And Jonathan said to the ones who were with him: “Let`s rise up now and make war for our souls, for isn`t today like yesterday and like the day before yesterday. 45. For behold, the war is in front of us and behind us and the water of Jordan on one side, and on the other side marsh and grove and there is no place to escape. 46. Now then shout up to the sky, to escape from the hand of your enemies; and the battle began. 47. And Jonathan stretched forth his hand to hit Bachide and he shunned backwards. 48. And Jonathan and the ones who were with him in Jordan and swam to the other side, and those ones did not crossed the water of Jordan after them. 49. And fell from the army of Bachide in that day about a thousand men. 50. And Bachide turned back to Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judah: the cities of: Jericho, Emmaus, Bethoron, Betel, Timbota, Farathon and Tefon, with tall walls and gates and locks. 51. And he put his hand of them to harass Israel. 52. And he fortified the city of Better and Ghezer and the edge, and he put in them army and food. 53. And he took hostages the advisers of the country and put them into the city, in Jerusalem, under guard. 54. And in the year one hundred and fifty three, in the second month, he commanded to Alkım to crumble down the wall of interior yard of the temple and to break the things of the prophets and they started to break them. 209 55. In that time Alkım was hit by the Lord and his plans were hindered and his mouth has been closed and he weakened and he could not spoke a single word, neither to command in his house. 56. And Alkım died with a great torment. 57. And seeing Bachide how Alkım died he turned back to the king and Judaea had peace for two years. 58. And all the lawless ones held council, saying: “Behold, Jonathan and the ones who are with him, with peace, they dwell without fear; let`s now bring Bachide and he will catch them in a single night. 59. And going they took council with him. 60. And departing with much power, he secretly sent letters to all his friends from Judaea, to catch Jonathan and the ones who are with him; but they couldn`t for their plan was discovered to these ones. 61. For this reason they caught from the men of the country the chieftains of the evilness, about thirty, and killed them. 62. And after that Jonathan and Simon and the ones who were with them went to Bathsheba, which was into wilderness and they built it again and fortified it. 63. And Bachide understood it and gathered his entire multitude, and announced his men from Judaea. 64. And coming he camped against Bathsheba and he made war upon it for many days and added fortifications. 65. And Jonathan let his brother Simon in the city, and he went out into the country and came back with a great number of army. 66. And he struck Odomir and his brothers and the sons of Fasiron and their dwelling places, and he started to beat and to come up with power. 67. And came out from the city also Simon and the one who were with him, and they burnt down their fortifications. 68. And they started war upon Bachide and they crushed him and bothered him very much, because his plan of the battle was a failure. 69. This one got very angry upon the lawless men who advised him to come in the country and he killed many of them and he held council to turn back into his country. 70. And Jonathan understood it and sent messengers to him, to make peace with him and to give back the enslaved ones. 71. And he accepted and done according to his words, and swore that he won`t do anything evil to them for the rest of his life. 72. And he sent back the enslaved ones, whom he enslaved them in the land of Judaea, and turning back, he went in his land and never come back again in their country. 73. And the sword ceased from Israel, and Jonathan dwelled in Michmas, and he started to judge the people, and he destroyed the lawless ones from Israel. 210 ( 3 The friendship of Jonathan with King Alexander. 1. In the year one hundred and sixty went up Alexander, the son of Antioch Epiphan, and he took Ptolemais and they received him there and he reigned there. 2. And hearing the King Demetrius, he gathered very much army and started upon him with war. 3. And Demetrius sent to Jonathan letter of peace and high regards. 4. For he said: “Let`s succeed making peace with him, before he makes with Alexander against us. 5. For he will remember all the evilness that we did upon him and upon his brothers and upon his nation”. 6. And he gave him power to rise up army and to make weapons, to be his ally; and the ones who were hostages, in the city he said he will give them back. 7. And coming Jonathan in Jerusalem, he read the letters in the hearing of all the people who were in the city. 8. And feared with a great fear, hearing that the king gave him power to gather army. 9. And the ones who were in the city gave to Jonathan the ones who were hostages and he gave them back to their parents. 10. And Jonathan dwelled in Jerusalem and started building and renewing the city. 11. And he said towards the workers to build the walls and the mount Zion around with stones with four edges for fortifying, and they did so. 12. And the ones of another nation fled away, who were in the cities that Bachide built. 13. And each of them left his place and turned back in his land. 14. Only in Better remained some of them who forsook the law and and the commandments of God, for this one was to them an escaping place. 15. And King Alexander heard the promises that Demetrius sent to Jonathan and it were told to him the wars and the deeds of valor that he and his brothers did and the toils that they had. 16. And he said: “Will we find a man like this? And now let`s make him friend and allied to us”. 17. And he wrote letters and he sent them with these words, saying: 18. “Alexander the King, to brother Jonathan, joy. 19. We`ve heard about you that you are a strong man with power and worthy to be friend to us; 20. And now I put you to be hierarch to your people and to be you called friend of the king and I have sent you porphyry and gold crown to unite with us and to be friend with us”. 21. And Jonathan put of the holy coat in the seventh month, in the year one hundred and sixty, at the feast of the tents, and he gathered army and made many weapons. 22. And hearing Demetrius these words, he got sad and said: 211 23. “How succeeded Alexander to make peace with the Jews before us, towards straightening? 24. I will also write them words of comforting and I will extol them and I will send presents to them, to be for my help.” 25. And he sent to them these words: “Demetrius, to the nation of the Jews, joy! 26. Since you have kept the accord that you have accomplished with us, and you have remained in our friendship and you have not stuck to our enemies, I have heard and I rejoiced about it. 27. And now still remain you to keep the faith towards us and we will reward you with good things for what you are doing. 28. And we will let to you the one which must be allowed and we will give presents to you. 29. And now I exempt you and I forgive you all the Jews of tributes and of the price of the salt and taxes towards the king. 30. And the third part from the seed and a half from the fruits of the trees, which were lawful to me, I forgive them from now one; to not be taken anymore from the land of Judah and from the three countries, which were added to it from Samaria and Galilee, from this day forever. 31. And Jerusalem to be holy and exempt of tithe and tributes, as also its fields. 32. I leave also the mastery of the city from Jerusalem and I give it to the hierarch, for he put guard the men whom he want. 33. And all the Jews who were taken slaves from Judah in my entire kingdom, I release them without ransom; and everybody to exempt them and their cattle of taxes. 34. And all the feasts and the resting days and the full moons, and the consecrated days, and three days before the feast and three days after the feast, to be exempted and free for all the Jews that are under my mastery. 35. And nobody will have power to do something or to offend somebody of them for anything. 36. And to be enlisted in the army of the king thirty thousand men and it will be given to them the same wage as to all the armies of the king. 37. And will be put from among them in the fortified and big cities of the king; and to other will be entrusted offices in the ruling of the kingdom, and the chieftains that will be over them to be from among them and to respect their laws, as the king already ordered for the country of Judah. 38. And the three counties that were added to Judah from the country of Samaria, to be added to Judah, to be reckoned and to be under one, and to not listen to other master, excepting the hierarch. 39. Ptolemais and all its county, I gave it as present to the temple from Jerusalem, for the expenses lawful for the holy ones. 40. And I have yearly, fifteen thousand silver shekels from the revenues of the king, from the places lawful to him. 41. And everything that remained, what was not given by the ones who were over the revenues, in the past years, from now one they will give it for the revenues of the temple. 212 42. And besides these ones, the five thousands silver shekels that were being taken from the revenues of the temple of the Lord each year, to be left, for they are lawful to the priests who minister. 43. And anyone who will escape in the temple of the Lord, being indebted to the king or for other causes, to be set free, with everything that they have in my kingdom. 44. And at the building and at the renewal of the things of the temple, the expenses will be covered from the king`s revenues. 45. And at the building of the walls of Jerusalem and at the surrounding fortifications, the expenses will be covered from the king`s revenue, and likewise at the building of the fortification from Judah”. 46. And whether Jonathan and the people heard these words, they did not believe them and they did not accepted them, for they remembered the great evilness that the king made it in Israel and the tribulation that they had. 47. And they liked Alexander more, for he started to speak to them words of peace and he was helping them in all days. 48. And King Alexander gathered great army and camped against Demetrius. 49. And these two kings made war one to another and the army of Demetrius fled away, and Alexander chased Demetrius away and defeated him. 50. And the war increased, until the sunset and Demetrius fell in that day. 51. And after these happenings, Alexander sent to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, messengers, saying: 52. “Because I have turned myself back in my kingdom and I sat on the chair of my parents, and I have achieved the mastery, and I have defeated Demetrius and I have mastered our country 53. And I have made war to him, and Him and his camp have been defeated by us, and I sat on the chair of his reigning, 54. Let`s place now friendship between us; give your daughter to me to take her in marriage and I will be your sonOinOlaw and I will give to you presents worthy of you”. 55. And Ptolemy answered saying: “God it was the day in which you have turned yourself back in the country of you parents and you sat on their chair of king. 56. And now I will do to you what you have written to me; come to meet together in Ptolemy, to see us each other, and I will make you my sonOinO law, as you have said”. 57. And Ptolemy went out of Egypt, he and Cleopatra, his daughter, and came in Ptolemais in the year one hundred and sixty two. 58. And they met King Alexander and he gave his daughter Cleopatra to him, and they made the wedding at Ptolemais, as the kings do, with great honor. 59. And King Alexander wrote to Jonathan to come to welcome him. 60. And he went with glory to Ptolemais and he met the two kings and he gave, to them and to their friends, silver and gold and many presents, and he gained their respect. 213 61. And murderer men from Israel plotted against him, lawless people that denounced him, but the king didn`t listen to them. 62. And the king ordered and they disrobed Jonathan of his clothes and they put porphyry on him. 63. And he put him to sit with himself and said to the chieftains: “Go out with him in the middle of the city and shout, that nobody to forsake him for anything and nobody to upset him for any reason”. 64. And the ones who denounced him saw his glory, as it was shouted out, and that he was clothed with porphyry, and they fled all of them. 65. And the king glorified him and wrote him up among the most important of his friends and put him adviser and partaker of the reigning. 66. And Jonathan turned back to Jerusalem, with peace and joy. 67. And in the year one hundred and sixty five, came Demetrius, the son of Demetrius from Crete, in the land of his parents. 68. And King Alexander heard it and got sand and turned back in Antioquia. 69. And Demetrius put Apollonius, great captain who was over CeleOSyria, and he gathered great power and camped at Jamnia and sent to Jonathan the hierarch, saying: 70. “You stand alone against us and I made myself risible and mockery for you; why do you gather power in the mountains against us? 71. Now, if you trust in your powers, come down to us in the open plane, and to fight together there, because with me is the power of the cities. 72. Ask and find out who I am and the others who help us. And say that our feet cannot stay in front of you, because your parents were defeated twice in our country. 73. And now you will not be able to stay in the front of the horse raiders and of the pedestrians in open plane, where is no rock, not even a little pebble, neither place for fleeing. 74. Hearing Jonathan the words of Apollonius, he got angry and chose ten thousands men and went out from Jerusalem and they were met by Simon, his brother, who was coming in his help. 75. And he camped at Joppa, but the city closed its gates, for the guard of Apollonius was at Joppa, and they started war upon it. 76. And fearing the one from the city, they opened to him and Jonathan mastered Joppa. 77. And Apollonius heard about it and he camped with almost three thousands horse raiders and with much power and he went to Azot, as they would have withdrawn themselves, but he was advancing in the plane, for he had a multitude of horse raiders and he trusted in them. 78. And Jonathan pursuit them, to Azot, and the armies clashed in war. 79. And Apollonius left a thousand horse riders hidden in the back of them. 80. And Jonathan found out that there are traps behind him, and the enemy surrounded the camp of Jonathan and threw arrows upon the Jews from morning to evening. 81. But the army of the Jews stood, as Jonathan ordered to it, and the enemy horse raiders got tired. 214 82. Then Simon pushed forward his army and clashed with the enemies, because the horse raiders got tired, and crushed them and they fled away. 83. And the horse raiders scattered on the plane and fled to Azot and entered in the temple of Dagon, their idols temple, to escape. 84. And Jonathan took over the Azot and the cities from around it and took their prey and conquered the temple of Dagon and killed everyone who fled in it and burnt them down. 85. And there were the ones who fell by sword together with the ones who were burnt, about eight thousands men. 86. And Jonathan rose up from there and camped at Ashkelon and the ones from the city came out to welcome him with great honor. 87. And Jonathan came back to Jerusalem with the ones who were with him, having many preys. 88. And if King Alexander heard these words, he showed to Jonathan an even greater honor. 89. And he sent to him a gold brooch, as it is the custom to be given to his royal kindred, and he gave him Ecrom and all its fields to be him estate. ( 3 Alexander defeated and killed in Arabia. The reigning of Demetrius. The honoring of Jonathan. 1. And the king of Egypt gathered much power, as the sand of the sea shore, and many ships, and tried to take over the reigning of Alexander with cunningness and to add it to his kingdom. 2. And he came out in Syria with words of peace and the ones from the cities opened the gates and welcomed him, for it was the commandment of Alexander to welcome his fatherOinOlaw. 3. And Ptolemy, when he entered in the cities, he put guard of soldiers to each city. 4. And when he got nigh to Azot, it was shown to him the idols temple of Dagon burnt, and Azot and the ones from around it destroyed and the bodies abandoned and the one who have been burnt in the war, for they were piled up in hi way. 5. And they told to the king what Jonathan did, to blame him, but the king kept his silence. 6. And Jonathan welcomed him in Joppa with glory they bowed down to each other and tarried there. 7. And Jonathan went with the king to the river that is called Eleutherus and he turned back to Jerusalem. 8. And Ptolemy went, submitting to himself the cities close to the sea, to Seleucusia the one next to the sea, thinking upon Alexander evil plans. 9. And he sent messengers to the king Demetrius, saying: “Come to put bond between us and I will give my daughter to you, the one who is held by Alexander, and you will reign in your father`s place. 215 10. For I am sorry that I have given my daughter to him, for he tried to kill me”. 11. And he spoke evil upon hi, for he desired his reigning. 12. And taking his daughter he gave her to Demetrius. In this way he broke the kinship with Alexander and it was showed their enmity. 13. And Ptolemy entered in Antioquia and he put two blazons on his head, of Asia and of Egypt. 14. And Alexander was in Cilicia in those times, for the ones from those places did not want to remain obedient to him. 15. And Alexander heard it, and came back against him with war, and Ptolemy met him with a strong hand and defeated him. 16. And Alexander fled to Arabia, to escape there, and the king Ptolemy exalted himself. 17. And Zabdiel the Arab took the head of Alexander and sent it to Ptolemy. 18. And King Ptolemy died the third day, and the soldiers who were in the cities were killed by the inhabitants. 19. And king Demetrius exalted in the year one hundred and sixty seven. 20. And in those days Jonathan gathered the ones from Judah, to conquer the city from Jerusalem and put against it many war machines. 21. And some lawless men, who envied their own nation, went to the king and told to him that Jonathan is with a great army around the city; 22. And he hearing it, got angry and, proceeding immediately, he came to Ptolemais and wrote to Jonathan to not stay with army around the city, but rather to come to him in Ptolemais, to meet eachOother. 23. And whether Jonathan heard it, he commanded to stay with the armies around the city and he chose from the eldest ones of Israel and and from the priest and stood against the danger. 24. And taking silver and gold and clothes and other many presents, he went to the king in Ptolemais, and he gained his respect. 25. And even though some people of the lawlessness from among Jews denounced him, 26. The king did, as the one before him, did also, and exalted him before all his friends. 27. And he straightened him the archiepiscopate and others that he had before towards honor, and put him among the most honorable of his friends. 28. And Jonathan prayed to the king to exempt Judah of tribute and the three counties from Samaria, and promised in change three hundred talents. 29. And it was pleasant to the king and he wrote to Jonathan letters about all of these, which were like so: 30. “King Demetrius, to the brother of Jonathan and of the Jew people, joy! 31. The copy of the letter that I have written it to Lastene, our kinship, for you, I have written it also to you, so know, and it is like so: 32. King Demetrius to Lastene his parent, joy! 33. To the nation of the Jews, to our faithful friends and allies, we judged to make them good, for their benevolence towards us. 216 34. I have straightened also the borders of Judaea and the three counties: Ephraim and Leda and Ramathaim, which were added to Judaea from Samaria, and everything that are decided regarding them, to everybody who bring sacrifice in Jerusalem we make them exemption of the tax which was before taken yearly by the king, from the fruits of the land and from the fruits of the trees. 35. And the other ones which are lawful to us, the tithes and the customs and the lakes of salt and the taxes for the king which are due to us, all of them we allowed for help to them. 36. And none of these ones will transgressed from now one to forever. 37. Now be careful to make a charter about all of these, to be given to Jonathan and to be put in the holy mountain in a place where to be possible to be seen. 38. And seeing king Demetrius that there is peace in the country and nobody resist against him, he released all his soldiers, each of them to his place, except the foreign soldiers, whom he gathered from the islands of the gentiles. But all the armies which have been in the service of his parent became enemies to him. 39. Trifon, the one who was before among the ones of Alexander, seeing that all the armies niggle against Demetrius , he went to Iamlic the Arab, who was raising up Antioch, the child of Alexander, 40. And he prayed to him to give him the child to put him king in the place of his father. Then he told to him how many Demetrius did and the misunderstanding that the army have with him and he remained there for many days. 41. And Jonathan sent to king Demetrius to get out the ones from the city of Jerusalem and the ones from the fortified cities, for they were about to start were against Israel. 42. And Demetrius sent to Jonathan, saying: “Not only these ones I will do to you and to your nation but with glory I will glorify you, if I will have good times. 43. Now make you a good thing and send to me men to help me, because all the armies become with cunningness upon me”. 44. And Jonathan sent three thousands chosen strong man to Antioquia, and they came to the king, and the king rejoiced about their arrival. 45. Because the ones from the city gathered in the middle of the city, about twenty thousands of men and they wanted to kill the king. 46. And the kind fled into the palace and the ones from the city took the city`s roads and started the war. 47. And the king called the Jews to help him and all of them came to him and immediately they scattered into the city. 48. And they killed in the city in that day about one hundred thousand and they burnt the city and took may preys and delivered the king. 49. And seeing the ones from the city that the Jews defeated the city as they wanted, they lost their courage and shouted out to the king, praying and saying: 217 50. “Stretch forth your hand to us with peace and to cease the Jews to beat us and the city. 51. And they abandoned the weapons and made peace and the Jews were glorified in front of the king and in front of all the ones from under the mastery of the king and they turned back to Jerusalem with many preys. 52. And king Demetrius sat on the throne of the reigning and the country was pacified in front of him. 53. But he lied regarding everything that he said and got estranged from Jonathan and he did not reward him after the benefactions, which he did, but started to trouble him. 54. And after this, Trifon came back bringing Antioch with him, and raised him and put blazon on him still being him a child. 55. And all the armies that were scattered by Demetrius gathered to him, and made war with him, and he fled and was defeated. 56. And Trifon took the elephants and mastered Antioquia. 57. And Antioch the young wrote to Jonathan, saying: “I straighten your archiepiscopate and I put you ruler over the four counties and i want you to be from the friends of the king”. 58. And he sent to him gold vessels for religious service and gave him power to drink from a gold cup and to dress himself in porphyry and to have a gold brooch. 59. And on Simon, his brother, he put him ruler from the border of Tyre to the edges of Egypt. 60. And Jonathan came out and went beyond the river and in the cities and all the armies of Syria gathered to help him and Ashkelon came also, and they came out from the city in front of him with great glory. 61. And from there he went in Gaza and he surrounded it with army and burnt and preyed the surroundings of the city. 62. And the ones from Gaza prayed to Jonathan and he made peace with them, but he took hostages the sons of the chieftains, and sent them in Jerusalem, and he went through the county to Damascus. 63. And Jonathan head that the chieftains of Demetrius came to Chides in Galilee with much army, wanting to get him out from that country. 64. And he went in their way, and he left his brother Simon in the country. 65. And Simon camped upon Better and he made war against it for many days and he blocked it. 66. And they prayed him for peace and he gave it to them, and he took them off from there and took the city and put guard in it. 67. And Jonathan and his camp invaded at the sea of Gennesaret and, getting up in the morning, he went in the field of Hathor. 68. But suddenly came out in front of them, in the plane, a pagan army, which after leaving a part of the army in the mountains to waylay him, advanced straight towards him. 69. And the hidden army got up from its places and started the war. 70. And all the ones who were with Jonathan fled away; no one remained of them, except Mattathias, the son of Absalom, and Judah, the son of Alfeu, the chieftains of the army`s divisions. 218 71. And Jonathan torn apart his clothes and put ash on his head and prayed. 72. And he turned back against them with war and defeated them, and they fled away. 73. And seeing this, the ones who fled away from him, they turned back to him and they banished the pagans to Chides, where their camp was, and they tarried with the camp there. 74. And the ones from another nation fell, in that day, about three thousands men, and Jonathan turned back to Jerusalem. ( 3 The new connection of Jonathan with the Romans and the Spartans. Trifon kills Jonathan with cunningness. 1. And seeing Jonathan that the times are favorable to them, he chose men and sent them to Rome, to straighten and to renew the friendship with it. 2. And to Spartans and in other places he sent letters like these ones. 3. And they went to Rome and entered inside their senate and they said: “Jonathan the hierarch and the nation of the Jews have sent us, to renew with us the bond of friendship, as before”. 4. And the Romans gave them letters towards each county to accompany them towards the land of Judaea with peace. 5. And the content of the letters that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans it is this one: 6. “Jonathan the hierarch and the assembly of the people and the priests and the other people of the Jews, to the Spartans brothers, joy! 7. Even from long time ago were sent letter to Onie the hierarch, by Ariel, one of your kings, in which was acknowledged that you are our brothers, as it is seen from the present copy. 8. And with honor received Onie the sent man and received the letters in which are showed the bond and the friendship from between us. 9. Therefore, not needing us those ones, and having as comforting the holy books, that are in our hands, 10. We tried to send to you messengers to renew our brotherhood and friendship, to not estrange ourselves from you, for it passed long time from when you sent to us. 11. And we, ceaselessly and always also to the feasts and to the pious days, we remember you in the sacrifices and in the prayers that we do, as it is good and lawful to remember about brothers. 12. And we rejoice about your glory. 13. And we were surrounded by many tribulations and wars, because the kings from around us rose up with battle upon us. 14. But we did not want to upset you and the other allies and friends of ours with the news of these wars. 15. For we have help from heaven, who helps us, and we have been delivered from our enemies, and our enemies obeyed to us. 219 16. Therefore, we have chosen Numeniu, the son of Antioch, and Antipater, the son of Jason, and we have sent them to the Romans, to renew the friendship and the bond that they had before with us. 17. And the ordered to them to go also to you and to bring to you bowing down and to give to you the letters from us for the renewal of our brotherhood. 18. And now you will do well to us if you will answer to us about all these”. 19. Behold the copy of the letter sent by Spartans: 20. “Arie, the king of the Spartans, to Onias, the great priest, joy! 21. There was found out in old writings about Spartans and Jews that they are brothers and that they are from the kindred of Abraham. 22. And now since we knew these things, you will do well by writing us for your peace. 23. And we answer to you with letter that your herds and your wealth are ours, and the ones that are ours, are yours also; therefore we command to be this heralded to you”. 24. After these ones Jonathan heard that the chieftains of Demetrius came back with more power than before, to start war against him. 25. And leaving Jerusalem, he encountered them in the country of Amat, because he did not let them to put foot in his land. 26. And he sent spies in their camp, and they came back and told him, that they planned to attack them in that night. 27. And after the sun set, Jonathan ordered to the ones who were with him to take vigil and to be armed and ready for battle during all night; and he put guards around the camp. 28. And the enemies heard that Jonathan and the ones who were with him prepared themselves for battle, and they feared and got scarred, and fleeing, they lit fires in their camp. 29. And Jonathan and the ones who were with him did not understand until morning, for they saw the fires burning. 30. And Jonathan ran after them, and he didn`t catch them, for they crossed the river Eleutherus. 31. And Jonathan fell upon the Arabs who are called Zebedee, and beat them and took their prey. 32. And leaving, he came to Damascus and he crossed the entire county. 33. And Simon, going out, he went to Ashkelon and to the neighboring cities and he went to Joppa which he conquered it. 34. For he heard that they want to give the city to the men of Demetrius, and he put there men to guard it. 35. And Jonathan turned back and gathered together all the elders of the people and held council with them, to build fortified cities in Judah, 36. And to raise a big wall between the citadel and the city, to separate it from Jerusalem, and to remain separated, so to not sell, nor to buy. 37. And they gathered to build the city, for the wall from above Kidron creek in the east side crumbled down, and they repaired the part which is called Cafenata. 220 38. And Simon straightened the Hadid from Sefala and he put gates and locks. 39. And Trifon tried to reign over Asia and to put his blazon and to lay his hand on king Antioch. 40. But he feared lest to be forsaken by Jonathan and lest to start war against himself; and he tried to catch Jonathan to destroy him and, getting up, he came in Betsean. 41. And Jonathan went out in Betsean in front of him with forty thousand men chosen for war. 42. And seeing Trifon that Jonathan came with much power, he feared to stretch forth his hand upon him. 43. And he received him with glory and made his friend with all his ones and he gave him presents and ordered to his subjects to listen to him, as to himself. 44. And he said to Jonathan: “What for you have tired all these people, not being war between us?” 45. And now send them to their homes, and chose a few men, who to be with you, and come with me in Ptolemais and I will give it to you, as also the other cities and armies, and all the one who are over these businesses, and turning myself back, I will go back, because that`s why I have come here”. 46. And Jonathan believing him, he did as he asked to him, and he sent the armies to go in the country of Judah. 47. And he kept with him three thousands men, of whom two thousands in Galilee, and a thousand went with him. 48. And after Jonathan entered in Ptolemais, the Ptolemies closed the gates behind him and caught him and all the ones who came with him and killed them with the sword. 49. And Trifon sent horse riders and pedestrians in Galilee and at the big plane, to destroy all the ones of Jonathan. 50. And they understood that Jonathan is caught and that the ones who were with him perished and they urged themselves and prepared for war. 51. And seeing the one who were banishing them that they will fight for their soul, they turned themselves back. 52. And all of them reached in good health in the country of Judah and wept Jonathan and the one who were with him and they feared and all Israel mourned with a great grief. 53. And all the nations from around them tried to destroy them. 54. For they said: “They do not have chieftain and help; let`s now beat them and to lose their remembrance from among people”. ( 3 5 Simon remains in the place of Jonathan. He defeats Trifon and cleans Jerusalem. 221 1. And Simon heard that Trifon gathered much power, to come in the country of Judah to destroy it. 2. And seeing that the people are afraid and full of fear, he went up in Jerusalem and gathered the people. 3. And comforted them and said to them: “You know how many I and my brothers and the house of my father did for the laws and for the holy ones, and the wars and the needs that we did. 4. For this all my brothers perished for Israel and I am left alone, 5. And now to not let God that myself to spear my soul in all the time of the tribulation; for I am not better than my brothers. 6. But I will search for revenge for my law and for the holy ones and for our women and for our children, because all the tongues gathered to destroy us with enmity. 7. And the ghost of the people was lit, straightway by hearing these words, and they answered with a loud voice: 8. “You are our chieftain in the place of Judah and Jonathan, your brother. 9. Bear our war and everything that you will say we will do it. 10. And all the men for war gathered together and hurried to accomplish the wall of Jerusalem and to fortify it all around. 11. And he sent Jonathan of Absalom with enough power in Joppa, and getting out all the ones who lived there, he remained in it. 12. And Trifon left Ptolemais with much army, to enter in the land of Judaea and he had with himself Jonathan in chains. 13. And Simon camped at Hadid, near to the plane. 14. And understanding Trifon that Simon rose up in the place of Jonathan, his brother, and that he wants to start war upon him, he sent messengers to him, saying: 15. “For the money that your brother Jonathan was debtor to the kingly treasury, due to the jobs that he had, we keep him locked. 16. And now send one hundred silver talents and two of his sons as hostages, lest, receiving the freedom, to do cunningness towards us, and we will set him free”. 17. And Simon knew that they are speaking a deceitfulness towards him, but he sent the money and the children, to not raise bigger enmity from the part of the people and to not be said: 18. “Because Simon did not send the money and the children, that`s why perished Jonathan”. 19. And he sent the children and the one hundred talents; and he lain and did not liberate Jonathan. 20. And after Trifon came, to enter in the country and to conquer it and he went around on the road towards Adoram, and Simon and the camp followed him everywhere he was going. 21. And the ones from the city sent messengers to Simon, hurrying him up to come to them through desert and to send them food. 22. And Trifon prepared almost all his horse riders, to come in that night, but there it was much snow and he could not come due to the snow and, proceeding, he came in Gilead. 222 23. And when he came close to Bascama, he killed Jonathan and buried him there. 24. And Trifon turned back and went in his land. 25. And Simon sent and took the bones of Jonathan, his brother, and buried him in Modein, in the city of his parents. 26. And entire Israel wept him with great crying and mourned him for many days. 27. And Simon walled the tomb of his father and of his brothers and erected it with a nice appearance from carved stone on the front and on the back side. 28. And he put above seven towers, one in the front of another one: to the father and to the mother and to the four brothers. 29. And he made around them crafted works, and he put big pillars and he made on the pillar faces with weapons towards eternal name and next to weapons carved ships, to be seen by all of them who walk on the sea. 30. This is the tomb that he made in Modein and which exists to this day. 31. And Trifon, plotting cunningness towards the king Antioch the Young, he killed him. 32. And he reigned in his place and he put the blazon of Asia and made big havoc on earth. 33. And Simon walled the cities of Judaea and fortified them with tall towers and with big walls and with gates with locks and he put gathering of food in the city. 34. And choosing Simon men, he sent them with presents to king Demetrius, to forgive the country, for all the deeds of Trifon were plundering. 35. And king Demetrius sent to him after this deeds and answered to him and wrote to him this letter: 36. “King Demetrius, to Simon the hierarch and the friend of the kings, to the elders and to the Jew nations, joy. 37. I have received the gold crown and the branch of willow and we are ready to give you great peace and we have written to the chiefs over the businesses to let you the ones that we forgive you. 38. And how many we settled with you, remain, and the cities that you build to be yours. 39. We forgive the overlooking and the mistakes did until today and the taxes towards the king with which you are indebted and everything was taxed in Jerusalem not to be taxed anymore. 40. And who will be worthy from you to enlist themselves amongst us, to the enlisted ant to be peace between us”. 41. In the year one hundred and seventy the yoke of the gentile was removed from upon Israel. 42. And the people of Israel started writing in letters and charts: “In the first year in the time of Simon the great hierarch, the chieftain and the leader of the Jews”. 223 43. In those days Simon camped upon Gezer and surrounded it with armies and he made a tower on wheels for taking the city and he came close to the city and hit a tower and took it. 44. And the ones from the tower on wheels jumped into the city and a great havoc was made. 45. And the ones from the city with their women and the children climbed on the wall of the city, and tore apart their clothes and shouted out with a great voice towards Simon to make peace with them, and they said: 46. “Do not do to us according to our evilness; but according to your mercy.” 47. And Simon had mercy on them and did not beat them, but getting them out from the city he cleaned the houses in which were idols, and so they entered into it, praising and blessing God. 48. And he brought out of the city all the uncleanness, he placed people who keep the law, he fortified it and he built in it a place for worshipping. 49. And the ones from the stronghold of Jerusalem were stopped to get out and to go in the country for buying and selling and they starved very much and many of them perished with famine. 50. And they shouted towards Simon to receive them and he received them and he cleaned the stronghold of uncleanness. 51. And they entered into the stronghold in the twenty third day of the second month, in the year one hundred and sixty one, with praising and branches of willow and harps and cymbals and psalteries and songs and singings, because the great enemy of Israel was defeated. 52. And he ordered that each year to be this day celebrated with gladness. 53. And he fortified the mount of the temple of the Lord the one from next to the stronghold and they dwelled there, he and the ones who were with him. 54. And Simon saw that John, his son, is fully a man, and her put him over all the armies and he lived in Gaza. ( 3 6 Arsacis, the king of the Persians, defeating Demetrius, brings quietness to the countries. Simon conquers Joppa, Ghezer and Jerusalem, increasing the borders of his nation. 1. And in the year one hundred and seventy two, king Demetrius gathered his powers and went in Media to search for help to beat Trifon. 2. And hearing Arsacis, the king of Persia and Media, that Demetrius came inside his borders, he sent one of his chieftains to catch him alive. 3. This one going, he beat the army of Demetrius, caught him, and brought him to Arsacis under guard. 4. And the country rested in peace in all the days of Simon and he searched for the good ones for his people and they enjoyed his mastery and his glory every day. 224 5. And increasing his glory, he took Joppa, to have harbor and he made entrance to the islands of the sea. 6. And he widened the borders of his nation and mastered the country. 7. And he gathered together many servants and mastered Ghezer and Better and the city and brought out all the uncleanness from them, because nobody resisted against him anymore. 8. And they worked the field with peace and the land gave its harvest and the trees of the plane their fruits. 9. The elders sat by the streets, all of them spoke about the good things and the young ones put on clothes of glory and clothes of war. 10. To the cities he gave food and made fortifications to them, than the name of his glory was heralded to the end of the earth. 11. He brought peace on earth and Israel rejoiced with great gladness. 12. And everyone sat under his vine and under his fig tree, for nobody was there to afraid them. 13. Because perished from the earth the one who were bringing the wars upon them and the kings collapsed in those days. 14. And he strengthened all the glorified ones of his people, guarded the law and destroyed the lawless and cunning one. 15. And he extended the holy dwelling place and multiplied the holy vessels. 16. And it was heard to Rome and to Sparta that Jonathan died and they got very upset. 17. And they heard that Simon, his brother, was made hierarch in his place and masters the country and the cities from it. 18. And they wrote to him on copper tables, to renew the friendship with him and the companion that they made with Judah and with Jonathan, his brothers. 19. And it was read in front of the assembly in Jerusalem. 20. And the copy of the letters which the Spartans sent it is this: “The chieftains of the Spartans and their city, to Simon the hierarch, to the elders and to the priests and to all the people of Israel, joy. 21. The messengers sent to our people told us about your glory and honor and we enjoyed their coming. 22. And we have written the ones told by them in the book of the advises of the people, as follows: “Numeniu, the son of Antioch and Antipater, the son of Jason, the messengers of the Jews, came to us to renew the friendship with us. 23. And the people received these men with honor and put the copy of their words in the archive of the country as memory for the Spartan people. And a copy of them we sent it to hierarch Simon”. 24. After this Simon sent Numeniu at Rome, having a big shield of gold which cost a thousand mines, to strengthen the fellowship with them. 25. And whether the people heard these things, they said: “With what presents will we reward Simon and his sons? 26. For they were valiant, he and his brothers, the house of his father and they beat the enemies of Israel and they strengthened the mastery of 225 Israel”. Then they wrote all these things on copper tables, which they put on pillars in the mount of Zion. 27. Behold the copy of the letter: “In the eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the year one hundred seventy two, which is the third year, year on the time of Simon the hierarch, 28. The chieftain of the people of the Lord, when it was a great assembly of priest of people of chieftains of the nation and of the elders of the country, these things were made known to you: Because for many time there were wars in the country, 29. Simon, the son of Mattathias, from the tribe of Ioasib and his brothers, put themselves in danger, standing against the enemies of his nation to defend the temple and the law and with glory was glorified his nation. 30. And Jonathan gathered his nation and he was made hierarch to them, and he was added to his people. 31. And the enemies wanted to trample their country, to conquer it and to raise their hands upon the holy ones of them. 32. Then Simon rose and started war for his nation and spent much money from his own and he gave weapons and wages to the valiant men from his nation. 33. And he strengthened the cities of Judaea and the Better the one from the borders of Judaea, where were before the weapons of the enemies and he put guards in there from Jews men. 34. And they strengthened Joppa the one from the sea and Ghezer the one from the borders of the Azot, in which dwelled the enemies before and dwelled there Jews and as many were necessary he did them. 35. And the people seeing the faith of Simon and the glory brought by him to his nation, they put him ruler and hierarch, because he did all these things, preserving the justice and the faith of his nation and craving in all the ways to exalt his people. 36. And in those days the work went well through his hands, for the foreigners were banished from his country and the one from the ones from the city of David and from Jerusalem, who made stronghold to themselves, from which they came out and defiled the surroundings of the temple and they brought many trouble with their defilement. 37. And they put to dwell in it Jew men and strengthen it towards the defense of the country and of the city and he increased up the walls of the Jerusalem. 38. And king Demetrius strengthen to him this archiepiscopate after this, 39. And he made him one of his friends, and glorified him with great glory, 40. For he heard that the Romans have the Jews as friend and allies; and they came out before the messengers of Solomon with honor; 41. For all these things the Jews and the priests wanted that Simon to be their leader and hierarch forever, until will rise up a faithful prophet, 42. And to be him ruler over them and to take care of the holy ones, to make bigger orders upon their things and upon their country and over the weapons and cities. 226 43. And to take care of the temple and everybody to listen to him and with his name to be written all the letter from the country and to be him clothed with porphyry and to wear jewelry of gold. 44. And to nobody from the people and from the priests will be allowed to transgress anything from these ones and to be against of what he will say, or to convoke assembly in the country without him, of to dress himself with porphyry and to wear a golden brooch; 45. And who will do without these or will transgress something of these to be him found guilty”. 46. And all the people accepted to do to Simon, according to these words. 47. And Simon received and he wanted to be hierarch and governor and master of the Jew nation and to take care of all of them. 48. And he said that this letter to be carved in copper tables, 49. And to be placed in the yard of the temple in a honored place and copied after it to be put in the treasury, to be hold by Simon and his sons. ( 3 Simon breaks the friendship that he tied it with Antioch, the son of Demetrius, and with the Romans. 1. And Antioch, the son of Demetrius, sent letters from the islands of the sea to Simon the priest and the master of the Jews and towards the entire Jew nation. 2. And they were written in this way: “King Antioch, to Simon the hierarch and the master of the Jew nation, joy. 3. Since recreant people defeated the kingdom of our parents, 4. And I want to establish it as it was before, I have gathered much army, I have made war ships and I have decided to punish the ones who looted our country and the ones who desolated the cities within the borders of my mastery. 5. And now I am strengthening all the exemptions given by the kings from before me and any presents that they allowed to you; 6. And I allow you to make money under your name, in your country. 7. And to be Jerusalem and the temple free and all the weapons that you have and the cities that you have built and you master them to remain to you; 8. And all the taxes for you mastery and everything that was for reigning, from now and forever, are left to you. 9. And after we will establish our mastery, we will glorify you and your nation and the temple of the Lord with great glory, for being showed your glory all over the earth”. 10. In the year one hundred and fifty four, Antioch came out in the land of his parents and were gathered there all the armies, than few remained with Trifon. 227 11. And king Antioch banished him, and he fled in Dora the one from next to the sea. 12. For he saw that the evilness gathered upon him and the armies forsook him. 13. And Antioch camped upon Dora with one hundred and twenty warriors and eight thousands horse riders. 14. And he surrounded the city also with ships and he hit it both from the land and from the sea and he let nobody to get out, or to enter in it. 15. And came Numeniu and the one who were with him from Rome having letter towards kings and countries, in which were written these ones: 16. “Lucius, consul of Romans, to King Ptolemy, joy. 17. The messengers of the Jews came to us as friends and our allies, to renew the friendship and the connection from the beginning, sent by Simon the hierarch and by the people of the Jews. 18. And they brought a gold shield of a thousand mines. 19. For these we write to the kings and to the countries, to not do any harm, to them and to their country, and to not give any help to the ones who make war against them. 20. And it seemed good to us to accept the shield from them. 21. So if some men doers of evil fled from their country into yours, give them to Simon the hierarch, to punish them according to their law”. 22. This letter was also addressed to king Demetrius , to Attalus, to Ariarate and to Arsacis, 23. As also to all the countries: Sampsame, Sparta, Delos, Mindus, Sicion, Caria, Samos, Pamphylia, Licia, Halicarnassus, Cos, Side, Aradon, Rhodes, Faselis, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus and Cyrene. 24. And their copy he sent it to Simon the hierarch. 25. And King Antioch camped the next day upon Dora, bringing his armies ever closer and building machines, Antioch locked Trifon, than he could not enter, either get out. 26. And Simon sent to him two thousands men to help him and silver and gold and precious vessels. 27. And he did not want to receive them, but he broke everything established with him before and estranged himself from him. 28. And he sent to him Zenobiu, one of his friends, saying: “You hold Joppa and Gezer and the stronghold from Jerusalem, cities of my mastery. 29. Their borders you desolated them and you brought big tribulation on earth, mastering many places in the range of my mastery; 30. Now than give back the cities that you took and the tributes of the counties that you mastered, from within the borders outside of Judah. 31. And if not, give for them five thousands talents of silver and for the destruction made and for the tributes of the cities, another five thousands talents; and if not, we will make war against you”. 32. And Zenobiu, the friend of the king, came at Jerusalem and he saw the glory of Simon and shelves with vessels of gold and silver and many servants, than he wondered, and he told him the words of the king. 228 33. And Simon answering, told him: “Neither in foreign land we have not entered, nor we are keeping something foreign, but the heritage of our parents, which was grabbed without judgment by our enemies with every occasion. 34. And we hold now the heritage of our parents. 35. And about Joppa and Ghezer, which you ask for, these ones, made unrest among people and in the country. For them we will give a hundred talents”. And Zenobiu did not answer him any word. 36. And going back with anger to the king, he told him these words and the glory of Simon and everything that he saw and the king got angry with a big anger. 37. And Trifon, entering in a ship, her fled to Orthosia. 38. And the king put Cendebeu commander at the shore of the sea and gave to him army of pedestrians and horse riders. 39. And commanded him to places himself close to Judah and to build up Cedron, to strengthen the gates and to made war against the people. And the king started himself to pursuit Trifon. 40. And Cendebeu came to Jamnia and started to oppress the people and to enter in Judaea, enslaving and killing. And he built up Cedron. 41. And he ordered there horse raiders and army, to make preying expedition and to close the roads of Judaea, as the king commanded him. ( 3 : Simon and two of his sons are infamously killed. To him follows John, his son, who was called Hircan and who did many wars and deeds of valor. 1. And John went up to Gezer, and he told to Simon, his father, about the deeds of Cendebeu. 2. And Simon called the two oldest of his sons, Judah and John, and said to them: “I and my brothers and my house have fought with the enemies of Israel from our youth to this day today, and through our hand Israel was delivered for many times. 3. And now we got old, and for this job, from the mercy of God, you have enough years; be in my place and in the place of my brother and make war for our nation and the help of the One from heaven to be with you”. 4. And he chose from the country twenty thousand warriors and horse riders and he went upon Cendebeu, and they slept at Modein. 5. And they went out in the field in the morning, and they were expected by much army, pedestrians and horse riders; and between them there was a river. 6. And he and his people camped in front of them. And seeing that the people fears to cross the river, he crossed first, and his men saw him and crossed after him. 7. And he divided the army in two and he placed the horse riders in the middle of the pedestrians, because the enemy horse riders were many. 229 8. And they trumpeted with the holy trumpets and Cendebeu was defeated together with his camp, and from them fell many wounded and how many remained fled from the city. 9. And then was wounded Judah, the brother of John, and John chased them away to Cedron, which he built it. 10. And they fled to the towers from the field of Azot, and they burnt them down with fire, and fell from them about two thousands men, and they went back in the land of Judaea with peace. 11. And Ptolemy of Abuba was put governor in the field of Jericho, and he had much silver and gold. 12. He was the sonOinOlaw of the hierarch. 13. And his heart became haughty and he wanted to reign over the country, and he took council with cunningness upon Simon and his sons, to kill them. 14. And Simon walked through the cities from the country and took care about their needs, and he went down from Jericho, he and Mattathias and Judah, his sons, in the year one hundred and seventy seven, in the eleventh month, the month Sebat. 15. And the son of Abuba cunningly received them in a small castle, named Doc, which he built it up, and made to them a great feast, and he hid men in there. 16. And when Simon and his sons got dizzy of wine, Ptolemy and the ones who were with him rose up and took their weapons and entered upon Simon at feast, and killed him together with the two sons of him, and some of his servants. 17. And he made big evilness and rewarded evil things for good things. 18. And writing these things, Ptolemy sent to king to give him army for help, and he will submit him in return the country and its cities. 19. And he sent other men to Gezer to kill John, and to the ones who were rulers upon thousands he sent letter to call them to him, to give them silver, gold and presents. 20. And he sent other to occupy Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord. 21. But running somebody before them, he told to John at Gezer that his father and his brothers perished and that it was sent to kill also him. 22. And hearing it, he got scarred and, catching the men who came to kill him, he killed him, for he knew that they wanted to kill him. 23. And the other deeds of the life of John, his wars and deeds of valor, which he manly did, and the walls of Jerusalem that he built up, and all his feats, 24. Behold these were written in the book of his archiepiscopate, after he was made hierarch in the place of his father. 230 ! ( 2 !! 3 The Jews from Jerusalem write to the ones from Egypt two letters. The death of Antioch in Persia. The thanksgiving towards God. The feast of the tents` imbedding and the finding of the holy place. 1. “Brothers Jews, who are through Egypt, joy! Your brothers Jews, from Jerusalem and the ones from the country of Judaea, I wish you all peace and health! 2. Let be God doing good to you and to remember His covenant that He made with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob, the faithful servants. 3. Let Him give you heart to you all to worship Him and to do His will with great craving and with zeal in your soul; 4. Let Him open your heart in His law and into His commandments, and to make peace. 5. And to listen to your prayers and to reconcile Himself with you and to not forsake you in difficult times. 6. So we are praying now here for you. 7. Reigning Demetrius in the year one hundred and sixty nine, we the Jews have written to you due to the trouble and to the tribulation which came over us in these years, since Jason and the ones who were with him betrayed the holy land and the kingdom. 8. And they set the gates in fire, and shed innocent blood, and we prayed to the Lord, and He listened to us, and we brought sacrifice and flour of wheat, and we lit lights, and we put forth showbread. 9. And now we are writing to you to keep the feats of the tents in the month Chislev”. 10. Written in the year one hundred and eighty eight. “The ones from Jerusalem and from Judaea and the council of the elders and Judah, to Aristobulus, the adviser of king Ptolemy, who is from the nation of the anointed priests ones and to the Jews from Egypt, joy and health. 11. From big dangers being us delivered by God, we ceaselessly thank to Him, we who are ready to make war against the king. 12. Because God hit the ones who made war upon the holy city. 13. For being in Persian the chieftain of the adversaries and the armies that were with him, to whom it seemed that nobody could stay against them, they were slain in the temple of goddess Nanaia, being deceived with cunning words by the priests of goddess Nanaia. 14. Because Antioch, pretending that he wants to marry goddess Nanaia, he arrived there with his friends, to take the much richness of the temple as dot. 15. And the priest of goddess Nanaia, putting the treasures forth and coming close to the yard of the temple with some people from his suite, they closed the temple; 231 16. And after Antioch entered inside, they opened a hidden door of the attic and throwing stones through it, they killed the chieftain and the ones who were with him, and cutting them in pieces and beheading them they threw them to the ones from outside. 17. And in everything is blessed our God, the One Who gave to perdition the ones who did pagan deeds. 18. Wanting therefore to do in twenty five days of the month Chislev the feast of the sanctification of the temple, that also you to celebrate the feast of the tents and of the fire, in remembrance of Nehemiah, who build up the temple of the Lord and the altar on which he sacrifice brought. 19. Because, when our ancestors were brought in Persia, the good faithful priests, who were in those times, taking from the fire of the altar, they hid it secretly in a well without water, in which they covered it, so the place was not known by anybody. 20. And after some years passed, when God wanted, being Nehemiah sent by the king of Persia, he sent after the fire the nephews of the priests who hid it, and, as they told us, they did not find there fire, but muddy water. 21. And he commanded to them to pull out water from there and to bring it to him, and after the ones for the sacrifice were brought, Nehemiah commanded to the priests to spray with that water the logs and the ones which were put above them. 22. After these things were done and was heralded the time, when the son which was before in the clouds, a big fire was lit, so everybody wondered about. 23. And all the priests were doing prayers, when the sacrifice was consumed, all the priests beginning with Jonathan; and the other ones answered together with Nehemiah. 24. And the prayer was in this way: “Lord! Lord God! The Doer of everything, the Fearful One and Powerful and Righteous and Merciful. 25. The One Who is One Emperor and good and Giver of goodness and the Only One Righteous and AllOKeeper and Eternal, the One Who deliver Israel from all evilness, the One Who chose the forefathers and sanctified them. 26. Accept this sacrifice, for Your entire people Israel, and guard Your part and sanctify it. 27. Gather up our scattering; deliver the ones who serve among nations, look towards the reviled and hated ones, to know the nations that You are our God. 28. Punish the ones who oppress us and blaspheme us with pride. 29. Plant Your people in the holy place of Yours, as Moses said”. 30. And the priests sang praises. 31. And after the ones of the sacrifice were consumed, Nehemiah commanded to water with the other water, which remained, the big stones. 32. Immediately that was this done, a flame was lit from them, but the flame from the altar overwhelmed it by shininess. 232 33. And after this thing was really done, it was told to the king of the Persians, that in the place in which the priests taken in slavery hid the fire, there appeared water from which Nehemiah and the ones who were with him sanctified the sacrifices. 34. And the king, visiting the site, fenced the place and made there an altar. 35. And the king taking many presents and things, he gave them to the priests. 36. And Nehemiah named that place Neftar, which is interpreted: “cleanness”, but many call it Naphtali. ( 3 The second part of the letter that started in the first chapter. 1. And it is found in the archives that Jeremiah the prophet commanded to the ones who were taken in slavery to take fire, as it was shown. 2. And that the prophet commanded to the ones who were taken in slavery, when it was given the copper scroll, to not forget the commandments of the Lord and do not wander with the thoughts, seeing images of gold and silver and the adornment from around them. 3. And other as these saying, he urges them to not remove the law from their heart. 4. And it was also in these writings as that the prophet, taking the commandment from the Lord, he ordered to bring with him the tent and the ark of covenant. 5. And going out on the mountain where Moses went and saw the country that was given to him an inheritance, Jeremiah came there and found a place in the cave, and the tent and the ark and the altar for burning incense he put them in there and he covered the door. 6. And coming some of the ones who walked after him, to mark the way, they could not find it. 7. Finding out this thing, Jeremiah confronted them and said to them that place will be unknown until God will gather together His assembly and will have mercy. 8. And then the Lord will show these ones, and will be show the glory of the Lord and the cloud, as they did to Moses, and as with glory showed Himself when Solomon prayed to Him to sanctify the temple, 9. And as a wise man he brought the of sanctifying and of consecrating sacrifice of the temple of the Lord; 10. As, when Moses prayed to the Lord, as fire from heaven descended and consumed the ones of the sacrifice, so also Solomon prayed himself, and fire descending, it consumed the burnt sacrifices. 11. Moses said: “Because the sacrifice for the sin was no eaten, but consumed”. 12. Likewise Solomon feasted for eight days. 233 13. And there were told not only these ones in the writing of Nehemiah, but also how he, founding a library, he gathered the ones about the kings and prophets, and the books sent by the Persian kings for tributes, 14. Likewise also Judah, the book that were scattered due to the war made to us, he gathered them all, and they are at us. 15. From these ones, if will be necessary to you, send men to bring them to you. 16. Wanting so to celebrate the feast of the cleaning of the temple, we have written to you; therefore you will be doing good if you will keep these days. 17. And God, the One Who delivered His people He gave to everybody the inheritance and the kingdom and the priesthood and the holiness. 18. As He promised through the Law, let`s hope in God, for He will soon have mercy on us and He will gather us from under the sky to the holy place. 19. For He pulled us out from big evilness and the holy place he sanctified it”. 20. About the history of Judah the Maccabeus and of his brothers, the cleaning of the great temple and the renewal of the altar, 21. And they did what they did against Antioch Epiphan and against Eupator, his son, 22. And the apparitions the ones from the sky occurred to the one who valuably toiled into Judaism, than, being them only a few, they conquered all the country and banished a multitude of barbarians, 23. And they built the temple famous in entire world, and they made set the city free, and they brought back the abandoned laws, the Lord with all the kindness, being merciful to us; 24. All these ones by Jason the Syrian told in five books we are going to try to write them in a single book. 25. For reckoning the multitude of the numbers and the difficulty to the ones who want to understand in detail the stories of the history, due to the multitude of the matter, 26. We have taken care of that, to the one who want to read it, to be a spiritual comforting to them; and to the ones who will toil to memorize them, relief, and to all the ones who will read it, profit. 27. And we, who started to curtail this thing, not a little labor, but a thing full of watchfulness we have started, 28. A thing not of a less skillfulness than of the one who prepares a feast and searches for the profit of many. Although it is not an easy thing to do, for the multitude of the many ones we will endure gladly this suffering. 29. To choose in detail the truth of each thing, we let it to the one who wrote; and here we rather toil ourselves to respect the law of the abbreviation. 30. For as the craftsman of the new house is lawful to take care of all the establishment, and the one who starts to adorn it and to paint it he has to search for the ones which are towards adornment, so have we reckoning also about us. 31. Because to search and to collect many things in detail, and to speak about everything, it is the duty of whom writes the history; 234 32. And to pursuit the curtailing of the story and to let re research of the work it is in the will of the one who makes the curtailing. 33. From here we start the story, adding to the ones from above only that much, that unwise thing would be in the presentation to multiply the words and to curtail the story. ( 3 5 The wonderful defense of the treasury of the temple of Jerusalem against Eliodor the kidnapper. 1. While the holy city was dwelled in all peace and the laws were being guarded very well for the piousness of Onias the hierarch and the hatred against the evilness, 2. It happened that even the kings honored this place and the temple and sent to it very good presents, 3. So that even Seleucus, the king of Asia, he gave from his revenues all the expenses for the usual religious services with of the sacrifices. 4. And someone called Simon, from the tribe of Benyamin, being appointed steward of the temple of the Lord, he had an argument with the hierarch for the businesses of the market from the city. 5. And not being able to convince Onias, he went to Apollonius, the son of Traseu, who was in that time ruler in CeleOSyria and in Phoenicia. 6. And he told him that his treasury from Jerusalem if full of countless money, for the multitude of the money gathered from tributes is countless and not related with what is spent for the sacrifices, and it might be possible that these treasures to come under the power of the king. 7. And Apollonius meeting the king, he gave his the news about the money about which he was told, and he, calling Eliodor, who was chief upon over the money, he sent him and commanded him to bring to him the money mentioned above. 8. And Eliodor immediately departed in that trip, but heralding that he goes in the cities of CeleOSyria and Phoenicia, but with the deed fulfilling the commandment of the king. 9. And after he arrived at Jerusalem, he was welcomed with honor by the hierarch of the city, and he told him about that notice, and he showed the reason for which he came, and he questioned if all these are true. 10. And the hierarch showed to him that the richness is for widows and for poor people, 11. And some of them are also of Hircan, the son of Tobias, who is a very honorable man; and not as the unfaithful Simon has made denunciation; if all this riches are not taken in consideration, the total amount of money is four hundred talents of silver and two hundred talents of gold. 12. And now it would be made injustice to the ones who entrusted their things to the holiness of that place and to the temple of the Lord, which all the time is honored for its greatness and holiness. That can happen by no means. 235 13. And Eliodor, according to the kingly commandments that he had, he told that riches must be taken into the treasury of the king. 14. But one day, when he went to see in detail the treasury of the temple, great havoc was made through the entire city. 15. The priests clothed in the holy vestments, falling down in front of the altar, they were calling from the sky the One Who gave the law for all these establishments, to guard safe the money of who entrusted it there. 16. And whosoever saw the face of the hierarch he couldn`t help himself not to get very sad in his heart, for his sight and the changing of the face showed the interior tribulation of his soul. 17. For some fear overflowed over that man and the dreadfulness of the body, from which the ones who know knew the pain from his heart. 18. And other from the houses ran in crowds towards the general prayer, for not to reach the holy place towards defamation. 19. And the women girdled under the breasts with sackcloth of repentance, filled up the roads, and the virgins, who were locked in the houses, some of them ran to the gates, some of them to the walls and some other leaned out through the windows. 20. And all of them with the hands raised towards the sky they prayed. 21. And it was a pitiful sight, as the mixed multitude was fallen down and, being in great tribulation the hierarch waited for what was to come. 22. These ones so, were praying to the Almighty God, for the riches entrusted whole and with all the surety, to be guarded for the ones who have entrusted them. 23. And Eliodor wanting to fulfill the commandment, being with the soldiers to the treasury, 24. The Lord of the parents and the Master of all the power done a wonderful apparition, than all the ones who dared to come, being afraid by the power of God, fainted sand got scared. 25. For a horse was showed to them which had on it a dreadful horse rider and was adorned in a very beautiful cover and, coming quickly, it kicked Eliodor with the front legs; and the one who ride the horse was seen having weapons of gold. 26. And two more young men appeared in front of him, very powerful, shining of glory and with luminous clothing, who, standing on both sides, ceaselessly beaten him with many hits, overwhelming him. 27. And Eliodor suddenly falling to the ground and being surrounded with much darkness, they grabbed him and brought him in a litter. 28. On which with little time before he entered with multitude of soldiers and runners in the treasury shown above, they took him away, not being able to have any help from the weapons. 29. Really knowing the power of God, and God working like so, that one sat dumb and deprived of all the hope for salvation. 30. And those ones blessed the Lord, The One Who glorified His dwelling place and His temple, which only a little before was full of fear and trouble and when the AllOKeeper Lord has shown Himself, was filled in with gladness and joy. 236 31. And some of the Eliodor men quickly prayed to Onias to call the Most High and to give life to the one who laid in the claws of the death. 32. Then, the hierarch fearing that the king to not reckon that the Jews done cunningness upon Eliodor, he brought the sacrifice for the deliverance of the man. 33. And after the Hierarch prayed to God, those young men showed again to Eliodor clothed with the same clothes and, standing, they said: “Be you bringing much thanks to Onias because for him the Lord gave you your life. 34. And you being beaten from the sky tell to everybody the greatest power of God”. And after they said these things the disappeared. 35. And Eliodor bringing sacrifice to the Lord and very big promises making to the One Who gave him his life, and thanking to Onias, went back to the king, 36. Confessing to everybody the things of the Greatest God, which he saw. 37. And the king questioning Eliodor who would be worthy, who to be sent again in Jerusalem, he answered: 38. “If you have somebody enemy of plotting against your reigning, send him there and you will receive him beaten, even if he will escape; for i that place truly is the power of God. 39. Because the One Who live in the sky is watcher and helper to this place, and who come to do evilness He beat them and destroy them”. 40. And so happened with Eliodor and with the guarding of the treasury. ( 3 6 Simon leaves Onias the hierarch for Seleucus, who is killed by Andronicus from the order of Menelaus. 1. And Simon, of whom we talked before, who was the traitor of the money and of the homeland, was speaking evil about Onias, as he would have attracted the misfortune upon Eliodor and he would have been the plotter of the evilness; 2. And the doer of good of the city and the ruler of the ones of the same nation with him, and the zealous for the laws, an enemy of the government he dared to show him. 3. So much the increased dissension, then even were done some killings by one of the Simon`s men. 4. Thinking Onias at the danger of antagonizing and that Apollonius will get angry, the master of the CeleOSyria and Phoenicia, by hearing the evilness of Simon, he went to the king, 5. Not for denouncing the citizens, but reckoning the general profit and especially to the entire nation. 6. For he saw that it wasn`t possible to reconcile the things without an order from the ruler and Simon will never cease this madness. 237 7. But dying Seleucus and Antioch taking over the reigning, the one nicknamed Epiphan, the hierarchy was craved by Jason, the brother of Onias. 8. And going Jason to the king, he prayed him promising three hundred and sixty silver talents, and also a revenue of eighty talents. 9. Besides these, he promised also another one hundred and fifty, if it would have been granted the possibility to found a school for young people and the citizens of Jerusalem to be passed as citizens of Antioquia. 10. And the king allowing this, he achieved the mastery and he immediately started to teach Greek customs to the ones from his nation. 11. And rejecting the merciful kingly grants, which were granted to the Jews through John, the father of Evpolemos who was messenger to the Romans for making friendship and alliance and breaking the lawful orders, he renewed lawless orders. 12. For, shamelessly, only under the city founded he the school and he forced the strongest of the young men to learn Greek customs and plays. 13. And in this way the Hellenism was being strengthened and the customs of the ones of other nation were increasing, for the too big uncleanness of this Jason, pagan and not hierarch. 14. So that the priests were not being zealous towards the religious services of the altar; but neglecting the temple of the Lord and leaving the sacrifices they hurried up to impart with the lawless watching the ones of the fight of the disk, after they heard the calling of the announcers. 15. And not taking heed at the parental tradition, the Hellenistic glory the reckoned it to be better. 16. That`s why a big need engulfed them, as of the ones whose guidance they craved for and to whom they wanted to be likened, those enemies and master they had them. 17. For doing in a pagan manner against the godlike laws it isn`t too easy, but these ones will be shown by the times. 18. And when the plays were held at every five years, at which was present the king, 19. The lawless Jason sent from Jerusalem, as messengers, the ones who were with the right of Antioquia`s citizenship, who brought three hundred silver drachmas for the sacrifice of Hercules, for which also the ones who brought the silver prayed to not be given as sacrifice, because is not lawful, but to be used for other expenses. 20. And these three hundred drachmas were destined by the ones who sent for the sacrifice of Hercules, but, according to the wish of the ones who brought them, they destined them for repairing the army`s ships. 21. And Apollonius of Menesteu being sent in Egypt by the king Antioch with the occasion of the enthronization of the king Ptolemy Philometor, Antioch found out that Ptolemy had upon him enemy thoughts, that`s why Antioch, seeking to put himself under shelter, went to Joppa and then to Jerusalem. 238 22. And he was received with great decency by Jason and by the city, with lit candles and with shouts was welcomed him, and he departed from here towards Phoenicia with his camp. 23. And after Jason sent Menelaus, the brother of named above Simon, to bring money to the king and to remember to him about the absent things. 24. And he being pleasant to the king, for he glorified him with his countenance of a great courtier, he reached to take over the archiepiscopate giving with three hundred silver talents more than Jason. 25. And taking kingly commandments, he came, bringing nothing more worthy of archiepiscopate, only anger of cruel tyrant and wrath of wild beast having. 26. And in this way Jason, who removed his brother, was at his turn removed by another one and banished him in the country of the Ammonites. 27. And Menelaus reached to be hierarch, but about the money that he promised to the king he took no care, though Sostre, the chief of the city, ask for it. 28. This one was put over the gathering of the tributes. That`s why both of them were called by the king. 29. And Menelaus left Lisimah, his brother, deputy of hierarch; and Sostre left Crates, the ruler of Cypress. 30. And these ones being so, the inhabitants of the cities Tars and Malus upraised, for they were given as a gift to Antiochida, the keeper of the king. 31. So the king came in a hurry to appease the uprising, leaving Andronicus in his place, one of the great rulers. 32. And Menelaus, reckoning that he has found a good time, stealing some gold vessels of the temple, he gave them to Andronicus, and sold other in Tyre and in the cities from around. 33. Finding out Onias this thing, he rebuked him, being him in a fearless place, in Daphne the one from next to Antioquia. 34. For that, Menelaus, taking Andronicus apart, asked him to kill Onias. And so went him to Onias and with cunningness giving him his right hand and assuring him with oath, and even this thing made Onias doubtful, he succeeded to get him out from his hermitage and immediately killed him without fearing justice. 35. For this reason not only the Jews, but also many from other nations were disgusted and sad for the unjust killing of that man. 36. And after the king came back from the parts of the CeleOSyria, the Jews from the city, together with the Hellenes, hating the cunningness, they complained that Onias was killed without justice. 37. And Antioch, getting sad from the bottom of his heart, felt pity and shed tears for the wisdom and good order of the reposed one. 38. And being lit with anger, he immediately took from Andronicus the porphyry and rent apart his clothes and carried his throughout the whole city, and in the same place, in which he did his bloody feat upon Onias, 239 there he killed the lawless murderer, being rewarded by the Lord with the punishment that he deserved. 39. And Lisimah, with the army of Menelaus, stealing many vessels, the news came out in the city and a multitude gathered upon Lisimah, after many gold vessels were spent. 40. And after the angry multitudes rose upon him, Lisimah armed against them about three thousand men, and started killing without justice, being commander a certain Tyranus, and old man with the age and with the madness. 41. The multitudes, if they saw Lisimah getting up against them with army, grabbing some of them stones, other staffs, other dirt, they were throwing towards the ones who were with Lisimah and towards the one who got up against them. 42. And so they wounded many of them, some of them they killed and they chased all of them away, and the thief of the holy ones they killed him next to the treasury. 43. Then begun the judgment of the cause of Menelaus. 44. And when the king came to Tyre, three individuals, sent by the high council, they brought the just complain before him. 45. And Menelaus, being found guilty, he promised much money to Ptolemy, the son of Dorimene, to propitiate the king. 46. So, Ptolemy, surprising the king in a turret where he went to cool himself, made him to change his opinion. 47. And Menelaus, the head of all the evilness, he pulled him out innocent; and those unfortunates ones, who even to the Sciti if they would have told their cause, they would have been set free, these ones he judged them to death. 48. Therefore, in a hurry, the ones who born word for the city and for the people and for the holy vessels suffered unjust death. 49. For which thing also the inhabitants from Tyre, getting sad for this evilness, with great decency they gave the things for their burial. 50. And Menelaus, due to the greediness of the powerful ones, was in honor, and increasing in evilness, he was a big enemy for the ones of the same nation with him. ( 3 The wonderful appearance of the soldiers who were seen warring from the sky upon Israel for forty days time; the heathendom of Jason and the tyranny of Antioch. 1. And in that time, Antioch traveled for the second time in Egypt. 2. And happened that for forty days time it was seen over all the city, riding, horse riders with golden clothes and with spears as the armed soldiers, 3. And the bands of horse riders arranged and fighting with each other, and rushing in from both sides and hubbub of shields and multitude of 240 spears and drown swords and throwing of arrows and and shining of gold adornment and all sort of breastplates. 4. That`s why all of them were praying to be this appearance a good sign. 5. And being made a liar word as Antioch died, taking Jason about one thousand men, he hit the city unnoticed and, being the ones from the wall pushed back, he latter took over the city, and Menelaus fled into the castle. 6. And Jason killed mercilessly his citizens, not reckoning that the victory upon his kindred is the greatest misfortune. 7. And he was thinking that he destroys the enemies, while in fact he killed the ones of the same nation with him; though he didn`t achieve the mastery, and latter for cunningness, he achieved to himself shame, and he went again as a wanderer in the country of the Ammonites. 8. And so ended his life of lawlessness, for Areta, the tyrant Arabs, locked him up. And he, fleeing from a city to another one, being chased away and hated by everybody as a lawbreaker and being in dishonor to everybody as a murderer of his homeland and of his citizens, he was chased away to Egypt. 9. And he, the one who sent many in banishment, died in foreign land among the Lacedemonians, where he reckoned to find support on behalf of the kinship between Lacedemonians and the Jews. 10. And the one who left a multitude of unburied dead, he was not mourned and of no kind of burial, in the parental tomb, took him part. 11. And after the king found out these that were done, he reckoned that the Jews upraised; for that, departing from Egypt, with anger of a wild beast he took over the city with rushing in. 12. And he ordered to the soldier to cut without mercy the ones who are in front of them and to kill the ones who are climbing in the houses. 13. So were killed the young ones and the elders, the men and the women and the young sons, and the virgins and the little children were stabbed, 14. In this way, in about three days, eighty thousands were cut, and the others, almost as many as the cut ones, were sold. 15. And not being satisfied with these ones, they dared to enter also in the temple of the Lord, the one holier than the entire earth, having Menelaus as guide, the one who made himself seller even of the laws of his homeland. 16. And with lawless hands he took the holy vessels, and the ones which were put by the other kings towards the growing up, the glory and the honor of the place and with lawless hands pulling them away, he gave them away. 17. And Antioch got humbled with the thought, for he didn`t reckon that for the sins of the ones who inhabited the city God got angry for a little while and for that the place was persecuted. 18. And if it would not have happened to be engulfed before by many sins, as Eliodor, who was sent by Seleucus the king, to see the treasury, so this one, when he rushed in to enter, he would have been beaten quickly and he would have returned back from his daring. 241 19. For the Lord Hasn`t chosen His people for this place, but this place for His people. 20. For that also this place took part by the evilness happened into the people, for being made after that again partaker of the good things from the Lord; forsake other times in the hand of the Almighty, he was again placed in his entire glory, after the Great Master reconciled with His people. 21. So Antioch, taking one thousand and eight hundred talents from the temple of the Lord, he quickly turned back to Antioquia, thinking, by much haughtiness, to make the earth road of ships and the sea road to walk for the haughtiness of the heart. 22. And he left governors, to oppress the people: in Jerusalem, on Philip of Phrygian nation, even more heathen in habits that the one who put him; 23. At Gerizim on Andronicus and besides these ones Menelaus, who worse than other upraise himself against the citizens. 24. And having an enemy thought upon the Jew inhabitants, he sent Apollonius, the head of the evilness, with twenty two thousands soldiers, commanding to kill all the aged ones and to sell all the women and children. 25. And this one, coming to Jerusalem, he pretended to be with peace, until the holy day of rest and, surprising the Jews in a feast day, he commanded to the soldiers from under his command to arm themselves. 26. And they killed all the ones who came out to watch and running throughout the city with the weapons, they killed much multitude. 27. And Judah the Maccabeus with other nine individuals, who joined him, retiring themselves into the wilderness, they lived as the beasts in the mountains together with the ones who were with him and fed themselves with weeds to avoid defilement. ( 3 : The defilement of the temple of the Lord by the pagans; the death of Eleazar. 1. And not after much time, the king sent an old Athenian, to force the Jews to leave their parental laws and to not live anymore according to the laws of God. 2. And to defile also the temple from Jerusalem and to call it of Zeus the Olympian, and the one from Gerizim, of Zeus, the lover of guest, as the inhabitants of the place were. 3. And difficult and hard was to the people the reckoning of this evilness. 4. Because the pagans defiled the temple with fornications and drunkenness, delighting themselves with the whores in the holy yards, and bringing the inappropriate ones. 5. And the altar was filled up with lawless things, which were forbidden by the law, 242 6. And it was not allowed either to keep the day of the Lord, or to guard the parental feasts, not even to tell that you are a Jew. 7. And they were brought forcedly to the sacrifices made each month on the day of the king`s birth, and when it was the celebration of Dionysus, the Jews were being forced, having crowns of ivy plant, to take part at the suite in the honor of Dionysus. 8. And from the urge of Ptolemy was issued the commandment in the Hellenist cities, the ones from the neighborhood, to make also the Jews to sacrifice in the same way as they do, 9. And the ones who will not want to adopt the Hellenistic customs, to kill them; that`s why nothing else was seen but only hardships with which they were being oppressed. 10. For were brought two women who were denounced that they would have had they circumcised their children. That`s why the children were hanged by their breasts and through the city, on the streets carrying them, they threw them down from the wall and they died. 11. And others ran to the cave from nearby, for hiding themselves there to celebrate the day of rest. About this thing, being Philip informed, he burnt them, without having them resisting to him for the glory of this most honored day. 12. So, I pray to the ones who will read this book, to not be horrified due to these sufferings; but to reckon that these toils, not towards perdition, but towards teaching were for our nation. 13. Because if the Lord doesn`t let much time the ones who work the lawlessness, but he quickly throws them into labors, it is sign of great benefaction. 14. because while the Lord expects with longsuffering the other nations, until they will reach at the fullness of the sins and then to torment them, upon us so reckoned Him that it is good, not reaching us to the end of sins, to bring Him the punishment upon us. 15. For that He never moves away His mercy from us, but, rebuking us with troubles, he doesn`t forsake His people. 16. But be these ones told, for us to remember. 17. And after these few word it is appropriate to come back to the story. 18. To a certain man named Eleazar, who was a prominent scholar and passed with the age and very beautiful to his face, opening his mouth, they forced him to eat pork meat. 19. And he rather accepting the honorable death, than the life of abomination, he went willingly to the torments. 20. Spitting out the meat from his mouth and approaching to death, so as is appropriate to come close the ones who defense themselves against the ones that are mot lawful to them to eat, whatever the love for life would be. 21. And the ones who were ordered to this lawless sacrifice, because they knew this man for many years, taking him apart, they prayed him to bring other meats made by him, which he was allowed to eat and only to 243 pretend that he would eat what the king commanded from the meats of the sacrifice, 22. For, by doing this, to escape death and, for the old friendship with them, he will find mercy. 23. And he taking good thought and being worthy of age and deepened in old age, and of the honored gray hair, which he has achieved and of the very good education from his childhood and stronger by the holy one and of the order of the law, settled by God, he immediately answered, saying to rather send him to death. 24. “For it is inappropriate to our age to be hypocrite, for many of the young ones to reckon that Eleazar the one of ninety years old adopted the customs of the ones of another nation. 25. And due to my pretending, for this short and few time, to be they deceived through me and abomination and revilement to achieve to my old age. 26. For even in this time from now I will escape from the torment from the people, but from the hand of Almighty, neither alive, nor death will I escape; 27. For this, manly giving now my life, I will show myself worthy of the old age. 28. And to the young ones I will let an example of valor, for rather die with manhood for the honored and holy laws”. These ones saying, he stepped towards the torments. 29. And the ones who brought him changed their good heart, which they showed towards him with a little time before, in the malevolent heart because of the words that he utter before, which, as they reckoned, were madness. 30. And when he was about dying by beatings, sighting, he said: “To the Lord, the One Who has the holy science, it is shown that being possible to me to escape from death, hard pain I am suffering with the body, being beaten; and with the soul full of joy for His fear I am suffering these ones”. 31. And in this way died this one, and not only to the young people, but also to the entire people, his death leaving to them an example of valor and remembrance of good deed. ( 3 About the steadfastness in faith and the torments of seven Jew brothers and of their mother. 1. It happened also with seven brothers, whom, catching together with their mother, the king forced them, beating them with the whip and lash, to eat pork meat, which is not allowed to them to eat. 244 2. And one o them, who spoke first, said so: “What do you want to question and to know from us? For we are gladder are to die, than to transgress the ancestral laws”. 3. And the king getting filled of anger ordered to make hot pans and buckets, 4. And after those were hot, he immediately ordered to be cut the tongue of the one who spoke first, then to skin his head off, and to cut his hands and his legs, in front of the other brothers and of their mother. 5. And after they butchered him so, he ordered to bring him to the fire and to burn him alive. And simmering the pan very hard, ones to another ones urged themselves together with their mother do die in valor, so saying: 6. “The Lord God sees and truly has comforting from us, as He truly showed through the singing with which Moses confessed to us, saying: and into His servants will Him be comforted”. 7. And after the first one died in this way, they brought the second one to mock him and, skinning off the skin of the head with the hair, asked him: “Do you want to eat pork meat before all the limbs of your body to be chopped off?” 8. And he, answering in the language of his parents said: “No”. 9. That`s why also this one, as the first one, he suffered one by one all the torments and, when he was about to die, he said: “You lawless one, you cast us out from this life, but the Emperor of the world, on us who die for His laws, will make us alive again with resurrection of eternal life. 10. And after this the third one was mocked, and being asked to get his tongue out straightway he pulled it out and stretched his hands and said: 11. “From heaven I have achieved these and for His laws I do not take care of them, for I hope that I will receive them back from Him”. 12. So that the king himself and the ones who were with him, with fear, they wondered about the soul of the young man, for he did not pay attention to the pains, as they would have been nothing. 13. And after these things also ended, they brought the fourth one, tormenting and toiling him in the same manner: 14. And when he was about to die, he said so: “Good is to move the hopes from the people and to wait for the ones from God, because we will resurrect again through Him, and to you the resurrection won`t be towards life”. 15. And immediately bringing the fifth one, they were tormenting him, but he watching towards the king, said: 16. “Having power among the people, being mortal, you do what you want; but do not reckon that God has forsaken our people; 17. But you wait and you will see His great power, how it will torment you and your descendants”. 18. And after this they brought the sixth one and when he was about to die, he said: “Do not foul yourself in vain, because we endure this for ourselves, since we have committed sin against our God and for this reason have been done this odd things. 19. And you do not reckon that you won`t be rebuked, for you are making was against God”. 245 20. And they mother very wonderful and worthy to be remembered is, for seeing in a single day perishing to her seven sons, she endured with good soul, for the hopes that she had in the Lord: 21. And she comforted each of them in the parental language, full of thought of valor and her thinking of woman awaking it up with a manly heart, she was saying towards them: 22. “I do not know how you have been conceived into my womb and I did not give you ghost and life and the imagination of each of you I did not make it, 23. But the Creator of the world, Who built the man from his birth, he will give you as a merciful One again life and ghost, since now you do not have mercy on yourselves, loving His laws”. 24. And Antioch, thinking that she is defaming him and reckoning that she rebukes him with those words, being the youngest one still alive, he was urging him not only with the words, but even with oaths as he would make him rich and happy, if he will reject the parental customs and he will have him as a friend and will entrust him with official dignities. 25. And the young one not listening to this, the king called his mother and urged her to advice him what to do to escape. 26. And with many advising her, she accepted to advise her son. 27. And leaning towards him and deceiving the merciless tyrant, she said so in the parental language: “Son, have mercy on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, and suckled you for three years, and fed you and brought you to this age and I have raised you, carrying you in my arms. 28. I pray you, son, looking at the sky and the earth and seeing the ones that are in them, you know that from nothing has God made them and in the same manner has He made also the human kind. 29. Do not have fear of this murderer; but make yourself worthy of your brothers, receive death, so in the day of the mercifulness to be me finding you together with your brothers”: 30. And while she was still speaking, the young one said: “Whom are you waiting for? I do not listen to the order of the king, but I am listening the commandment of the law, which has been given to our parents through Moses. 31. And you, the one who brought all the evilness upon Jews, you won`t escape the hand of God. 32. For we are suffering for our sins, 33. And if, for our examination and teaching, the Living God has got a little angry on us, he will reconcile again with his servants. 34. But you, oh, misbeliever and more lawless than all people, do not get haughty troubling yourself in vain and be proud for some unknown hopes, raising your hands over the heavenly servants, 35. For you haven`t yet escaped the judgment of the Almighty God, the One Who sees everything from above. 36. because now my brother, enduring a little pain, they have reached at the promise of the eternal life of God; and you with the judgment of God; and 246 you with the judgment of God will suffer the just punishment for Him for this haughtiness of yours. 37. And I, as my brother also, I give both my body and my soul for the parental laws, praying God, to not be late to be merciful on this people and through rebuking and beating to make you confess that He is the Only One God. 38. And in me and in my brother to be stopped the angry of the Almighty, which has been rightly brought upon our nation”. 39. So, getting the king angrier on this one that on the other ones, he tormented him, being bitter for he mocked him. 40. So also this one, totally clean, yielded his life, hoping in God. 41. And latter, after the sons, their mother also reposed. 42. And about stabbing and about the torments of beyond measure let`s be enough said. ( 3 ; The waged wars and the victories of Judah the Maccabeus against Nicanor and Timothy. 1. And Judah the Maccabeus and the ones who were with him, going secretly through the villages, they were calling the kinships and the one who remained in the Jew law and taking them with themselves, they gathered about six thousands men. 2. And they prayed to the Lord to watch towards the more tormented people than all the peoples and to be merciful and to have pity on the temple of the Lord defiled by pagan people. 3. And to have mercy on the totally destroyed city and which is going to be leveled to the earth and to be head the blood of the killed ones, which always shouts out towards Him. 4. And to remember the lawless destruction of the innocent children and the blasphemies spoken upon the nation and to hate the evilness; 5. And Judah the Maccabeus, having gathered army, the gentiles couldn`t suffer him and the anger of the Lord turned into mercy. 6. And coming without warning, he was burning cities and villages and taking the favorable places, defeating many of the enemies he set them on run. 7. And especially in the night he was doing this sort of rushing in, to that everywhere was heard the notice of his valor. 8. So, seeing Philip that i a short time this man increased so much, as often he goes with good fortune, he wrote to Ptolemy, the ruler of CeleOSyria and of Phoenicia, to help the king: 9. And he immediately chose Nicanor, the son of Patroclus, some of the most important friends, and he sent him delegating to him from all kind of nations but not less than twenty thousand men; to destroy all the nation 247 of the Jews. And he gave him also Gorgias as comrade, a instructed man at army and skilled to the things of the war. 10. And Nicanor reckoned that the tribute with which was the king debtor to the Romans, of which sum was two thousands talents, to pay it from the selling of the enslaved Jews. 11. And he immediately sent to the cities from next to the sea, calling them to come and buy Jew slaves, promising that he would give ninety slaves for a talent, not waiting upon him for the punishment of the Almighty One. 12. And Judah found out about the coming of Nicanor. 13. And, telling to the ones who were with him about the coming of the army, the fearful from them and who did not have hope in the justice of God they ran and went out from their places. 14. And the other ones were selling everything what left to them and prayed to the Lord to deliver the ones sold by the unfaithful Nicanor even before clashing in the war. 15. And if not for them than for the establishment which they made with their parents and because they were calling upon themselves the Most Holy and of Great Piousness His Name. 16. So, bringing Judah the Maccabeus the ones who were with him, who were in number of six thousands, he urged them to not get terrified by the enemies, neither to fear the much multitude of the gentiles, who with injustice come upon themselves; but to make war with valor, putting in front of their eyes the lawless insult made by them in the holy dwelling place. 17. And the beating of the holy city and the crumbling down of the ancestral tradition. 18. Because those ones dare in weapons and in boldness; and we hope in the Almighty God, who also the ones who are coming upon us and the entire world can destroy in a moment. 19. And besides these things he showed to them also the defenses made to their ancestors and the victory from the time of Senaeherib, how perished on hundred and eighty five thousands. 20. And the beating from Babylon the one made upon the Galatians, in total came to battle eight thousands with four thousands Macedonians; and the Macedonians withdrawing themselves, the eight thousands destroyed the one hundred and twenty thousand with the help came from heaven, and much pray they took. 21. With these ones he made them with boldness and ready to die for the law for and the country. 22. So, dividing the army in four parts, ordering his brother advisers to each row, on Simon and Judah and Jonathan, to each one of them delegating a thousand and five hundred men. 23. And also even Eleazar to read the holy book, and giving them sign: with the help of God, leading himself the first row, they hit Nicanor. 248 24. And being helped by the Almighty, they killed more than nine thousands enemies and wounded and maimed of limbs the most part of the Nicanor`s camp, and forced all of them to run away. 25. And the money of the one who came to buy slaves, they took it, and banishing them far away, they came back forced by the lack of time. 26. For it was before the day of rest, that`s why they ceased to chase them away more. 27. But taking from them the weapons and looting them, they sat in that place for the day of rest, blessing and confessing themselves to the Lord, the One Who ordered this day, a beginning of mercy ordering them. 28. And after the day of rest, they gave a part of the loots to the helpless ones and to the widows and to the poor; and the other ones they shared among themselves and their children. 29. And after they done these things and made a general prayer, they prayed the merciful God, to be in peace with His servants to the end. 30. After that, hitting the ones who were with Timothy and with Bachide, they killed more than two thousand from them and they overcome the high fortifications and they shared many loot, making equally partakers with themselves the helpless ones and the poor and the widows, as also the old ones. 31. And picking up the weapons from them, all of them they put it with reckoning in good places, and the other loots they brought them in Jerusalem. 32. And they killed also Filarh, who was with Timothy, who was a very lawless man and many troubles cause him to the Jews. 33. And when he celebrated the victory in the country, on Callisthenes, the one who burnt the holy gates, they set him on fire, in which he fled in, so he took the worthy of his believe loot. 34. And the wicked Nicanor, the one who brought o thousand merchants to sell them Jews, 35. With the help of God, being humiliated by the one who according to his opinion were nothing, rejecting his coat of glory, running away through the sea and alone, he came in Antioquia reaching in hard need, due to the lost of the army. 36. And the one who promised that he will give tribute to Romans from the enslaving of Jerusalem he confessed that the Jews have God as their defender and for that they are notOcrushable, because they kept the laws settled by Him before. ( 3 < About the shameful death of Antioch and his letter towards his descendents. 249 1. In the same time happened that Antioch turned back without honor from the places from Persia. 2. For entering in Persepolis, he started to loot the temple from them and to oppress the city; and the multitude running to weapons defeated him and so he came back with shame. 3. And when he was in Ecbatana, he found out what happened to Nicanor and what was with Timothy. 4. And getting lit with angry, he reckoned to avenge also the evilness of the ones who banished him away also on the Jews; that`s why he ordered to the one who drove the chariot to drive ceaselessly to finish quickly the journey, being forced to this by the heavenly judgment, for he said with haughtiness: Tomb to the Jews I will made Jerusalem immediately as I will reach there. 5. And the Almighty Lord God of Israel hit him with the unhealed and unseen wound, for, as soon as he finished the word, a unbearable pain in his belly took him and the bitter torments of the ones from inside him. 6. And he rightly suffered, for him with many and unheard of tormented the ones from inside of others, and he not at all ceased his haughtiness. 7. For he still was full of haughtiness, blowing fire over the Jews by anger and, commanding to hurry up with the travel, it happened that he fell down from the chariot with which he travelled and the falling being hard, all the limbs of the body were shaken. 8. And to the one whom it seemed that he reigns even upon the waves of the sea, due to the haughtiness that he had over the human nature, and he reckoned that he would put in balance the high mountains, now, being humbled to the ground, he was carried in a litter, showing towards all the power of God through his own example. 9. For from the body of this one issued worms and, living in torments and pains, the meat fell from him, and of his smell the entire camp was embarrassed, not suffering the stench. 10. And on the one who with a little time before seemed to touch the stars of the sky, nobody could carry him due to the insupportable stench. 11. Then started, being wounded, to cease from the multitude of the haughtiness and to come in his senses, under the beating of God and under the increasing of the pains. 12. And neither himself bearing his own smell, this one said: “Rightful is to obey to God and the one who is from earth to not liken himself to Him”. 13. And this lawless one prayed towards the Master, Who didn`t want at all to have mercy on him, so saying: 14. For also the holy city towards which he hurried up to liken it to the ground and to make it tomb, he will build it and will make it free. 15. And the Jews, whom he reckoned worthless even for burial, but together with their children to reject them to be food for the birds and beasts, all of them equals with the Athenians to make them. 16. And the holy temple, which he looted before, with beautiful gifts to adorn it and the holy vessels with much more to give them back and the expensed necessary to the sacrifices, from his revenues to give them. 250 17. Besides these things, that also he will make himself a Jew and he will go in every place inhabited by people, witnessing the power of God. 18. But the pains ceased in no way, for the right judgment of God came upon him and, getting in despair, he wrote to the Jews a letter with a prayer, like so: 19. “You good Jew citizens, lot of joy and health and happiness, the king and the chieftain of the armies, Antioch, 20. If you are in good health together with your children and your things are according to your will, we are very happy, thanking to the Most Great God from heaven, in Whom I hope. 21. And I, laid ill, about your honesty and your good heart I remember with love; coming back from the places from Syria and falling in heavy sickness, I reckoned that it is good to take care of your wellness. 22. I do not despair about myself, but I hope that I will escape this sickness. 23. And remembering that also my father, while he made war in the high places, he showed the one who will be after him, 24. For, happening something unexpected of some unsuccess, to know the one from the countries to whom he left the mastery and to not get troubled. 25. Besides this, seeing that the powerful ones and the neighbors of the kingdom they watch the times, waiting to see what will happen, I have put my son Antioch in my chair, whom for many times, while I was walking through the upper countries, to the most of you I was presenting him, and I have written also to him the ones written bellow. 26. So I urge and I pray you, that remembering the general and the individual benefactions, each of you to guard the faith towards me and my son. 27. For I have good hope that him with gentleness and with love for people, following my will, will live with you. 28. So that murderer and blasphemer suffered very bad torments, and as so he done to others, with the wicked death, in a foreign country and in mountainous place, he ended his life. 29. And Philip his comrade, brought his body, but fearing of his son Antioch, he went in Egypt to Ptolemy Philometor. ( 3 The cleaning of the temple and the victory upon the Edomites and upon Timothy. 1. And Judah the Maccabeus and the ones who were with him, being advised by the Lord, they conquered the temple and the city. 2. And the altars from within the market, which were built by the ones of another nation, and the pagan chapels, they broke them down. 251 3. And cleaning the temple, they made another altar and, heating stone and taking fire from them, after passes two years and six months, they brought sacrifice and incense and light and they made the showbreads. 4. And after they done this, they prayed to the Lord to not fall again in evilness like this, but even they will commit sin sometimes, be Him rebuking them with mercy and to not give them to the blasphemer and barbarian nations. 5. And in the day in which the ones of another nation defiled the temple it happened that just in the same day the cleaning was made, in the twenty fifth day of the same month, which is Chislev, 6. And with gladness they kept for eight days as at the feasts of the tents, remembering how a little while before they kept the feast of the tents in mountains and caves, feeding themselves like the beasts. 7. For that, pillars and beautiful branches, as also having willows, they were been giving praises to the One Who has made them worthy to sanctify the temple. 8. And he commanded with the general commandment and with order to the entire Jew people, to keep this feast each year. 9. And in the same way was the end of Antioch who was called Epiphan. 10. And how, we`ll show shortly the happened ones in the times of Eupator Antioch, the son of the lawless Antioch, telling the evil things which happened by the wars. 11. Because this one, after he was made king, he put chief over the businesses of the kingdom a certain Lisias, who was the chief ruler over CeleOSyria and Phoenicia. 12. Ptolemy, who was called Macron, he wanted to make justice to the Jews, for the injustice made to them, and strived to live in peace with them. 13. And for this he was denounced by the friends towards Eupator, and hearing many times that this one is called a traitor for leaving Cypress, which Philometor entrusted to him, and passed to Antioch Epiphan, not being able to preserve neither the honor, nor the office which he had it, by heavy heart, poisoning himself, he died. 14. And Gorgias, after he was made ruler over these places, gathering foreign army, he often started war against the Jews. 15. And uniting with these ones also the Edomites, which held strong citadels, who bothered the Jews and the one fled out from Jerusalem, receiving them, they tried to continue the war. 16. And the ones who were with Judas the Maccabeus, making prayer and asking help from God, they rushed upon the cities of the Edomites, 17. Whom hitting them with valor, they took the places and they were victorious over all the ones who were fighting on the walls, and the ones who came forth they stabbed them and they killed no less than twenty thousand. 18. And some of them fled away, around nine thousands, in two very big towers, which had everything they need. 252 19. And Judas the Maccabeus, leaving Simon, Josef and Zacchaeus and a few who were with him, to surround them and to fight with them, he went in the most endangered places. 20. The ones who were with Simon, loving the silver, they were deceived with money by some of the ones who were in the towers, and taking seventy thousands silver drachmas, they let some of them escaping. 21. And being informed the Maccabeus about what has been done, gathering the chieftains of the people, for they sold the brothers in exchange of brothers, letting the enemies upon them. 22. He killed this traitors and he immediately took the two towers. 23. So coming out well all his battles, he killed in the two towers more than two thousands. 24. Ant Timothy, the one who was defeated before by Jews, gathering foreign armies and very much horse raiders from Asia, came to enslave Judaea. 25. Judah the Maccabeus and the one who were with him, while he came close, they prayed to the Lord, scattering dirt on their heads and girdling their hips with sackcloth. 26. And falling to the ground before the altar, they prayed to be Him gentle to them and enemy to the adversaries, as the law says. 27. And after the prayer, taking their weapons, they went far out from the city and, getting close to the enemies, they stood. 28. And when the sun rose, both part clashed, these ones having guaranty of good fortune and victory the good deed and the escape towards the Lord, and those ones having and guide the wrath. 29. And while they were fighting bitterly, five shining man appeared from the sky, raiding on horses with gold bridles, which led the Jews in the battle. 30. Two of them grabbing Judah the Maccabeus in the middle and covering him with their weapons, they were guarding him unharmed; and upon the enemies they threw arrows and thunderbolts. So, growing in disorder, because they didn`t see, and getting troubled, they fell under the sword. 31. And were killed twenty thousand and five hundred pedestrians and six hundred horse raiders. 32. Timothy fled to Gezer, strong city, over which was chieftain Cheree. 33. And the ones who were with Judah the Maccabeus camped with valor around that city for four days. 34. And the ones from inside, hoping in the strength of the city, they were cursing very much and very ugly words they were throwing. 35. And when in the fifth day came the daylight, twenty strong men from the ones who were with Judah the Maccabeus, they hurried to the wall with valor and, with savage angry climbing it they cut everybody in their front. 36. Likewise, climbing also other upon the ones from inside, they set the tower in fire and, lighting fires, they burnt alive those cursing ones. 37. And other cut the gates and allowing inside the other camp, they took over the city; and on Timothy, who hid himself in a pit, as also Cheree, his brother, and on Apolofane, they killed them. 253 38. And after they did these things, with praising and confessions they blessed God, the One Who did much good of Israel and gave victory to them. ( 3 Judah crushed Lisias`s army. Lisias makes peace between the king and Judah. 1. And after a little while, Lisias, who was trustee of the king and kindred and steward over all the businesses being very upset for the things done, 2. He gathered almost eighty thousands and all the horse riders and came against the Jews, thinking to make the city a dwelling place for the Hellenes, 3. To sell the temple for money, as also the other chapels of the pagans, and to put the hierarchy yearly to selling. 4. And he did not think at all to the power of God, but he boasted with the tens of thousands of pedestrians and with the thousands of horse raiders and with eighty elephants. 5. So, entering in Judaea, he headed towards Better, which was a hard to reach place and far away as four furlongs from Jerusalem, and surrounded it. 6. And whether the ones who were with Judah the Maccabeus found it out that he beats the cities, they prayed to the Lord with weeping and with tears together with the entire people to send a good angel towards the deliverance of Israel. 7. And Maccabeus, taking him first the weapons, he urged also the other ones to stay together with him in dangers and to help his brothers. 8. And departing together with zeal, and being they to Jerusalem, there appear a horse raider dressed in a white cloth and going in front of them with glittering gold weapons. 9. And all together blessed the merciful God and strengthened with the hearts, being ready to rush upon not only the men but even upon the wild beasts and iron walls. 10. So then, approaching in good order, having in their help the Lord from the chariot, Who had mercy on them, 11. And rushing as some lion upon the enemies, they downed to earth eleven thousands of pedestrians, as also one thousand and six hundred horse raiders. 12. And they set all of them in fleeing and many of them being wounded, escaped naked, and among them also Lisias escaped and fled with insult. 13. And because he wasn`t mindless, reckoning about the abasement that was done to him and reckoning that the Jews are undefeated, for the Almighty God helps them, 14. Sending to them, he promised that he will receive the rightful ones and he also will convince the king to be their friend. 254 15. And Maccabeus listened to the prayers of Lisias, taking care in everything of the useful ones; for as many as Judah asked to Lisias through letters concerning the Jews, the king allowed it. 16. And the books written by Lisias to the Jews were like so: “Lisias, to the multitude of the Jews, joy. 17. To John and Abesalom, whom you sent, giving the letter from you, they asked me to fulfill the ones written into them. 18. So, as many were appropriate to be shown to the king, we showed them to him, and what happened he forgave it. 19. So if you will guard the benevolence towards the mastery, furthermore I will make myself cause of the goodness for you. 20. And for these I commanded also to these ones and to the ones sent from me, to speak to you in detail. 21. Be in good health. The year one hundred and forty eight, of the month of Distros, the twenty forth day. 22. And the epistle of the king comprised these things: “King Antioch to brother Lisias, joy. 23. After our brother moved to gods, we want that the ones from under our reigning to be untroubled in their care taking; 24. Hearing that the Jews didn`t want to listen to my father, to pass to the Hellenistic customs, but they rather want to keep their law, and now they pray to us, to allow them to keep their law, 25. Willing us that also this nation to be untroubled, we reckoned that also their temple to be returned to them and to be them living according to the customs of their ancestors. 26. That`s why you will do god if you will send to them and will make peace with them, for knowing they our will to be in good heart and glad to finish their things”. 27. And the epistle sent by the king towards the nation of the Jews it was like so: “King Antioch, to the great council of the Jews and to the other Jews, joy. 28. If you are in good health, you are like we want, and we are in good health. 29. Menelaus has shown to us that you want to go in the homeland and to be in your things. 30. Therefore, to the ones who will come back in thirty days term of the month Xanti, we give them free will, 31. For the Jews to keep their foods and laws as before, and nobody from among them to have any trouble for what was done through nescience. 32. And I have also sent Menelaus to comfort you. 33. Be you in good health. The year one hundred and forty eight, in fifteen days of the month Xanti”. 34. Also the Romans sent to them a letter written like so: “Quintus Memmius, and Titus Manlius, the empowered of the people of the Romans, to the people of the Jews, joy! 35. What Lisias, the kindred of the king has allowed you, we also allow them. 255 36. And for what he reckoned to be submitted to the emperor, send somebody soon, after you will have studied the whole cause, to be it shown to the emperor as you wish, for we come to Antioquia. 37. Therefore, hurry and send someone, for we know what you want. 38. Be in good health. The year one hundred and forty eight, fifteen days of the month Xanti”. ( 3 The victories of Judah the Maccabeus. Judah conquers many cities and subdue the nations from around. The defeat of Gorgias and Timothy. Falling also some of the Jews, who brought gifts to idols, Judah orders to be brought sacrifices also for them. 1. After these connections were made, Lisias went to the king; and the Jews started working their fields. 2. But the chieftains of the armies, the ones who were in those places: Timothy and Apollonius, the son of Geneu, as also Jerome and Demofon, and Nicanor besides these ones, the ruler of Cypress, didn`t let them living in peace and quietness. 3. And the inhabitants of Joppa did such a evilness, that he urged the Jews that lived with them, for together with the women and the children who lived with them, to enter in the ships prepared by them, as no enmity was between them. 4. But they were working according to the council general of the city, and the Jews accepting the invitation as ones who wanted to be in peace, and not having any suspicion, traveling with the ships they were drowned, being them about two hundred in number. 5. Finding Judah out the evilness done to the ones from his nation, commanding to the men that were with him, 6. And calling the Right Judge, God, he went upon the killers of his brothers and set in the night in fire the harbor and he burnt the ships, and killed the ones who fled in there. 7. And being the city closed, he turned back to come for the second time, and to destroy the entire Joppa city. 8. Finding out that the ones from Jamnia want to do the same thing to the Jews who lived with them, 9. Rushing upon the inhabitants of Jamnia in the night, he set the harbor and the ships in fire, than the light of the flame was seen from Jerusalem, from a distance of twenty hundred and forty furlongs. 10. And going from there nine furlongs, heading upon Timothy, the Arabs rushed upon Judah, at about five thousands and five hundred horse raiders. 256 11. And the war getting strong, and, with the help of God overcoming the ones who were with Judah, and the Arabs prayed Judah to make peace with them, promising to give him animals, and to be useful to him in the other concerns. 12. And Judah, reckoning that they will truly be useful in many concerns, he let them having peace, and, accepting the deal with them, they went to their tents. 13. Then Judah rushed also upon a city with a strong bridge and surrounded with walls, into which dwelled many kinds of nations, and of which name was Caspin. 14. And the ones from inside, trusting in the strength of the walls and in the multitude of food that they gathered inside, were behaving haughtily, mocking the ones who were with Judah, and cursing them and speaking lawlessness. 15. And the ones who were with Judah, calling the mighty Master of the world, Who without rams and tools crumbled down the walls of Jericho, in the time of Joshua, rushed as some beasts upon the wall. 16. And with the will of God, taking over the city, they did a awful slaughter, than the lake from next to the city, which was wide of two furlongs, it appeared full of the blood flowing. 17. And from there, going for almost seven hundred and fifty furlongs, they arrived in Haraki, to the ones called Tubian Jews. 18. And they did not catch Timothy in those places, for without feat turned he back there, leaving a guard of army in a very strong place. 19. And Dositheos and Sosipater from the chieftains who were with Judah Maccabeus, going, killed the guards left by Timothy and more than ten thousands men. 20. And Judah the Maccabeus, putting his army in order, he put them upon the bands and left against Timothy having with himself one hundred and twenty thousand pedestrians and one thousand and five hundred horse raiders. 21. So, finding Timothy out about the arrival of Judah, he sent the women and the children and the other wealth on the other side, in the place called Carnain for that place was very difficult to be surrounded and not easy would have been for somebody to approach it due to the narrowness of all the places. 22. From the beginning, when the band of Judah appeared, the enemies were afraid by the face of the One Who sees everything and started running each one as he could, than often they harmed eachOother and cut themselves with the edge of the swords. 23. And Judah, chasing them very strongly, cutting those lawless ones, he killed about thirty thousand men. 24. And Timothy fell in the hands of the soldiers of Dositheos and of Sosipater, and he prayed with many prayers to set him free alive, for he has many of the parents and of the brothers of many Jews in his hands and if he dies, bad thing will be done to these ones. 257 25. And by promising him many things in front of them, as he will return back all of those unharmed, they set him free from the deliverance of the brothers. 26. And Judah going against Carnaim and against the temple of goddess Atargatis, killed twenty five thousands men. 27. And after the feeing and destruction of these ones, Judah camped upon the Efron, which was a strong city, in which dwelled Lisias and a multitude of other nations; and before the walls stay strong men, who were fighting manly. Many weapons and arrows were put there. 28. But calling the Strong One, Who with strength crushes the power of the enemies, he took the city under his hands and, and the ones who were inside, he killed about twenty five thousands. 29. And going away from there, he rushed upon the city of Scythe, which was far from Jerusalem about six hundred furlongs. 30. And the Jews, who dwelled there, confessing the love the Schitopolenes had for them, and that in the miserable days they were gentle to them, 31. Judah and his ones, thanking to them, urged them that also furthermore to be good to the nation of the Jews, and they came to Jerusalem, when the feats of the Pentecost came nigh. 32. And after the feast of the Pentecost, they went against Gorgias, the ruler of Edom. 33. And Gorgias came out with three thousand pedestrians and four hundred horse raiders, 34. And fighting eachOother, it happened that few from the Jews fell. 35. And a certain Dositheos from among the Tubians, horse rider and strong man, caught Gorgias and, holding him by the vestment, he held him with valor, willing to bring that cursed man alive as slave; and one of the Thracian horse riders coming upon him and hitting him over the shoulder, Gorgias escaped feeing in Maresa. 36. And the ones who were with Edris fighting more and getting Tired, Judah called the Lord to be help and chieftain to them in the battle. 37. Starting in the language of the parents and with singing shouting out and raising up the voice, without warning they rushed upon the armies of Gorgias and defeated them. 38. Then Judah, taking the army, he went in the city of Adullam and, arriving the seventh day, he cleaned himself according to the custom and he spent there the resting day. 39. And the next day came the ones who were with Judah to pick up the bodies of the killed ones and to lay them together with their relatives in the parental tombs. 40. And he found out under the clothes of the dead ones things consecrated to the idols of Jamnia, from which the law forbidden the Jews, and to everybody was clear that for this reason they fell. 41. And everybody blessed the Right Judge, the Lord, the One Who shows the hidden ones, 42. And turning back to the prayers, he prayed for the committed sin, to be totally erased. And the valiant Judah urged the multitude to guard itself 258 without sin, seeing with their eyes what was done for the sin of the one who fell before. 43. And gathering money according to the number of the men who were with him, he sent to Jerusalem two thousands silver drachmas, to be brought sacrifice for the sin. Very good and pious thing for the reckoning of the resurrection of the dead! 44. For if he wouldn`t have had hope that the one fell before will resurrect, it would be vain and for laughing thing to pray for the dead ones. 45. And he saw that to the ones who slept with good piousness, a very good gift is being put to them. 46. Therefore, saint and pious thought it was, that he brought sacrifice for the dead ones, to be relieved from the sin. ( 3 5 The death of Menelaus and the peace of Antioch with Judah. 1. In the year one hundred and forty nine, the one who were with Judah found out that Antioch Eupator comes with multitude upon the Jews. 2. And together with him came also Lisias the trustee, who was the ruler over the businesses of the country, each of them having a Hellenic army; one hundred and ten thousands pedestrians, horse raiders five thousands and three hundred, twenty two elephants and three hundred war chariots sickles carriers. 3. And came together with them also Menelaus to accompany them and with much deceitfulness he urged Antioch, not thinking to the deliverance of the homeland, but hoping that he will make him chieftain. 4. But the Emperor of the Emperors incited the anger of Antioch upon the sinful one, and showing Lisias that this one is the cause of all evilness, he commanded, as the custom was in that place, to destroy him, bringing him in Bereea. 5. And was in that place a tower of fifty cubits in height full with ash, and this one had a very fine crafted tool which allowed it to lean in all parts and to slide in ash. 6. Here were being thrown all the ones who were thieves of holy objects or guilty of other big evilness. 7. With this death it happened to die also the lawless Menelaus, not being worthy even of burial. 8. Rightly, because many sins he done upon the altar, of whose fire and ash were clean and just in the ash he found out his death. 9. And the king came with barbarian thoughts, to do to the Jews bigger evilness that was done in the days of his father. 10. And Judah finding these things out, he commanded to the people to pray to the lord, day and night for, as in other times, so to help them now. 259 11. To the ones who were about to be deprived either of the law, of homeland and of the holy dwelling place, to not let it to be submitted to the blasphemer nations. 12. And all of them together doing this and asking the merciful God with weeping and with fasting and with falling down to earth for three days ceaselessly, Judah comforted them and ordered them to prepare themselves. 13. And Judah together with the elders held council, before the army of the king entering Judaea and to conquer Jerusalem, to go in their way and with the help of God to decide the matter. 14. So, entrusting himself to the care of the One Who made the world and urging the ones who were with him for manly struggle to death for the laws, for the temple of the Lord, for the city, for the homeland and for the tradition, he settled his camp around Modein. 15. And giving to his ones the secret word: “The Lord is our victory”, with most good strong men he hit in the night the kingly camp and they killed about four thousands men and the one who was the chieftain over the elephants with all his ones. 16. Later, after they filled up the camp with fear and trouble, they turned back well. 17. This was done when the sun was rising, being helped by the taking care of the Lord. 18. And the king, immediately that he saw the dare of the Jews, he spied the places with skillfulness. 19. And advancing against Better which was a strong guard of the Jews, he was beaten, pushed backward and lose soldiers. 20. And Judah was sending to the ones from inside the necessary ones. 21. And a certain Rodocos from the camp of the Jews told the secrets to the enemies. And, being searched the matter he was caught and locked up. 22. And the king stood for the second time to speak with the ones from Better and giving them advice for peace, they went and clashed with the ones who were with Judah and he was defeated. 23. So then, finding out that Philip would have risen upon him in Antioquia, whom he left chief over the things, he got troubled, and praying the Jews, he obeyed to them and swore upon all the right ones and, reconciling together, he brought sacrifice and honored the temple of the Lord and the place and had mercy on it. 24. And he welcomed Judah the Maccabeus and made him Ruler from Ptolemais to Gera County. 25. And then the king came there to Ptolemais, and the inhabitants from Ptolemaida were discontent related to this settlement and they wanted to break the agreement made with the Jews. 26. Then Lisias entered in the council and told all the matter and appeased them and settled them down and made them having a good will. After that he turned back in Antioquia; so were the advancing and the withdrawal of the king. 260 ( 3 6 The faithlessness of Nicanor; the obedience of Judah and the death of valor of Razis. 1. After the passing of three years Judah and the ones who were with him found it out that Demetrius of Seleucus, passing through the harbor of Tripoli, he has come with great multitude and with ships, 2. He conquered countries, killing Antioch and Lisias, his trustee; 3. And a certain Alkım, who was a hierarch and willingly defiled himself in the times of rebellion, reckoning that in no way it remains to him any hope of salvation neither of entrance at the holy altar, 4. He came to the king Demetrius in the year one hundred and fifty one, bringing to him the crown of gold and willow, and besides these some branches of olive tree, as the custom is, to give them to the temple. And in that day he kept his rest. 5. And finding a good time to his madness, being called by Demetrius to council and asking him what they want and what the Jews are planning, 6. He Answered these things: To the Jews, who are called Asidees, in the front of who was Judah the Maccabeus, they like to have war and to argue and not to let in peace the ones who rule. 7. That`s why also myself deprived of the parental glory, namely of archiepiscopate, I have come here now, 8. Firstly, thinking very well at what is lawful to the king, and secondly, willing the good of my citizens, for through the evilness of the ones about whom I have spoken before entire our nation is oppressed. 9. So, knowing each of these things, you king, have mercy of our country and of our oppressed nation, and help him for the love of people that you have towards all of them. 10. For until Judah will be, there is no possibility to be the things in peace”. 11. And after he spoke so, immediately the other friends, having enmity upon Judah, they stirred up Demetrius even more. 12. So Demetrius, calling Nicanor straightway, the one who was chief over the elephants and making him general over Judaea, he sent him there, 13. Giving him commandments to kill Judah and to scatter the ones who were with him and to put Alkım as hierarch of the extolled temple. 14. And the Gentiles, which fled Judaea due to Judah, they gathered as the flocks next to Nicanor, the misfortunes and the dangers of the Jews seemingly being they happiness. 15. And hearing of the arrival of Nicanor and of the gathering of the Gentiles, scattering their heads with dirt, they prayed to the One Who founded forever His people and Who always plainly defended His part. 16. And their ruler commanding them, the Jews straightway proceeded from there and hit the enemies to the village of Adasa. 17. And Simon, the brother of Judaea, clashed with Nicanor, but he was scarred by the sudden coming of the enemies. 261 18. But Nicanor, hearing about the valor of the ones who were with Judah and about the manhood that they had in the battle for their homeland, he feared to untie the quarrel through blood shedding. 19. That`s why he sent forth Posidonio and Teodoto, namely Mattathias, to try a agreement. 20. And analyzing for a long time these aspects and the ruler of the people speaking to the multitude, all together wanted to make peace. 21. And they established a day, in which the two rulers especially to come together. And coming both of them, each of them had his honorable chair. 22. And Judah ordered ready armed people, in good places, lest the enemies to do suddenly an evil thing; but they finished the talking on good peace. 23. And Nicanor, remaining at Jerusalem, he did nothing wrong and he released the armies which gathered like the flocks. 24. And he had always Judah in front of his eyes, loving him from his heart. 25. And he advised him to marry and to give beget sons and he married and live in peace enjoying the life. 26. And Alkım, seeing the love that they had each one to another and taking a copy after their peace treaty, he came to Demetrius and told to him that Nicanor thinks against the king, for Judah, the enemy of the kingdom, he chose him to be hierarch in his place. 27. And the king, getting full of anger and being incited by the denouncers, wrote with enmity to Nicanor, seeing him that it is difficult to accept the concluded alliance, and he commands to send soon Maccabeus tied to Antioquia. 28. And arriving this to Nicanor, he got sad and it was difficult to him to to break the concluded alliance, for this man wasn`t doing anything wrong to him. 29. But because he couldn`t stay against the king, he searches occasion to commit this with cunningness. 30. And Maccabeus seeing Nicanor answering him harsher and the usual behavior having it wilder, he reckoned that this harshness is not towards good and, gathering many of his men, he hid himself from Nicanor. 31. So knowing him that the man overcame the cunningness with valor, he went to the great and holy temple of the Lord, when the priests brought the pious sacrifices and commanded to them to give him this man. 32. And they swore saying that the ones for whom he is searching for they do not know where he is. Stretching his right hand towards the temple of the Lord, 33. Nicanor swore like so: “If you won`t give me Judah tied, this temple of God I will make it a bare land, and I will dig out the altar and I will make here a known temple to Dionysus. 34. And after he said these thing he went from there, and the priests, stretching their hands up to the sky, they called the always Defender of our nation, saying these: 35. “You, God, Who doesn`t need anything, You deigned good that Your temple to be in the midst of us. 262 36. And now, Holy of the entire holiness, Lord, guard to the end of the time undefiled this temple, which has been cleaned latter, and cover any unjust mouth”. 37. And a certain one, called Razis, from the elders from Jerusalem, was denounced to Nicanor. Razis was a man loving the city and with a good name, than for the benevolence that he had, was called the parent of the Jews, 38. For in the times before of the not mixing of the Jews with the Hellenes he was a daring lover of the Judaic traditions and he put his body and his soul for Jews with all the toil. 39. So wanting Nicanor to show the hatred that he had for the Jews, he sent over five hundred to catch Razis. 40. For he reckoned that if they will catch him, he will cause a very big pain to the Jews. 41. And when the crowd of soldiers, wanting to take over the tower where Razis hid himself, knocked at the doors and ordered to bring fire to set the doors in fire, then Razis, almost surely of being caught, he stabbed himself with the sword, 42. Wanting better to die in honor, then to obey himself to the pagans and to suffer unworthy insults against his honor. 43. But due to the hurry, he failed to stab himself mortally and the crowd rushing in through the door, he, running on the walls with valor, he threw himself over the crowd fool of manhood. 44. And the crowd from beneath withdrawing quickly, to give place to his falling, he fell right in the middle of them. 45. And still being alive and hot, he stood on his hands, and the blood from him gushed heavily and, despite being heavily wounded, he ran passing through the multitude, 46. And sitting on a elevated rock, he plucked out his entrails by grabbing them with his hands and threw them towards the crowd, praying to the One Who masters the life and over the ghost, to give them back him again; and in this way he died. ( 3 Judah destroys Nicanor and a multitude of his army and commands to cut off his hands and his head and to hang them in Jerusalem, towards the remembrance of the godlike power. 1. And Nicanor, finding out that the ones who were with Judah are in the places around Samaria, he took council, that in the day of rest, without any fear, to go with war against them. 2. But with the Jews, which forcedly were going with Nicanor, were saying: “Do not destroy them in any way so wild and barbarian, but honor the day which was sanctified and honored before by the One Who sees everything. 263 3. And for three times that lawless pagan asked: “Is there in heaven a Mighty One who would have ordered to be kept a day of rest?” 4. And they answered: “The living Lord, that One is the Mighty One from heaven, Who commanded to not work in the sixth day”. 5. And the other one said: “Also I am powerful on earth, who commands to take weapons and to fulfill the things of the king”. But he didn`t reached to fulfill his lawless advice. 6. So Nicanor, with all his greatness, exalting himself, he reckoned to make a great victory upon Judah. 7. And Judah the Maccabeus, with all the confidence, he taught that he will have help from the Lord. 8. And urged the one who were with him to not be scarred by the coming of the Gentiles, but remembering the help received before, which were made to them from heaven, and how to wait from the Almighty victory and help. 9. And he comforted them from the law and from the prophets and remembering to them about the wars that he fought, he elated them with even more zeal. 10. And in this way, inciting them with anger, he showed to them together that the Gentiles didn`t keep the alliance and they broke the oath. 11. And each of them he was strengthening him not as much with shields and weapons, but rather with good words, and in the end he told them and dream worthy to be believed, through which he made them all glad. 12. And the hallucination of the dream was like so: that Onias, who was hierarch, good man, gentle, pious at his countenance and with good habits and pious in his words, who from his childhood toiled at working all the good deeds, he was praying with his stretched hands for the entire assembly of the Jews. 13. After this appeared a man with gray hair and with wonderful glory and most pious greatness was around him. 14. And Onias spoke, saying towards Judah: “This is the lover of brothers, the God`s prophet Jeremiah, who much prays for the people and for the holy city”. 15. And Jeremiah stretched his hand and gave to Judah the sword of Gold and said this things: 16. “Take this holy sword, which is a gift from God, through which you will down the enemies”. 17. So, being comforted with these very good words of Judah, who could lighten the hearts of the strong men and towards valor elated them, he reckoned not to tarry, but to rush upon with valor and manly to start fighting, to be the thing decided; for also the city and the holies of the Lord were in danger. 18. And of the women and of the children and of the brothers and of the kindred they took little care; the biggest fear and the first one were for the holy dwelling place. 19. But the ones who were in the city were very worried and troubled for the ones who followed to wage the war. 264 20. And all of them waited for the near end, for the enemies got closer and set their army in battle line, out their elephants in a good place and the horse raider to the right and to the left. 21. And Maccabeus, seeing the coming of the army and the preparing of the divers weapons and the wilderness of the elephants, he stretched the hands towards the sky and prayed to the Lord and to the Guardian Who does wonders, knowing that the victory isn`t in weapons, but, as He thought Himself, He gives victory to the worthy ones. 22. And praying, he said so: “You, Lord, sent Your angel in the days of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and he killed from the camp of Senaeherib about one hundred and eighty five thousands. 23. And now, Master of the heaven, send a good angel in front of us, for being towards fear and tremble, 24. Because of the greatness of Your arm to be afraid the ones who are coming with blasphemy upon Your holy people”. And these words were his entire prayer. 25. Nicanor and the ones who were with him were coming with trumpets and songs. 26. And Judah and the ones who were with him with calling and with prayers fought the enemy. 27. And getting Tired with the hands, and with the hearts praying towards God, they downed thirty five thousands, rejoicing very much this great appearance of God. 28. And ceasing the war and turning back with gladness, they knew that Nicanor, clothed with all his weapons, fell. 29. And being made shouting out and havoc, they blessed the Mighty One in the language of their parents. 30. And Judah, the one who were in all ways ready to die with the body and the soul to die for the citizens, to cut off the head of Nicanor and the hand with the arm, and to bring them to Jerusalem. 31. And after he arrived there, calling the ones of the same blood with him and putting the priests before the altar, he called the ones who were in the city. 32. And he showed them the head of the lawless Nicanor and the hand of the evil blasphemer, which he stretched it with haughtiness upon the holy house of the Almighty. 33. And the tongue of the evil believer Nicanor he commanded to be cut in small pieces and to feed the birds with it; and in the front of the holy dwelling place, to hang the arm of the malefactor. 34. And all of them looking at the sky, they blessed the Lord God, saying: “Blessed is the One Who guarded His place undefiled”. 35. He hanged the Nicanor`s head on the wall of the city, to be seen by all and to know that it is the true sign of the help of God. 36. And all of them decided in one thought not to let this day unmarked; 37. But its celebration to be in the thirteenth day of the month Adar, one day before the day of Mordecai. 265 38. So the ones which were with Nicanor so happened and from those times the Jews mastered the city of Jerusalem; and I will end here my word. 39. And if it is put together as it ought, this one I have also wanted; and if it is with shortcomings and average, I have myself done everything I could. 40. For as drinking only wine and only water, is an inappropriate thing, while the wine mixed with water it is sweet and delights, likewise the craftsmanship to order the story delights the ears of the ones who read it. And here to be the end. 266 2 ( !! 3 Ptolemy Filopator wants to rush in the Holy of the Holies and a great unrest is made in Jerusalem. 37. And Ptolemy Filopator, understanding from the one who came back that Antioch took over the places from under his mastery, he commanded to all his armies, to the pedestrians and to the horde raiders to gather themselves up. 38. And taking with himself his sister Arsinoe, he went to the places towards Raffia, where were camped the ones who were with Antioch. 39. And a certain Teodoto, thinking to do cunningness, he took the most valor soldiers of Ptolemy, who were before under his command, and started going in the night to the tent of Ptolemy, for he alone to kill him and in this way to be scattered the war. 40. But this one was escaped by Dositheos, who was called Drimilus, who was Jew after nation, but after that he changed his law and estranged himself from the parental dogmas; this one arranged to sleep in the tent of the king an unknown one, whom happened what was to happen to the king. 41. And after that, being made a big war and the victory being on the part of Antioch, Arsinoe wandered and prayed to the soldiers with weeping and with tears, with the hair disheveled, asking them to manly help her and her children and her women, promising that she will give to the ones who will be victorious two mines of gold. 42. And so happened that many enemies perished in the fights and many were enslaved. 43. Baffling this plotting, Ptolemy reckoned to go in the near cities, to comfort them, and after he did this and shared gifts to the pagan chapels, he made his subjects to be with a good heart. 44. And the Jews sent to him from the great council and from the most important ones, to bow down to him and to bring him presents for the things happened; but it happened that he also had in mind to go towards them. 45. And after he went to Jerusalem, he sacrificed to the Most Great God and he gave presents and sign of honoring the place. 46. And coming to the temple and with zeal and with decency wondering and being amazed by the good order of the temple, he tough to take council, to enter into it. 47. And when it was told to them that it is not appropriate to do this, for not only to the ones from among the Gentiles it is forbidden, but to all the priests, except to the hierarch, who advises everybody, but even to this one only once a year, he didn`t want in no way to listen. 48. And even if in front of him was read the law, he still didn`t gave up to enter in, saying that he must enter, even if they are deprived of this 267 honor, “I must not be deprived”, and he asked them why, entering himself throughout the temple of the Lord, nobody stopped him. 49. And a certain one, without thinking, said: “Evil has this one become; and he wanted to know for what reason he mustn`t enter with or without their will?” 50. And the priests, clothed with all the vestments, falling down in his front, prayed to the Most Great God to help them and to turn back the impulse of the evil invader, filling the temple up with shouting up with crying, and the ones who were in the city, being troubled, humped in with horror not knowing what is being done. 51. And the virgins locked into the chambers, together with the mother who begot them, started, and spreading their heads with ash, they filled up the streets with sights and crying. 52. And the ones who recently locked themselves in their wedding chambers, as they were found, leaving the shame ought to them, and they ran in the city in a hurry. 53. And the mothers and the nurses leaving the recently born children, hither and thither, some of them through houses, other in the streets, they ceaselessly gathered to the great dwelling place. 54. And of many kinds was the prayer of the ones who gathered together, due to the indecent things which the king was trying to do. 55. And together with these ones, the citizens becoming daring, didn`t suffered him to accomplish the plan from his mind; but they shouted out to depart to the weapons, and to die manly for the ancestral law, and great havoc they made into the holy city. 56. And the priests and the elders hardly persuaded him and he turned back to the prayer place. 57. And the multitude was waiting as before, praying; and the elders, who were with the king, in many ways tempted him, to move his haughty thought from the plan that he conceived. 58. And he becoming even more daring, leaving everything, was preparing himself to enter, to commit the ones that he said before. 59. Seeing these things also the ones who were with the king, they turned back to pray with our people to the One Who has all the power, for be helping to the ones who were there and to not overlook this lawless and haughty deed. 60. And the ceaseless and uninterrupted shouting of the multitude which gathered together became a unimaginable shouting, 61. Than it seemed that not only the people, but also the walls and the entire earth were shouting, all of them wanting rather the death than the defilement of the holy place. 268 ( 3 The prayer of Simon the hierarch and of the other Jews; the punishment of Ptolemy and his healing. 1. And Simon the hierarch, kneeling down before the temple and stretching fort his hands with decency, he prayed like so: 2. “Lord! Lord, the Emperor of the heavens and the Master of all creature, the Holy One among the holy ones, the Only Ruler, AllOKeeper, look at us, the ones who are persecuted by the lawless pagan, who is hot with big daring and by power, 3. For You are the One Who has made all and you master everything; Lord, You are right, the One Who judges them who behave with haughtiness and pride. 4. You on the ones who made injustice before, among whom were even giants, who had hoped in valor and daring, You destroyed them, bringing over them immeasurable water. 5. You on the haughty Sodomians and taken by a proved and untold evilness, You burnt them with fire and pitch, making them example to the descendants. 6. You, on the daring Pharaoh, who on Israel, Your holy people, he enslaved it, tempting it with many and different labors, You showed Your power. 7. And after that, You showed Your great power, when You drown him into the bottom of the sea, while he ran after Your people with chariots and a multitude of crowds; and on the one who believed in You, the One Who masters over all the creature, You passed them whole, who, knowing the work of Your hands, they prayed You as the AllOKeeper One. 8. You, Emperor, Who built this edgeless and immeasurable earth, You chose this city and you sanctified this place towards Your name, You, Who doesn`t need anything and You extolled it with Your bright appearance, exalting towards glory to Your great and mostOholy name. 9. And, loving the house of Israel, You promised that at anytime, deviating us from You, we will be encompass by tribulation, and coming us in this place to pray ourselves, You will listen our pray. 10. And You are truly faithful and true, because for many times, when our parents were in need, You helped them into their humbleness and You delivered them from big tribulations. 11. Look so, now, You Holy Emperor, for our many and big sins, we are oppressed and we are submitted to our enemies and deserted into helplessness. 12. And in this falling of ours, this lawless daring one strives to defile the holy dwelling place, which You have chosen on this earth to Your glorified Name. 13. For Your dwelling place is the sky of the heaven, to which the men can`t get closer; but You deigned, into Your glory, to sanctify this place for Your people Israel. 14. Do not bring over us Your revenge through these unclean ones, neither punish us, through the lawless ones, to not brag themselves the lawless 269 ones into their anger, neither to rejoice themselves into the pride of their tongue, saying: “We trampled the house of the holiness, as the place of the abominations is trampled”. 15. Erase our sins and scatter our mistakes and show Your mercy in this hour, in a hurry to be us welcomed by Your mercifulness and put praise in the mouth of the ones who fell and were crushed with the souls, make us peace”. 16. And the AllOSeeing God, the One Holier than all, into his dwelling he heard the prayer made by the law, that haughty and proud one, hit him very, 17. Hither and thither wobbling him, and the reed shaken by the wind, not being able to do anything and he was with the weak limbs and neither could he speak, with the right judgment being rebuked. 18. So, the friends and the guardians of the his body seeing that quick beating that grabbed him, fearing to not end his life, they brought him out in a hurry, afraid of unspeakable fear. 19. And after a while, waking himself up, he didn`t repent at all after that beating, but speaking bitter and horrible words, he went away. 20. And arriving in Egypt and adding the evilness with the help of the comrades rejected of all righteousness, which I have shown before, 21. He wasn`t satisfied only with those countless lawlessness, but even to so much daring has him come, than in all places he spoke curses upon the people and many friends, seeing the thought of the king, they tried to do his will. 22. For the king put in his mind that upon the Jew people to give the blasphemy, and erecting next to the tower of the yard a pillar, he carved on it a letter, 23. For no one from the ones who do not bring sacrifice to not enter in their temples and all the Jews to be written indiscriminately with the orderly people and to be written together with the indigenous ones; and the ones who would answer against, taking them forcedly, to kill them. 24. The written ones to be marked with fire, with the sign of Dionysus, imprinting on their body the ivy leaf, and passing them in this way in the category of the ones who have the right to be spared. 25. But to not be seen that he is enemy to everybody, he wrote on beneath: “For if some of them want to pass in the chosen ones for the services of the sacrifices, these ones to have the same rights with the Alexandrines”. 26. So some ones from the city, hating the orders of the good faith of the city, they easily gave themselves, but, as they would achieve a great honor from the living they would have with the king. 27. And the many, with a soul of valor strengthening themselves, they didn`t separate themselves from the good faith, but, ransoming they lives with money, they fearlessly strived to escape from census, having a good hope that defend will come to them. 28. And of the ones who departed from them they were disgusted and they judged them as some enemies of the nation and lacked them of the communal living and of help. 270 ( 3 5 Ptolemy Filopator orders the destruction of all the living people from Judaea. 1. Understanding these thing, the unbeliever, so much he got angry, than he got angry not only on the Jews who lived in Alexandria, but also upon the ones from the country who resisted with even more strength and the commanded to be immediately gathered in one place and with hard death to kill them. 2. And those things being prepared, bad news was heralded upon the Jews to the evil willing people, to whom is given occasion to fulfill their will, stopping them from their laws. 3. And the Jews in all time kept love and faith to the kings and because they feared God and walked in His law, they were different through their foods, and for this thing they were hated by some people, but because they worshipped God with the good deeds of the right things, adorning their living, to all they were pleasant to all people. 4. The good living of the Jews which was known to all of them, the ones foreign of the nation did not reckoned it at all; and the difference of the worshipping and of the foods they heralded, saying that not even by the king, neither of power are these people listening, but they are evil in their hearth and very resistant against the things and great defamation they stirred up. 5. And the Hellenes from the city, not being in anything wronged by the Jews, seeing that unexpected quarrel and sudden rushing in upon these people and relentless running being done, they could not help them, for it was a kingly commandment. 6. But they prayed and suffered and heavily suffered thinking that these things will be changed, because such a numerous people could not be left without help, because He does nothing evil. 7. And some from the neighbors and friends and merchants they were speaking secretly ones to others, promising them that they will be faithful to them and all together will defend them and gladly will they come to help them. 8. And Ptolemy, for now it was going well to him, getting haughty and not taking heed at the too great power of God, but thinking that forever will remain the same plan, he wrote upon them this book: 9. “The king Ptolemy Filopator, to the adviser of the army and to the soldiers who are in Egypt, and in every place, joy, health, and I am healthy and our businesses go well. 10. Our army, the one sent in Asia, of which you also know, with the help of the gods and with our valor, it has a very good victory; therefore we reckoned that not with the force of the weapons, but with the much gentleness and with the much love for people to gain the nations which dwell in CeleOSyria and in Phoenicia and to make I well to them with joy. 271 11. And to the chapels of the idols from the cities sharing them many incomings, we went also to Jerusalem, going up to honor the temple of the unfaithful ones, who never cease from insanity. 12. And they welcomed our coming with the word, but with the deed they worked cunningly, because wishing us to enter in their temple and with decent and beautiful presents to honor it, they becoming haughtier and ere before, they stopped us to enter; and we remained of our good reckoning. 13. And they did not feel our power with which we show us towards all the people, being us guided by our love for the people, they really showed us their evil thought that they have for us, as the ones who only they alone resist against kings and benefactors and they do not want to suffer anything of what is true. 14. And us, not fitting to their madness and coming back with victory to Egypt, we showed love to all the nations and we did what it was appropriate to be done. 15. For these things to nobody who are of the same nation with them we kept enmity and for the help that they gave us and for the ones that we entrusted to them from the beginning and of which they took care, to change their state from until now, we wished to the citizenship of the Alexandrines to make them worthy and partakers to the eternal priests to make them. 16. And they, getting resistance and, with their evilness together with them born, rejecting the good and always deviating to the evil, not only that they turned away from that citizenship, but even from the few ones from among them who were being with benevolence towards us they turn their back to them with the word and with the silence and always confess they hatred, spying ceaselessly that us, doe to their wicked living, to transgress the given rules. 17. For that also being proved with signs, that these ones in all way have an evil thought towards us, and reckoning from before, lest latter, being made havoc without warning, on these faithless secret sellers and barbarians, to have them enemies, 18. We have ordered that immediately that the letter will arrive to you, on the ones specified in it, together with the women and with the children, revile them and plunder them and in the same day send them to us, from everywhere, tied with iron ties, that, as is ought to the evil ones, with merciless and dreadful death to perish. 19. For after these ones will be punished, we have reckoned that since now our things will be founded in wellness and good order. 20. And everyone who will hide a Jew, either elder, or young, or child at his mother bosom, with dreadful torments will be tormented with the entire house. 21. And the one who will tell out the one who will hide, that one will take the wealth of the one who will fall under the guilt and from the king`s silver he will take two thousands drachmas and will freedom will him be crowned. 272 ( 3 6 No city was without weeping due to the banishment of the Jews, who cannot the enlisted by the envoys in forty days. This hindrance is from godlike order. 1. And everywhere this kingly order arrived the pagans made feats for the people with shouting out and with joy and with daring they showed their evil envy, which they had it from long time in their heart. 2. But among the Jews it was ceaseless crying and weeping with very big shouting out, with tears and the hot sighs of the heart, crying everywhere the unexpected before perdition decided upon them. 3. What county or city, or what inhabited settlement from everywhere or what way weren`t full of their weeping and crying? 4. That so dreadful and merciless, by the rulers of the cities, they were being brought out all together, that even to some of their enemies, with the mind watching the awful torments, they feel pity and, seeing the unexpected changing of the life, they shed tears for their extreme persecution. 5. For it was brought multitude of white of gray hair elders, of whose legs, being bowed by old age and stepping slowly, they forced them, shamelessly, to step quickly. 6. And the young women, recently married, instead of being happy, they were yammering and the anointed with myrrh tress, spraying them with dust, they were brought not covered by veil; and instead of wedding singings, all together were start crying, as they would have been plucked as preys by other nations, and being tied by force, the people was pulling them to put introduce them into the ship. 7. And the men of those ones with chains instead of crowns they were tied by the neck at the age like a flower of the youth; instead of delight and youngish gladness, they spend their wedding days in crying, seeing next to their feet the open tomb. 8. And they brought them as some beasts, tied with iron chains; some of them by the scales of the ships they had their necks fixed by nails, other had their legs tidily locked in fetters, and covered above with bordage, for not seeing the light and from all sides to be their eyes in darkness, to bring them on the water as some plotters. 9. On these ones, after they introduced them into the ship and they done the travel as the king ordered, he gave the order to place them into a camp, before the city, in the place of the horse races, which was very width around and good to see them, for being mocked by the ones who entered in the city and by the ones who came out and traveled in the country, for not also coming together with his armies and neither be they received inside the city. 10. And after this thing was done, hearing the king that the Jews from the city go out often and weep the the insult misery of their brothers, getting 273 angry, the king ordered that also to these ones to be done as it was being done to the other and in no way to escape from the torments. 11. And he commanded also to the enlisted by the name the entire tribe and to not be put to the labors and torments showed before, but to be punished with the torments from the sentence of the king; and then in a single day to be killed all. 12. So was been made the enlisting of these ones with a bitter zeal and with haughty striving, from the sunrise to the sunset, thing that wasn`t fully finished until after forty days. 13. And the king strongly and ceaselessly was filled up with joy and made feasts to all the idols and with a wandering mind, far from truth, and with a soiled mouth was he praising the many idols, which cannot even speaking, neither can come to help; and upon the too great God, he was speaking indecent things. 14. And after the before said time passed, the writer brought to the king the answer that they could not anymore do the enlisting of the Jews due to their countless multitude; for the most pert of them were gathered through the county, others gathered through the houses, and other in other places, than impossible was to all the rulers who were over Egypt to finish the work. 15. Sp the king believed that this is true, but he afraid those, telling that they would have taken presents and made cunningness to escape; and they were saying and showing as the paper and the pens for writing were finished. 16. And this was the work of taking care of God, the undefeated one, of the One Who from the sky helps to the Jews. ( 3 The king commanding to Hermon to arm elephants in the next day, to kill the Jews, God sent sleep, and the hour passed, and through prayer He delivered them from death. 1. Then the king, calling Hermon, who was taking care of the elephants and being filled with heavy wrath and anger and not being appeased in any way, 2. He commanded that, towards the next day, with sufficient incense and with a lot unmixed wine to water the elephants – which were five hundred in total – and after they will become savaged by that drink, to unleash them upon the Jews to kill them. 3. And after he ordered these things, he went back to the feast, gathering the biggest one from the friend sand from the army, who were the most grimly against the Jews. 4. And Hermon, the biggest one over the elephants, he fulfilled as ought the ordered things. 274 5. And the servants appointed to this, going out by evening, they tied the hands of the miserable Jews and they did other craftsmanship all the night around them, reckoning that nation will perish all together at once. 6. And the Jews, who saw themselves as being deprived of all covering among the pagans doe to the heaviness of the ties, which encompassed them from all sides, 7. Towards the AllOKeeper Lord, the One Who masters with all the power, towards God and their Merciful Parent, all of them with ceaseless tears shouted out, praying themselves, 8. To hinder the lawless plan and with shown glory to deliver them from the death which was ready to their feet. 9. And the prayer of those one ceaselessly ascended to heaven. 10. And Hermon, after on the fierce elephants, he filled them with wine and fed them with incense, he come next morning to the court, to tell to the king about these. 11. But the One Who gives to everybody He wants this good thing, made from the beginning both for the night and for the day, namely the sleep, He sent to the king a prolonged sleep, 12. Because through the taking care of the Lord, being encompassed by a too sweet and deep sleep, his entire lawless plan was overthrown entirely and for his unchanged decision he was awful deceived. 13. And the Jews escaping from the hour which was established from before, they praised their Holy God and they prayed again to the One Who reconciled with them, to show the strength of the powerful hand upon the haughty nations. 14. And the hour being almost ten and a half, the kingly herald, seeing that the ones invited to the table gathered, he went to the king to wake him up. 15. And just waking him up, he told him that the time of the feast almost passed and also let him know about what was done. 16. And the king listening to these ones, he went back to the feast and ordered to the ones who came at feast to sit around them. 17. And after this was done, urged them to be glad and to delight themselves, for this is the most honored part of the feast. 18. And multiplying the speaking, the king called Hermon and with bitter menace, asked him for what reason were the Jews left alive today? 19. And he said to him that in the past night he fulfilled what it was ordered to him. And his friends confessed also. 20. And the king, having a heavier cruelty than Falaris, said: For the sleep from today, let`s let them; and you, without delay, prepare the elephants in the same way for the destruction of the impious Jews. 21. These ones being said by the king, all the ones who here accepted it with flattering and joyfully went everyone to his house, 22. Where in that night they didn`t sleep so much, than they reckoned to do all king of mockery against the ones who seemed to be forgotten by God. 23. And when the cock crew for morning, Hermon, arming the elephants, he brought them to the big yard where the sacrifice were usually brought; 275 24. The multitude from the city gathered to see that wicked sight, waiting impatiently the morning, 25. And the Jews, ceaselessly pulling their soul, with prayer, with many tears and with pitiful singings, with the hands stretched forth towards the sky, they prayed to the Too Great God, to help them again quickly. 26. And when the rays of the sun didn`t overflow yet – the king receiving the friendship Hermon came and called him out, telling him that what he wanted is prepared. 27. And he hearing and being horrified by the scrimmage of the people, being encompassed by a perfect forgetfulness, he asked him why he did this with so much zeal. 28. And this was the work of God AllOMaster, Who did his mind to forget what he thought before to do. 29. Hermon and all the friends told him: the elephants and the army, oh, king, are ready by your command. 30. And him being filled up with heavy anger for these words O because by the taking care of the Lord all that thought was scattered from him – and watching dreadfully towards them he said: 31. “If you parents would be here or the sons of the sons, these ones would be ready to feed the wild animals, than they would be fed from their bodies instead of the innocent Jews, who, to me and to my parents, whole and unmoved faith showed. 32. And if I wouldn`t think to the love of being grown up together of to your job, I would have taken your life”. 33. Then Hermon by this fury he was filled up with an overwhelming fear, and with his seeing and with his face he scared himself. 34. And the friends sneaked sadly out one by one and the gathered ones he sent them each one to his thing. 35. And the Jews, hearing about the behavior of the king, they prayed the Illuminated God, the Lord and the Emperor of the Emperors, as ones who achieved from Him such a help. 36. After that the king making again a feast, he urged the guests to be in good cheer, 37. He called Hermon and said to him with fearfulness: “For how many times must I order you a thing, you useless one? 38. And not arm the elephant for tomorrow to destroy the Jews”. 39. And the kindred who were sitting together with him, wondering about this flickering thought, they said these ones: 40. “Lord! How long you will tempt us as on some dumb beasts, now commanding for the third time to destroy them and when he is about to do it, changing your thought you change again what you ordered? 41. That`s why this city is troubled waiting, for they gathered for many times and now is in danger to not let itself dragged again in troubles”. 42. That`s why the king, as Falaris, was filled up by reckless and by the changes of the soul, which were done in him because of the Jews, not taking any heed, he soiled himself with a soiled oath as he would, without 276 any delay, will send these ones to hell, throwing them to the knees and the feet of the beasts. 43. After that he will start war against Judaea, to lay it even to the ground, with fire and with sword quickly to beat it and their temple the one not trampled by him, quickly to burn it down, and for the ones who bring sacrifices there, to become wilderness forever. 44. Then, going the kindred and the friends joyfully, they faithfully ordered the armies to stay on guard in the most appropriate places of the city. 45. And the chief over the elephants brought the beasts at the insane passion – speaking so – with very smelling drinks and with wine without incense, dreadfully preparing them. 46. Therefore, about sunrise, when the city was full of countless multitudes which headed itself toward the place of horses racing, he entered into the palace to invite the king to the sight of what has been prepared. 47. And he filling his pagan mind with a heavy anger, with all the heaviness together with the beasts started himself, wishing to see with the hard heart and with his eyes the pitiful and the wicked perdition of the ones chosen from before. 48. And when the Jews from the gate saw the dust of the elephants which were coming out and of the armed army, which was coming after them, and of the feet of the multitude and they heard that noise with a dreadful sound, 49. Reckoning that this is the last moment of their life and the end of the tormented waiting, towards weeping and crying turning themselves, they were kissing on eachOother and embracing themselves, they were falling on the chests of the kindred, the parents over the sons, and the mothers over the daughters, and some of them having at their bosom the recently born little children, they bow them to suck the last milk. 50. And remembering also the help from before, which were made to them from heaven, all at once falling on their faces and removing the little children from the breasts, 51. They shouted out with a very big voice, praying themselves to the Powerful One, for, with His apparition to have mercy on them, the ones who are at the gates of the perdition. ( 3 : The prayer of the priests Eleazar. The showing of the defender angels. The turning back of the beasts upon the soldiers. The changing of the heart of the king towards good and the deliverance of the Jews. 1. And a certain Eleazar, a good man, one of the priests of the country, being of old age and with all the deed of the good life being adorned, appeasing the elders from around him, calling the Holy God, this one prayed: 2. “Great Emperor, Keeper Most High, Almighty God! The One Who guide the entire creation, look with mercifulness, 277 3. Look towards the seed of Adam, towards the sons of the sanctified Jacob, the people of Your holy inheritance, the one who is now stranger in this stranger land and which perished without guilt, Father! 4. You on the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, the one who had many, and the one who raised himself up with lawless haughtiness and with a bragger tongue, together with his haughty army, into the sea, you destroyed them drown, with the light of the mercy lighting the nation of Israel. 5. You on Senaeherib, the one who with countless powers got haughty, the cruel king of the Assyrians, the one who wit the sword abducted the entire earth and raised himself upon Your city, with pride and with daring speaking blasphemies, Lord, You defeated him, showing lighten Your much strength; 6. You the three young men from Babylon who willingly gave their life to the fire, to not worship the vain ones, making cold the lit oven, You delivered them, guarding even their hair untouched, sending the flame of the fire upon the enemies; 7. You on Daniel, the one of the full of envy accusation, thrown in the pit for feeding the lions, unharmed You brought him out at light. 8. And on Jonah the one fed into depths, tormented without spare in the belly of the whale, unharmed You showed him to all his ones, of, Father! 9. And now do not tarry much merciful One, the escaping of everybody, quickly show Yourself to the ones from the nation of Israel, which is oppressed by the hated and lawless nations. 10. And if, through the slavery in a foreign country, we have defiled our life with lawlessness, escape us from the hand of the enemies and then destroy us. Lord, however You want. 11. For not being bragging themselves the ones who think the vain ones, due to the perdition of the loved one of Yours, saying: Neither their God didn`t delivered them. 12. And You, the Eternal One, the One Who has the entire strength and the entire power, look at us now and have mercy on us, the ones who with the unjust force of the lawless ones, as some thieves, are being killed. 13. Affray the Gentiles with Your undefeated power today, the One Who can deliver the nation of Jacob. 14. To You are praying the entire multitude of the little children and their parents with tears. 15. To be evident to all the nations that You are with us, Lord, and You haven`t turned away You face from us, but, as You have said, that You neither in the land of the enemies have overlooked them, so be You committing, Lord”. 16. And Eleazar, finishing the prayer, the king, with the beasts and with the entire soldierly suite, came to the horses racing place, 17. And the Jews seeing it, they shouted out strongly to the sky, than even the close valleys sounding together, a lot of crying was made in the entire camp. 18. Then the Great, the Glorified, the AllOKeeper and the True God, showing His holy face, opened the heavenly gates, from which two glorified angels 278 fierce at the countenance descended themselves being saw by everybody, except the Jews. 19. And they placed themselves in front of the enemy army, and they filled up the power of the enemies with ague and fear, and they tied it in fetters from which it couldn`t move up itself, 20. And under fear it was also the body of the king, he angrily forgetting his heavy daring. 21. And the beasts turned back upon the armed power, which came from behind, and were trampling these ones and destroying them. 22. And the anger of the king was turned towards weeping and tears, due to what he plotted before, 23. For hearing the shouting up and seeing all of them with the face to the earth towards destruction, being him shedding tears, with anger rebuked him his friends, saying: 24. “You reign together with me and the tyrants you have overwhelmed them with the tyranny and on myself, who I am your benefactor, you tempt yourselves to deprive me of the reigning and of the soul, secretly plotting the ones who are not useful to the reigning. 25. Who has gathered here the one who with faith kept to us the strengths of the country, removing them from their houses recklessly? 26. Who has tormented so inappropriate the ones who are from the beginning with good thought towards us, before all the nations, and for many times they received very bad dangers more than every people? 27. Untie them! Untied these unjust ties and release them with peace to their homes, praying to be forgiven the ones did before. 28. Release the sons of the AllOKeeper, to the Heavenly Living God, because they from the times of our ancestors to these days make to fully and ceaselessly prosper our businesses”. 29. So he said these ones; and they, immediately that they were untied, on the Holy God, their Deliverer, blessed Him, for they escaped death. 30. After that, going the king through the city and calling the one who was chief over the revenues, he ordered the wines and the other things necessary for the feast, to be given for seven days to the Jews, judging that in the place there they have reckoned they were going to die, in that one to celebrate with all the gladness the days of deliverance. 31. Then the ones who were before oppressed and close to the dwelling of the dead, in which they were as entered through the bitter and full of grief death, making delectation of deliverance in the place prepared for their perdition and burial, with peace they shared it full of joy. 32. And leaving the voice of the weeping the one totally full of tears, they took parental singing, praising the Deliverer and Doer of Wonders God and rejecting all the crying and the groan, they started dancing dances of joy, as sign of peace and joyfulness. 33. Also the king, for these ones making a big feast, ceaselessly high confession to the sky with great piousness for the wonderful deliverance was made. 279 34. And the ones who ordered them with joy to perdition and put them to be food for the birds, the sighed, being clothed with shame and the fiery daring being quenched without honor. 35. And the Jews, as I said before, into gladness and delight with good confessions and singings partied. 36. After concerning this was made a general decision, for the entire time of their slavery spent among the pagans and they ordered that generation by generation to keep these days of joy, which were said before, not for drinking and gluttony, but for the deliverance made to them through God. 37. And they prayed to the king, asking him permission to turn back in their country. 38. And their enlisting was made from the twenty fifth of the month Pahon to the forth of Epifi, in forty days, and from the fifth of Epifi to the seventh, in three days, they followed to be destroyed, 39. Into which with great glory showing His mercy, the Master of all, without harm delivered them together. 40. And they feasted themselves, everything being given to them from the king, to the fourteenth day, in which they also made the prayer for their freedom. 41. And being they praise by the kind towards the chiefs of the cities, he wrote his letter full of generosity, which follow bellow: ( 3 The letter of King Ptolemy towards his subjects, regarding the coming back of the Jews. 1. “King Ptolemy Filopator, to the biggest ones from Egypt, and to all of the ones ordered over the kingly businesses, joy and health. 2. Healthy are both we and our sons, strengthening the Great God our things as we wish. 3. Some of the friends, with evil habit often urging us, they made us to gather all the Jews from under our mastery in the same place, to torment them as some sly ones with great torments, 4. Saying that, because of the hatred which those ones have towards all the nations, never will our things be settled well until this thing will be done. 5. Those ones bringing them tied, with mockeries, as some servants and strongly as some cunning ones, without any research and interrogation they started killing them, being encompassed with more savage cruelty than in the chronicles of the Scythians. 6. And we, for this thing, harshly rebuking them, after the gentleness that we have towards all the people, with difficulty we spared their life, as a father who always helps the sons; 7. Reckoning also the friendship, which they proved towards us and towards our parents, thinking good and according to the justice we have released them for any guilt would be, 280 8. And we have ordered to everyone, to turn back to their homes in every place, and nobody into anything to harm them, neither to revile them for the recklessly made ones. 9. To be you knowing that upon these ones, if we will craft any evil craftsmanship or will be totally upset them, not on God, but on the Most High God, Who masters over all the power, Resister against us towards the victory of the things, always, perforce into everything we will have Him. Be you in good health”. 10. And taking the Jews from the king this letter, they didn`t wanted to leave immediately, but they prayed him for the ones from the nation of the Jews, who willingly did evil before the Holy God and transgressed the Law of God, to be made through them the appropriate revilement, 11. Saying that the ones who for the belly transgressed the godlike commandments never will be they thinking good neither to the commandments of the king will be they faithful. 12. And telling they the truth, the king accepted it and, praising them, he gave them free will in everything, to destroy the ones who transgressed the Law of God in every place from under his mastery, with daring, without any kingly empowerment or examination. 13. And so on the ones who were falling into their hand from the defiled ones, who were of the same nation with them, they rebuked them on the road and with showings from the Law they were killing them. 14. And in that day they killed more than three hundred men and they gladdened and rejoiced themselves by killing the lawless ones. 15. And the ones who stuck to God until death, taking consummately the achieving of the deliverance, they left the city, crowned with all kinds of flower with good scent, with gladness and with shouting out of praises and with singings of all verses, thanking to the Holy God of their parents, the Deliverer of Israel. 16. And arriving them in Ptolemais, which for the nature of the place is called Rodoforon (namely bringer of the rose), where they were waited by the camp, after their general council, 17. For seven days they made feast of deliverance there, the king giving them with good heart the necessary things for the trip to each one to his home. 18. And arriving in peace and with pious confessions, likewise also there they ordered to keep these days of gladness, 19. And they sanctified it also through an inscription carved on a column, and then they erected on the place of the feast a house of prayer and they turned back home healthy, free and very glad, escaped from dangers, with the commandment of the king, on land on sea and on river. 20. And having more power than before among the enemies, with glory and with fear and of nobody into anything being they troubled in their wealth, 21. And everything of his ones everyone according to the letter he took it back, than the ones who had something of their own, with great fear they give it to them, bringing consummated glory to the Most Great God, for their deliverance. 22. Blessed is God, the Deliverer of Israel, in eternal times. Amen. 281 ' ( 0 8 3 The prayer of Manasseh, king of Judah, when he was as a servant in Babylon. 62. “Lord, AllOKeeper, God of our parents, of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, and of their righteous tribe, 63. The One Who made the sky and the earth with all their adornment, 64. Who tied the sea with the word of Your commandment, Who locked the depth and sealed it with Your fearsome and glorified name, 65. In front of Whom everything fears and trembles due to Your almightiness, 66. For nobody to be able to stay in the front of the brightness of Your glory and insupportable is the anger of Your wrath upon the sinful ones! 67. But immeasurable and unreached is also the mercy of Your promise. 68. Because You are the Most High Lord, good, longsuffering and much merciful, who feels sorrow about the evilness of the people. 69. You, Lord, according to the multitude of Your mercy, have promised repentance and forgiveness to the ones who wronged to You and according to the multitude of Your benevolences have decided the repentance of the sinner towards salvation. Therefore You Lord, the God of the righteousness ones, you haven`t put the repentance for the righteous ones: for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who didn`t mistake to You, but You have put the repentance to me, the sinful one, for I have sinned more than the sand of the sea. 70. Much is my lawlessness and I am not worthy to look and to watch the height of the sky due to the multitude of my injustices. 71. Squeezed am I with many iron cuffs, than I can`t raise up my head and neither have I a place of rest, for I have made You angry and I have done much evil in front of You; I haven`t fulfilled You will, neither have I kept Your commandments, but I have put abominations and I have multiplied the offences. 72. But now I bow down the knees of my heart, praying Your kindness, 73. I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned and I know my lawlessness, 74. But I ask, praying You; forgive me, Lord, forgive me and do not destroy me into my lawlessness and do not condemn me to darkness under the earth, 75. For You are, God, the God of the ones who repent themselves. Show Your kindness over me, saving me, the unworthy one, according to Your great mercy. 76. And I will extol You in all the days of my life. For you are glorified by all the heavenly powers and Your is the glory forever. Amen!” 282 (+ Short Prefatory Note 3 Table of Texts from Romanian Orthodox Bible Which Are Not Comprised in King James Bible 4 The Book of Tobit 5 The Book of Judith 21 The Book of Baruch 44 The Epistle of Jeremiah 52 The Singing of the Three Young People 56 The Story of Suzanna 59 The Third Book of Ezra 62 The Wisdom of Solomon 87 The Book of the Wisdom of Joshua, the Son of Sirach (the Ecclesiastes) 112 The Story of Dragon`s Killing and the Crumbling Down of Baal`s O Taken from the end of the book of Daniel O 181 The First Book of Maccabees 184 The Second Book of the Maccabees 231 The Third Book of the Maccabees 267 The Prayer of King Manasseh 282 283