2 Maccabees:Chapter 6

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2 Maccabees:Chapter 6

瑪加伯(下)	2 Maccabees
¹不久以後，王派遣一位年老的雅典人，來強迫猶太人背棄祖傳的規誡，不得按照天主的法律生活，	¹But not long after the king sent a certain old man of Antioch, to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers and of God:
²並且褻瀆耶路撒冷的聖殿，將聖殿轉獻與奧林比亞則烏斯神，又將革黎斤山上的殿宇，依當地居民的要求，獻與克色尼則烏斯神。	²And to defile the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius: and that in Gazarim of Jupiter Hospitalis, according as they were that inhabited the place.
³這種種邪惡的侵入，實在令人難以忍受。	³And very bad was this invasion of evils and grievous to all.
⁴因為聖殿內充滿了外邦人的放蕩和縱飲，他們與娼妓淫歡，甚至在聖殿的圍牆內與女人私通，將犯禁的東西帶入殿內。	⁴For the temple was full of the riot and revellings of the Gentiles: and of men lying with lewd women. And women thrust themselves of their accord into the holy places, and brought in things that were not lawful.
⁵祭壇上充滿了法律所禁止的不潔之物，	⁵The altar also was filled with unlawful things, which were forbidden by the laws.
⁶並且不准遵守安息日，不准舉行祖傳的慶節，連承認自己是猶太人也不許可。	⁶And neither were the sabbaths kept, nor the solemn days of the fathers observed, neither did any man plainly profess himself to be a Jew.
⁷每月遇到國王誕生的那一天，他們都被脅迫參與祭祀；一到彫尼索節，應頭戴長春藤冠，參與慶祝彫尼索的遊行。	⁷But they were led by bitter constraint on the king's birthday to the sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they were compelled to go about crowned with ivy in honour of Bacchus.
⁸且因仆托肋買城內居民的唆使，王又向附近受到希臘文化影響的城邑，頒發一道命令，令人以同樣的方式對待猶太人，迫使他們分食祭品。	⁸And there went out a decree into the neighbouring cities of the Gentiles, by the suggestion of the Ptolemeans, that they also should act in like manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice:
⁹誰若決意不採用希臘風俗，依法處以死刑。從此可知大難已臨頭了。	⁹And whosoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the Gentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.
¹⁰有兩個婦人，因為給孩子割損，就被逮捕受審，令人將孩子掛在她們胸前，遊街示眾，然後將她們由城牆高處扔下去。	¹⁰For two women were accused to have circumcised their children: whom, when they had openly led about through the city with the infants hanging at their breasts, they threw down headlong from the walls.
¹¹此外還有些人在附近的山洞裏聚集，暗地裏舉行安息日；有人報告給斐理伯，他便下令把他們活活燒死，因他們寧願遵守聖日，不願自衛。	¹¹And others that had met together in caves that were near, and were keeping the sabbath day privately, being discovered by Philip, were burnt with fire, because they made a conscience to help themselves with their hands, by reason of the religious observance of the day.
¹²至此，我勸告本書的讀者，不要因了這些不幸而灰心喪志，反該相信這些災禍並不是為消滅，而只是為懲戒我們的民族罷了。	¹²Now I beseech those that shall read this book, that they be not shocked at these calamities, but that they consider the things that happened, not as being for the destruction, but for the correction of our nation.
¹³因為作惡的人不得長久放縱，反而即刻遭受懲罰，這實是大恩的明證。	¹³For it is a token of great goodness when sinners are not suffered to go on in their ways for a long time, but are presently punished.
¹⁴對於其他的民族，上主盡量含忍，待他們罪惡滿盈，即施以懲罰；對於我們，他卻不是這樣：	¹⁴For, not as with other nations (whom the Lord patiently expecteth, that when the day of judgment shall come, he may punish them in the fulness of their sins:)
¹⁵他不等我們的罪惡到達頂點，就責罰我們。	¹⁵Doth he also deal with us, so as to suffer our sins to come to their height, and then take vengeance on us.
¹⁶因此，他的憐憫總不離棄我們：雖然用患難來懲戒自己的百姓，卻不放棄他們。	¹⁶And therefore he never withdraweth his mercy from us: but though he chastise his people with adversity, he forsaketh them not.
¹⁷上面所說的，只是叫你們注意。說完這些話，就該言歸正傳。	¹⁷But let this suffice in a few words for a warning to the readers. And now we must come to the narration.
¹⁸厄肋阿匝爾是一位傑出的經師，又是年已古稀，儀表莊嚴的人。有人用力拉開了他的口，強迫他吃豬肉；	¹⁸Eleazar one of the chief of the scribes, a man advanced in years, and of a comely countenance, was pressed to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh.
¹⁹但他寧願光榮捨命，不願受辱而偷生，遂自動走上刑架，	¹⁹But he, choosing rather a most glorious death than a hateful life, went forward voluntarily to the torment.
²⁰且把肉吐出。其實，凡決意拒絕吃違法食物的人，都該如此，雖死不辭。	²⁰And considering in what manner he was come to it, patiently bearing, he determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of life.
²¹那些監督這違法祭餐的人，因為與他有多年的交情，便把他叫到一邊，再三勸他帶着自己預備而合法可吃的肉，假裝吃王命的祭肉；	²¹But they that stood by, being moved with wicked pity, for the old friendship they had with the man, taking him aside, desired that flesh might be brought, which it was lawful for him to eat, that he might make as if he had eaten, as the king had commanded of the flesh of the sacrifice:
²²如此，就可免一死，而且因他與他們多年的交情，還可獲得優待。	²²That by so doing he might be delivered from death: and for the sake of their old friendship with the man they did him this courtesy.
²³但他立即作了一豪爽的決斷，這決斷相稱他的高齡和聲望，相稱他因積勞而生的白髮，和自幼至今的善行，更符合於天主所立的神聖法律。因此他說明自己的意見，告訴人快把他送到陰府裏去，說：	²³But he began to consider the dignity of his age, and his ancient years, and the inbred honour of his grey head, and his good life and conversation from a child: and he answered without delay, according to the ordinances of the holy law made by God, saying, that he would rather be sent into the other world.
²⁴「像我這樣年齡的人，決不宜作偽，免得許多青年，想年高九十的厄肋阿匝爾也接受了外教禮俗，	²⁴For it doth not become our age, said he, to dissemble: whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, at the age of fourscore and ten years, was gone over to the life of the heathens:
²⁵因我的作偽和貪戀殘生，他們也都因我的緣故而誤入歧途；如此，不免在我的高齡上塗上一層污點和恥辱！	²⁵And so they, through my dissimulation, and for a little time of a corruptible life, should be deceived, and hereby I should bring a stain and a curse upon my old age.
²⁶況且，即使目前我能逃避人的刑罰；可是，或生或死，我總逃不出全能者的手。	²⁶For though, for the present time, I should be delivered from the punishments of men, yet should I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead.
²⁷所以現在，我若是勇敢捨生，我不愧有此高齡，	²⁷Wherefore by departing manfully out of this life, I shall shew myself worthy of my old age:
²⁸因為我已給青年留下了一個為可敬的神聖法律，甘心慷慨犧牲的高尚榜樣。」說完這話，就立刻走上刑架。	²⁸And I shall leave an example of fortitude to young men, if with a ready mind and constancy I suffer an honourable death, for the most venerable and most holy laws. And having spoken thus, he was forthwith carried to execution.
²⁹方才和顏悅色勸說他的人，一聽他說出這樣的話，以為他瘋了，遂改變為仇視的態度。	²⁹And they that led him, and had been a little before more mild, were changed to wrath for the words he had spoken, which they thought were uttered out of arrogancy.
³⁰當他受重刑快要斷氣的時候，呻吟着說：「具有聖智的上主，明知我能逃脫死亡，但是，為了敬畏他，我的肉身在痛打之下，雖受到很大的疼痛，但我的心靈卻喜樂忍受這一切。」	³⁰But when he was now ready to die with the stripes, he groaned, and said: O Lord, who hast the holy knowledge, thou knowest manifestly that whereas I might be delivered from death, I suffer grevious pains in body: but in soul am well content to suffer these things because I fear thee.
³¹他便這樣死了。他的死，不但給青年人，而且也給全國的人民，留下了剛勇的模範，和大德不凡的記錄。	³¹Thus did this man die, leaving not only to young men, but also to the whole nation, the memory of his death for an example of virtue and fortitude.

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