2 Maccabees:Chapter 9

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2 Maccabees:Chapter 9

瑪加伯(下)	2 Maccabees
¹這時安提約古正從波斯地域含羞歸來，	¹At that time Antiochus returned with dishonour out of Persia.
²他原來去了名叫波斯波里的京城，企圖劫掠神殿和佔領該城。但是當地民眾都起來，以武力抗拒，安提約古終於被當地的民眾打敗，含羞退回。	²For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and attempted to rob the temple, and to oppress the city: but the multitude running together to arms, put them to flight: and so it fell out that Antiochus being put to flight returned with disgrace.
³他一到厄克巴塔納，就聽說尼加諾爾和提摩太的軍隊潰敗了，	³Now when he was come about Ecbatana, he received the news of what had happened to Nicanor and Timotheus.
⁴遂勃然大怒，想把別人打敗他的恥辱向猶太人報復；於是命御者不停地加緊趕路。其實，是上天的懲罰催迫着他，因為他傲慢地說：「我到了耶路撒冷，必使這城變為猶太人的墳場」。	⁴And swelling with anger he thought to revenge upon the Jews the injury done by them that had put him to flight. And therefore he commanded his chariot to be driven, without stopping in his journey, the judgment of heaven urging him forward, because he had spoken so proudly, that he would come to Jerusalem, and make it a common burying place of the Jews.
⁵但是，無所不見的上主，以色列的天主，用不可救藥和從未見過的病症，打擊了他。他剛說完這話，他的臟腑就痛不可忍，五內感到劇痛。	⁵But the Lord the God of Israel, that seeth all things, struck him with an incurable and an invisible plague. For as soon as he had ended these words, a dreadful pain in his bowels came upon him, and bitter torments of the inner parts.
⁶這是極其公道的，因為他從前曾用各種罕見的刑罰，難為過別人的臟腑。	⁶And indeed very justly, seeing he had tormented the bowels of others with many and new torments, albeit he by no means ceased from his malice.
⁷他不但不止息他的蠻橫，反而更加驕傲，向猶太人發洩他的怒焰，下命快跑。正當御車風馳電掣的時刻，他忽然跌下來，且跌得十分慘重，渾身的肢體都錯了節。	⁷Moreover being filled with pride, breathing out fire in his rage against the Jews, and commanding the matter to be hastened, it happened as he was going with violence that he fell from the chariot, so that his limbs were much pained by a grievous bruising of the body.
⁸剛才自命不凡，叱吒風雲，想量山峰的人，如今卻躺在地上，被人用床抬起：這事叫人們知道是天主威能的顯示。	⁸Thus he that seemed to himself to command even the waves of the sea, being proud above the condition of man, and to weigh the heights of the mountains in a balance, now being cast down to the ground, was carried in a litter, bearing witness to the manifest power of God in himself:
⁹況且，又從這萬惡的人身上生出了蛆蟲，他雖還活着，可是肌肉卻一塊一塊脫落，疼痛萬狀，腐爛的臭味使全軍想嘔。	⁹So that worms swarmed out of the body of this man, and whilst he lived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell off, and the filthiness of his smell was noisome to the army.
¹⁰剛才彷彿要觸摸天上星辰的人，現今為他這難忍的臭味，沒有一個人願抬他。	¹⁰And the man that thought a little before he could reach to the stars of heaven, no man could endure to carry, for the intolerable stench.
¹¹這樣，因痛苦纏身，他的狂傲，方開始止息；因天主的懲罰，痛苦逐漸增加，他也逐漸覺悟。	¹¹And by this means, being brought from his great pride, he began to come to the knowledge of himself, being admonished by the scourge of God, his pains increasing every moment.
¹²當他自己也無法忍受自己的臭味時，就說：「服從天主是理所當然的，有死有壞的人，絕不可妄想與天主平衡！」	¹²And when he himself could not now abide his own stench, he spoke thus: It is just to be subject to God, and that a mortal man should not equal himself to God.
¹³這惡人不住向那不再憐憫他的上主許願說：	¹³Then this wicked man prayed to the Lord, of whom he was not like to obtain mercy.
¹⁴他要把從前急於夷為平地，化為墳場的聖城，宣佈為自由之地；	¹⁴And the city to which he was going in haste to lay it even with the ground, and to make it a, common buryingplace, he now desireth to make free.
¹⁵要使一切先前決定不配埋葬，而該與子女一同投給飛禽走獸作食物的猶太人，得享與雅典人平等的待遇；	¹⁵And the Jews whom he said he would not account worthy to be so much as buried, but would give them up to be devoured by the birds and wild beasts, and would utterly destroy them with their children, he now promiseth to make equal with the Athenians.
¹⁶要用最珍貴的禮物點綴他先前劫掠的聖殿，加倍償還一切聖器，以自己的收入支付祭獻的費用；	¹⁶The holy temple also which before he had spoiled, he promiseth to adorn with goodly gifts, and to multiply the holy vessels, and to allow out of his revenues the charges pertaining to the sacrifices.
¹⁷此外還要作一個猶太人，周遊凡有人煙的地方，宣揚天主的大能。	¹⁷Yea also, that he would become a Jew himself, and would go through every place of the earth, and declare the power of God.
¹⁸然而，他的痛苦並未因此減輕，因為天主公義的審判已經來到他身上。他見自己已無希望，於是用哀懇的言詞給猶太人寫了下面的一封信：	¹⁸But his pains not ceasing (for the just judgment of God was come upon him) despairing of life he wrote to the Jews in the manner of a supplication, a letter in these words:
¹⁹安提約古王兼大元帥，祝良善的猶太國民安好！並祝健康幸福！	¹⁹To his very good subjects the Jews, Antiochus king and ruler wisheth much health and welfare, and happiness.
²⁰倘若你們及你們的子女健康，萬事如意，我就非常感謝上天。	²⁰If you and your children are well, and if all matters go with you to your mind, we give very great thanks.
²¹我今毫無能力，躺在床上，很懷念你們，自從我由波斯地域回來，即患重病，所以將有關公益的事，安排一下，我以為很有需要。	²¹As for me, being infirm, but yet kindly remembering you, returning out of the places of Persia, and being taken with a grievous disease, I thought it necessary to take care for the common good:
²²不是因為我對我的病症已感絕望，反之，我極希望脫離這病苦。	²²Not distrusting my life, but having great hope to escape the sickness.
²³不過，我想起先父每次帶兵出征高原地區時，常先定下他的繼承人，	²³But considering that my father also, at what time he led an army into the higher countries, appointed who should reign after him:
²⁴好在發生什麼不測的事情，或傳來什麼不幸的消息時，各省的居民都知道國事已有繼承，不致發生暴亂；	²⁴To the end that if any thing contrary to expectation should fall out, or any bad tidings should be brought, they that were in the countries, knowing to whom the whole government was left, might not be troubled.
²⁵此外，我察覺近邦的王子，與鄰國的君主，都在窺探時機，等待事變，所以我指定我的兒子安提約古為王，他就是我出巡高原各省時，曾給你們許多人託付介紹過的那位。我還給他寫了下面所寫的一封信。	²⁵Moreover, considering that neighbouring princes and borderers wait for opportunities, and expect what shall be the event, I have appointed my son Antiochus king, whom I often recommended to many of you, when I went into the higher provinces: and I have written to him what I have joined here below.
²⁶因此我懇切哀求你們，回想我對你們所施的公私恩惠，對我和我的兒子保持原有的友誼，	²⁶I pray you therefore, and request of you, that remembering favours both public and private, you will every man of you continue to be faithful to me and to my son.
²⁷因為我深信他必仁慈和善地履行我的意旨，甘願就和你們。」	²⁷For I trust that he will behave with moderation and humanity, and following my intentions, will be gracious unto you.
²⁸如此，這個瀆神的殺人王，受盡了像他加於別人的劇烈痛苦，在國外的群山中，悲慘地結束了自己的性命。	²⁸Thus the murderer and blasphemer, being grievously struck, as himself had treated others, died a miserable death in a strange country among the mountains.
²⁹他的摯友斐理伯收殮了他的屍首。他卻害怕安提約古的兒子，就去埃及，投奔了仆托肋米非羅默托。	²⁹But Philip that was brought up with him, carried away his body: and out of fear of the son of Antiochus, went into Egypt to Ptolemee Philometor.

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