1 Maccabees:Chapter 8

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1 Maccabees:Chapter 8

瑪加伯(上)	1 Maccabees
¹猶大聽到羅馬人的名聲，聽說他們勢力強大，凡傾向他們的，都加以優待，無論誰來接近他們，就與他們友善；羅馬人因之勢力漸漸強大。	¹In the meantime, Judas was informed about the Romans. He was told that the Romans were valiant in war and that they showed goodwill towards all who sided with them; that they offered friendship to all who approached them,
²有人對他談及羅馬人在高盧作戰和所有英勇的事，怎樣征服高盧人，使他們進貢；	²and were a strong ally in war. He was told of their wars and of their exploits among the Gauls whom they conquered and forced to pay taxes,
³又在西班牙地方所行的一切，怎樣佔領那裏的銀礦金礦；	³and of all they had done in Spain to gain possession of the silver and gold mines,
⁴怎樣用計謀和毅力，佔領那離他們很遠的全地；	⁴and how they had conquered that land by dint of intelligence and perseverance, despite its great distance from their own land. He also learned how they had defeated the kings who came from the ends of the earth to attack them, how they managed to conquer and crush them. There were others who paid them an annual tax.
⁵又怎樣打敗由地極來攻打他們的國王，怎樣使他們遭受重創，又怎樣使其餘的國王，年年來進貢；又怎樣戰敗斐理伯和基廷人的國王培爾叟，怎樣征服那些起來反抗他們的人。	⁵They had defeated and subjected Philip and Perseus, the kings of Macedonia and others who opposed them.
⁶亞細亞王大安提約古，雖然帶有一百二十隻象、馬隊、戰車，以及龐大的軍隊，來同他們交戰，也被他們打敗，	⁶They had vanquished Antiochus the Great, king of Asia, who went to fight the Romans with one hundred and twenty elephants, cavalry, chariots and a very strong army. But he was defeated
⁷甚至還被活捉了去，給他和將來繼位的加了重稅，還要交出人質，割讓土地：	⁷and fell into their hands. He and his successors were forced to pay an enormous amount in tax, to surrender hostages, and to cede some of their best provinces
⁸就是將印度、瑪待、里狄雅及數處最好的地方割讓給歐默乃王。	⁸like India, Media and Lydia which afterwards the Romans gave to King Eumenes.
⁹又給猶大談及希臘人怎樣企圖殲滅他們，	⁹The Greeks had planned to come and destroy the Romans,
¹⁰羅馬人一知道這事，就派一員大將去攻打；雙方交鋒，希臘人死亡甚眾，羅馬人就俘擄了他們的妻子兒女，搶掠了他們的財物，佔領了他們的土地，毀壞了他們的堡壘，使他們成為奴隸，直至今日。	¹⁰but hearing of it, the Romans sent a single general against them. They killed a great number of Greeks, took their women and children, destroyed their fortresses and enslaved them to this day.
¹¹其餘各國和海島，凡是反抗過他們的，都被消滅，成為他們的奴隸。不過，他們對於自己的盟國和附庸國，卻保持友誼；	¹¹In the same way, they also destroyed and subdued other countries and islands, as well as others who opposed them.
¹²他們征服了遠近各國，凡聽見他們名聲的，沒有不畏懼的。	¹²But they have usually remained faithful to their allies and to those who relied on them. The Romans were really powerful. They conquered kingdoms far and near, and all who heard their name feared them.
¹³他們願意輔佐誰為王，誰就可以為王；願意廢棄誰，誰就被廢棄。他們的勢力實在強盛。	¹³They appointed as kings those who were to their liking and deposed those who were not.
¹⁴雖然如此，但是他們中，沒有一個戴冠冕，穿紫袍，因而自高自大的。	¹⁴But in spite of all this, not one of them had himself crowned or dressed as a king in order to be exalted.
¹⁵他們設立了一個議院，天天有三百二十人，常在為人民議事，為人民謀福利。	¹⁵They had created a senate and three hundred and twenty men deliberated on daily matters relating to the good of the people and the maintenance of order.
¹⁶每年委托一人，作自己的首領管轄全國，眾人都服從他；他們中沒有嫉妒，也沒有競爭。	¹⁶Every year they would choose one man to rule over them and govern the empire, and all obeyed him without envy or jealousy.
¹⁷猶大就選了阿科斯的孫子，若望的兒子歐頗肋摩和厄肋阿匝爾的兒子雅松，派遣他們到羅馬去，與羅馬人締結友好盟約，	¹⁷So Judas sent Eupolemus the son of John, and Jason the son of Eleazar to Rome, entrusting them with the mission to make a covenant of friendship with the Romans.
¹⁸希望羅馬人看出希臘國要使以色列作奴隸，因而協助他們擺脫希臘國的壓迫。	¹⁸Since the Greeks treated the Israelites as slaves, Judas hoped to liberate them from oppression in this way.
¹⁹於是他們起程，行了很遙遠的路，纔到達羅馬。走進議院，就進言說：	¹⁹The envoys from Judas went to Rome, where they arrived after a long journey. When they entered the Senate they addressed the assembly:
²⁰「猶大瑪加伯同他的兄弟和猶太民眾，打發我們到你們這裏來，為同你們建立同盟，締結和約，將我們列於你們的聯盟和友邦之中。」	²⁰"Judas Maccabeus, his brothers and the people of Israel have sent us to you to conclude a covenant of peace with you and to be numbered among your allies and friends."
²¹這種請求，大受議員的歡迎。	²¹The Romans approved this proposal,
²²他們便將約文刻在銅版上，送到耶路撒冷，叫猶太人保存，作為和平聯盟的記念。其文如下：	²²and this is the copy of the letter they wrote on bronze tablets which they sent to Jerusalem as a memorial of peace and alliance:
²³「願羅馬人及猶太民族，在海陸上永遠幸福，願他們永無刀兵與敵對之事！	²³"May all go well with the Romans and the Jewish people at sea and on land forever, may both sword and enemy be far from them!
²⁴若羅馬或其領土上的同盟國先遇到戰事，	²⁴If war comes first to the Romans, or to any of their allies in any part of its empire,
²⁵猶太國應在可能環境內，盡心幫助同盟國作戰；	²⁵the Jewish nation shall enter the war wholeheartedly, as circumstances permit.
²⁶應按羅馬人所決定的，不得給予或供應敵人食糧、武器、銀錢和船隻，且應盡自己的責任，毫無所求。	²⁶The Jewish nation will not receive from them wheat or weapons, or money, or ships as Rome has decided. They must fulfill their obligations without recompense.
²⁷同樣，若猶太國先遇到戰爭，羅馬人也應該在可能環境內，盡心幫助同盟國作戰。	²⁷In the same way, if the Jewish nation is attacked, the Romans shall fight at her side with all zeal as circumstances may allow.
²⁸應按羅馬人所決定的，不得給予或供應敵軍食糧、武器、銀錢和船隻，且應盡自己的責任，不可詭詐。	²⁸The Roman allies will not receive wheat or weapons, or money, or ships as Rome has decided, but the Romans shall fulfill their obligations without deception.
²⁹根據這些話，羅馬人同猶太民族簽定了盟約。	²⁹On these terms the Romans conclude their alliance with the Jewish nation.
³⁰假使日後，雙方願意有何增刪，經雙方同意後，所有增刪皆為有效。	³⁰If after these terms have taken effect, either party should wish to add or delete anything, the said party shall do so in common agreement with the other party, then what has been added or deleted shall be binding.
³¹關於德默特琉王對以色列人所行的惡事，我們已經向他寫信說：你為什麼壓迫我們的友邦和同盟猶太人呢？	³¹And concerning the harm King Demetrius does to the Jews, we have written to him as follows, "Why do you lay such a heavy yoke upon the Jews, our friends and allies?
³²若他們再控告你，我們必要為他們主持公道，而與你海陸交戰。」	³²If they complain about you again, we shall defend their rights and attack you by sea and land."

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