| 瑪加伯上 |
1 Maccabees |
| 1約納堂見時局為自己有利就挑選幾個人，打發他們往羅馬去，與羅馬人重修舊好。 |
1When Jonathan saw that the times favored him, he sent selected men to Rome to confirm and renew his friendship with the Romans. |
| 2為了這事，也給斯巴達人及其他地方寫了信。 |
2He also sent letters to Sparta and other places for the same purpose. |
| 3使者到了羅馬，進了元老院，說道：「大司祭約納堂和猶太人民，打發我們來，請你們與他們重修友好盟約，如同從前一樣。」 |
3After reaching Rome, the men entered the senate chamber and said, "The high priest Jonathan and the Jewish people have sent us to renew the earlier friendship and alliance between you and them." |
| 4元老們就交給他們一封給各地官吏的公函，以便護送他們平安回到猶太地方。 |
4The Romans gave them letters addressed to the authorities in the various places, requesting them to provide the envoys with safe conduct to the land of Judah. |
| 5約納堂寫給斯巴達人的信，原文如下： |
5This is a copy of the letter that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans: |
| 6「大司祭約納堂，民間長老、司祭及猶太其餘民眾，祝斯巴達弟兄安好！ |
6"Jonathan the high priest, the senate of the nation, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people send greetings to their brothers the Spartans. |
| 7從前管轄你們的君王阿勒烏，致書大司祭敖尼雅時，曾稱你們是我們的弟兄，正如所附副本指出的一樣。 |
7 Long ago a letter was sent to the high priest Onias from Arius, who then reigned over you, stating that you are our brothers, as the attached copy shows. |
| 8敖尼雅曾優待了被打發來的使者，也接受了談及聯盟與友好的信件。 |
8Onias welcomed the envoy with honor and received the letter, which clearly referred to alliance and friendship. |
| 9我們雖然不需要這些事，因為有我們手中的聖經作安慰； |
9 Though we have no need of these things, since we have for our encouragement the sacred books that are in our possession, |
| 10但是，我們仍願試驗一下，遣發使者到你們那裏去，為與你們重建弟兄和朋友之誼，不致與你們疏遠，因為自從收到你們的來信後，到現在時間已經過了很久。 |
10we have ventured to send word to you for the renewal of brotherhood and friendship, so as not to become strangers to you altogether; a long time has passed since your mission to us. |
| 11所以我們在節日，及其他法定日子，當獻祭和祈禱時，時常不斷記念你們；原來記念自己的弟兄，本是理所當然的。 |
11We, on our part, have never ceased to remember you in the sacrifices and prayers that we offer on our feasts and other appropriate days, as it is right and proper to remember brothers. |
| 12我們也為了你們的榮耀而喜樂。 |
12We likewise rejoice in your renown. |
| 13至於我們，當種種困難、連年戰爭、四面楚歌、鄰國攻打我們的時候， |
13But many hardships and wars have beset us, and the kings around us have attacked us. |
| 14在這些戰爭中，我們不願意麻煩你們和我們其他的同盟及友邦， |
14We did not wish to be troublesome to you and to the rest of our allies and friends in these wars; |
| 15因為我們有上天的助佑，來協助我們，拯救我們脫離敵人的手，使敵人屈服。 |
15with the help of Heaven for our support, we have been saved from our enemies, and they have been humbled. |
| 16所以我們纔選派安提約古的兒子奴默尼，和雅松的兒子安提帕特，打發他們到羅馬人那裏去，與他們重立昔日的友好同盟。 |
16So we have chosen Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, and we have sent them to the Romans to renew our former friendship and alliance with them. |
| 17我們也吩咐他們，到你們那裏去，向你們致敬，並且也把關於重建我們之間弟兄友誼的書信，呈給你們， |
17We have also ordered them to come to you and greet you, and to deliver to you our letter about the renewal of our brotherhood. |
| 18也請你們對這事給我們一個答覆。」 |
18Therefore kindly send us an answer on this matter." |
| 19這是從前寄給敖尼雅的信的副本： |
19This is a copy of the letter that was sent to Onias: |
| 20「斯巴達王阿勒烏，祝大司祭敖尼雅安好！ |
20"Arius, king of the Spartans, sends greetings to Onias the high priest. |
| 21在論及斯巴達人和猶太人一文獻上發現：這兩個民族彼此是弟兄，因為他們都是亞巴郎的後裔。 |
21A document has been found stating that the Spartans and the Jews are brothers; both nations descended from Abraham. |
| 22現在我們既然知道這事，就請你們更好將你們的昇平情況，寫給我們， |
22Now that we have learned this, kindly write to us about your welfare. |
| 23我們也寫給你們：凡你們的牲畜和財產，都是我們的；凡我們的，也都是你們的；所以我們吩咐了使者，將這些事呈報給你們。」 |
23We, on our part, are informing you that your cattle and your possessions are ours, and ours are yours. We have, therefore, given orders that you should be told of this." |
| 24約納堂聽說：德默特琉的將領，帶着比以前更多的軍隊回來，要與他作戰， |
24Jonathan heard that the generals of Demetrius had returned to attack him with a stronger army than before. |
| 25就離開耶路撒冷，往哈瑪特地方去迎擊敵人，因為他不肯讓他們有侵入自己邊境的時間。 |
25 He set out from Jerusalem and went into the country of Hamath to meet them, giving them no time to enter his province. |
| 26並且打發偵探到敵方軍營裏去，他們回來給他報告說：敵人決議要在夜間進襲。 |
26The spies he had sent into their camp came back and reported that the enemy had made ready to attack the Jews that very night. |
| 27太陽西落時，約納堂吩咐部下戒備，整夜攜帶武器，準備作戰，並在軍營四周，派上哨兵。 |
27Therefore, when the sun set, Jonathan ordered his men to be on guard and to remain armed, ready for combat, throughout the night. He also set outposts all around the camp. |
| 28敵人聽說約納堂和部下都準備決戰，怕得膽戰心驚，便在自己營中點起火，逃走了。 |
28When the enemy heard that Jonathan and his men were ready for battle, their hearts sank with fear and dread. They lighted fires and then withdrew. |
| 29約納堂和他的部下，先只看見火光，直到早晨纔知道敵人已經逃走。 |
29But because Jonathan and his men were watching the lights burning, they did not know what had happened until morning. |
| 30約納堂就去追趕他們，但沒有追上，因為他們早已渡過厄婁特洛河。 |
30Then Jonathan pursued them, but he could not overtake them, for they had crossed the river Eleutherus. |
| 31約納堂轉而攻擊稱為匝巴泰的阿剌伯人，將他們打敗，搶掠了他們的財物。 |
31So Jonathan turned aside against the Arabs who are called Zabadeans, overwhelming and plundering them. |
| 32之後，便又出發，來到大馬士革，走遍全境。 |
32Then he marched on to Damascus and traversed that whole region. |
| 33同時，息孟也出征，直到阿市刻隆和臨近的堡壘，然後轉向約培，佔據了那城。 |
33Simon also set out and went as far as Ashkalon and its neighboring strongholds. He then turned to Joppa and occupied it, |
| 34因為聽說，有人願將此堡壘交給德默特琉的黨羽，遂在那裏派軍隊把守。 |
34for he heard that its men had intended to hand over this stronghold to the supporters of Demetrius. He left a garrison there to guard it. |
| 35約納堂回來之後，召集民間長老，與他們議決，要在猶太修建一些堡壘， |
35When Jonathan returned, he assembled the elders of the people, and with them he made plans for building strongholds in Judea, |
| 36加高耶路撒冷的圍牆，在堡壘與城之間，修築一堵高牆，將堡壘與城分開，使堡壘孤立，叫其中的人不能買賣。 |
36for making the walls of Jerusalem still higher, and for erecting a high barrier between the citadel and the city, that would isolate the citadel and so prevent its garrison from commerce with the city. |
| 37猶太人便聚集起來修城，因為溪旁的東牆，已經倒塌；也把稱為加斐納達的地區加以重修。 |
37The people therefore worked together on building up the city, for part of the east wall above the ravine had collapsed. The quarter called Chaphenatha was also repaired. |
| 38那時，息孟在舍斐拉也重修了哈狄得，加以設防，還安上門和閂。 |
38Simon likewise built up Adida in the Shephelah, and strengthened its fortifications by providing them with gates and bars. |
| 39那時，特黎豐企圖作亞細亞王，自戴王冠，而向安提約古下手， |
39Trypho was determined to become king of Asia, assume the crown, and do away with King Antiochus. |
| 40卻怕約納堂不容許他如此作，反而來攻打他，便設計擒拿約納堂，將他殺死；遂起程來到貝特商。 |
40But he was afraid that Jonathan would not permit him, but would fight against him. Looking for a way to seize and kill him, he set out and reached Beth-shan. |
| 41約納堂帶着四萬作戰精兵出發，也來到貝特商，與他交戰。 |
41Jonathan marched out against him with forty thousand picked fighting men and came to Beth-shan. |
| 42特黎豐見約納堂帶着大軍前來，不敢向他下手； |
42But when Trypho saw that Jonathan had arrived with a large army he was afraid to offer him violence. |
| 43便以禮接待他，將他推薦給自己的眾朋友，送給他禮物，還命自己的朋友和自己的軍隊，都要服從他，如同服從自己一樣， |
43Instead, he received him with honor, introduced him to all his friends, and gave him presents. He also ordered his friends and soldiers to obey him as they would himself. |
| 44然後對約納堂說：「我們之間，既無戰事，你為什麼煩勞這麼多的人呢？ |
44Then he said to Jonathan: "Why have you put all your soldiers to so much trouble when we are not at war? |
| 45現在你打發他們各回本家罷！為你自己只選少數的人跟隨你，同我一起往仆托肋買去，我要將這座城，及其他堡壘、軍隊和一切官吏、都交給你；然後我回去，因為我原是為這事而來的。」 |
45Pick out a few men to stay with you, send the rest back home, and then come with me to Ptolemais. I will hand it over to you together with other strongholds and their garrisons, as well as the officials, then I will leave and go home. That is why I came here." |
| 46約納堂相信了他，就按他的話作了，遣散了軍隊，讓他們回到猶太地， |
46Jonathan believed him and did as he said. He dismissed his troops, and they returned to the land of Judah. |
| 47只為自己留下三千人，其中兩千人留在加里肋亞，與他同行的只有一千人。 |
47But he kept with him three thousand men, of whom he sent two thousand to Galilee while one thousand accompanied him. |
| 48約納堂一進仆托肋買城，仆托肋買人便關了城門，將他捉住，用刀將他同來的眾人都殺了。 |
48Then as soon as Jonathan had entered Ptolemais, the men of the city closed the gates and seized him; all who had entered with him, they killed with the sword. |
| 49同時，特黎豐又派步兵和騎兵，前往加里肋亞和大平原，去消滅約納堂的一切黨羽。 |
49 Trypho sent soldiers and cavalry to Galilee and the Great Plain to destroy all Jonathan's men. |
| 50這些人雖已知道約納堂和跟從他的人，都被逮捕殺害，但仍然彼此鼓勵，整隊而出，準備決一死戰。 |
50These, upon learning that Jonathan had been captured and his companions killed, encouraged one another and went out in compact body ready to fight. |
| 51追趕他們的敵人，一見猶太人決意要為保全性命而戰，就折回去了。 |
51As their pursuers saw that they were ready to fight for their lives, they turned back. |
| 52這些人因此纔平安回到猶太地，他們都哀悼約納堂和跟從他的人，同時也非常恐懼；全以色列也都表示哀痛。 |
52Thus all these men of Jonathan came safely into the land of Judah. They mourned over Jonathan and his men, and were in great fear, and all Israel fell into deep mourning. |
| 53那時，他們四鄰所有的異民，都想滅絕猶太人說：「他們既沒有領袖，又沒有人幫助，現在我們應該去攻打他們，將他們的遺蹟由人間除去。」 |
53All the nations round about sought to destroy them. They said, "Now that they have no leader to help them, let us make war on them and wipe out their memory from among men." |
