瑪加伯下:Chapter 14

瑪加伯下:Chapter 14

瑪加伯下	2 Maccabees
¹過了三年，猶大和他的部下知道色婁苛的兒子德默特琉帶着大軍及戰船已在特黎頗里海口登陸，	¹ Three years later, Judas and his men learned that Demetrius, son of Seleucus, had sailed into the port of Tripolis with a powerful army and a fleet,
²佔領那地，殺了安提約古及他的監護人里息雅。	²and that he had occupied the country, after doing away with Antiochus and his guardian Lysias.
³從前任大司祭的阿耳基慕，在與外邦人絕交時期，曾甘心自污，自知無論如何不得安全，也不能再走近聖壇；	³A certain Alcimus, a former high priest, who had willfully incurred defilement at the time of the revolt, realized that there was no way for him to salvage his position and regain access to the holy altar.
⁴於是在一五一年，去見德默特琉王，獻給他一頂金冠和金棕櫚枝，此外還獻上些聖殿內常供奉的橄欖枝；他那一天沒有說什麼。	⁴So he went to King Demetrius in the year one hundred and fifty-one and presented him with a gold crown and a palm branch, as well as some of the customary olive branches from the temple. On that occasion he kept quiet.
⁵但當德默特琉召他來會議，詢問他猶太人有何心思和企圖時，他便乘機貢獻那無恥的計策說：	⁵But he found an opportunity to further his mad scheme when he was invited to the council by Demetrius and questioned about the dispositions and intentions of the Jews. He replied:
⁶「有一些號稱哈息待的，並以猶大瑪加伯為領袖的猶太人，時常發動戰爭，叛變無常，不讓國家獲得安寧。	⁶"Those Jews called Hasideans, led by Judas Maccabeus, are warmongers, who stir up sedition and keep the kingdom from enjoying peace and quiet.
⁷因此，我既然被他們剝奪了祖傳的光榮，即大司祭的地位，現今我來到這裏：	⁷For this reason, now that I am deprived of my ancestral dignity, that is to say, the high priesthood, I have come here--
⁸第一，是為誠心圖謀國王的福利；第二，是為替我同胞着想，因為，因了上述那些人的膽大妄為，我們整個民族受到不少的苦楚。	⁸first, out of my genuine concern for the king's interests, and secondly, out of consideration for my own countrymen, since our entire nation is suffering great affliction from the unreasonable conduct of the people just mentioned.
⁹如今請陛下將這些事先一一調查清楚，以後設法依照陛下對天下所懷的仁德，照顧我們的家鄉，及我們遭難的民族，	⁹When you have informed yourself in detail on these matters, O king, act in the interest of our country and its hard-pressed people with the same gracious consideration that you show toward all.
¹⁰因為猶大一息尚存，國家決不能平安。」	¹⁰As long as Judas is around, it is impossible for the state to enjoy peace."
¹¹他正說這些話時，其他憎恨猶大的親信，也在旁激動德默特琉的憤怒。	¹¹When he had said this, the other Friends who were hostile to Judas quickly added fuel to Demetrius' indignation.
¹²於是國王立即選定曾任象隊司令的尼加諾爾，委他為猶太總督，派他前去；	¹²The king immediately chose Nicanor, who had been in command of the elephants, and appointed him governor of Judea. He sent him off
¹³令他去殺猶大，解散他的部下，立阿耳基慕為那莊嚴聖殿的司祭長。	¹³with orders to put Judas to death, to disperse his followers, and to set up Alcimus as high priest of the great temple.
¹⁴猶太各地被猶大所驅逐的外邦人，便都成群結隊來協助尼加諾爾，認為猶太人的不幸和災害，都於自己有利。	¹⁴ The Gentiles from Judea, who would have banished Judas, came flocking to Nicanor, thinking that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would mean prosperity for themselves.
¹⁵猶太人聽說尼加諾爾來侵，外邦人來犯，便頭上撒土，哀號那位永遠保存自己的民族，又常顯奇蹟保護自己產業的天主，	¹⁵When the Jews heard of Nicanor's coming, and that the Gentiles were rallying to him, they sprinkled themselves with earth and prayed to him who established his people forever, and who always comes to the aid of his heritage.
¹⁶然後遵照領袖的命令，立時從那裏動身，在德掃村與敵人交鋒。	¹⁶At their leader's command, they set out at once and came upon the enemy at the village of Adasa.
¹⁷猶大的兄弟息孟已經與尼加諾爾交戰，但因敵兵的突擊，稍感不利。	¹⁷Judas' brother Simon had engaged Nicanor, but because of the sudden appearance of the enemy suffered a slight repulse.
¹⁸可是，尼加諾爾因為聽說猶大和他的部下驍勇善戰，以及他們為國作戰的雄心，不敢用武力來解決，	¹⁸However, when Nicanor heard of the valor of Judas and his men, and the great courage with which they fought for their country, he shrank from deciding the issue by bloodshed.
¹⁹於是派頗息多尼、特奧多托和瑪塔提雅去與猶太人商議和談。	¹⁹So he sent Posidonius, Theodotus and Mattathias to arrange an agreement.
²⁰將條件詳細考慮後，首領通知眾軍隊，大家既一致贊同，他纔同意講和。	²⁰After a long discussion of the terms, each leader communicated them to his troops; and when general agreement was expressed, they assented to the treaty.
²¹雙方也規定了同到一地會商的日期，那天，各乘轎車來就已佈置好的席位。	²¹A day was set on which the leaders would meet by themselves. From each side a chariot came forward and thrones were set in place.
²²猶大在適宜的地方派兵防守，以免敵人背信突擊；雙方的談判終於獲得協議。	²²Judas had posted armed men in readiness at suitable points for fear that the enemy might suddenly carry out some treacherous plan. But the conference was held in the proper way.
²³尼加諾爾逗留在耶路撒冷時，沒有做出什麼越軌的事，而且還解散了那些來協助他的隊伍。	²³Nicanor stayed on in Jerusalem, where he did nothing out of place. He got rid of the throngs of ordinary people who gathered around him;
²⁴他常要猶大在自己的身邊，心裏也很喜歡他；	²⁴but he always kept Judas in his company, for he had a cordial affection for the man.
²⁵於是勸他娶妻生子，猶大便娶了妻子，享受人生樂趣。	²⁵He urged him to marry and have children; so Judas married, settled down, and shared the common life.
²⁶阿耳基慕見他們二人交好，便帶了一份訂的和約，到德默特琉面前，說尼加諾爾對國事有異心，因為他已指定了叛國的猶大為自己的繼承人。	²⁶When Alcimus saw their friendship for each other, he took the treaty that had been made, went to Demetrius, and said that Nicanor was plotting against the state, and that he had appointed Judas, the conspirator against the kingdom, to be his successor.
²⁷王被這惡徒的讒言所惑，勃然大怒，寫信給尼加諾爾，表示不滿意他所訂的和約，並命令他從速逮捕瑪加伯，把他解送到安提約基雅去。	²⁷Stirred up by the villain's calumnies, the king became enraged. He wrote to Nicanor, stating that he was displeased with the treaty, and ordering him to send Maccabeus as a prisoner to Antioch without delay.
²⁸尼加諾爾得到這道諭令，極感不安，因為對方沒有什麼不對，不好輕易違背與他訂的和約；	²⁸When this message reached Nicanor he was dismayed, for he hated to break his agreement with a man who had done no wrong.
²⁹但又不能違抗君王，所以只好尋找機會，運用機智來完成這道命令。	²⁹However, there was no way of opposing the king, so he watched for an opportunity to carry out this order by a stratagem.
³⁰瑪加伯見尼加諾爾對自己冷淡，談話的態度也比以前粗暴，便瞭解這種粗暴態度決非好現象；於是召集自己不少的部下，暗自離開了尼加諾爾。	³⁰But Maccabeus noticed that Nicanor was becoming cool in his dealings with him, and acting with unaccustomed rudeness when they met; he concluded that this coldness betokened no good. So he gathered together a large number of his men, and went into hiding from Nicanor.
³¹尼加諾爾見自己被猶大玩弄，便在司祭正獻日常祭時，闖進莊嚴的聖殿，命他們交出瑪加伯來。	³¹When Nicanor realized that he had been disgracefully outwitted by the man, he went to the great and holy temple, at a time when the priests were offering the customary sacrifices, and ordered them to surrender Judas.
³²他們就起誓說不知道他找的人在那裏。	³²As they declared under oath that they did not know where the wanted man was,
³³他就向聖殿伸出右手發誓道：「你們若不將猶大逮捕交給我，我要將天主的這座殿宇夷為平地，將祭壇拆毀，並在這裏給彫尼索建築一座壯麗的廟宇。」	³³he raised his right hand toward the temple and swore this oath: "If you do not hand Judas over to me as prisoner, I will level this shrine of God to the ground; I will tear down the altar, and erect here a splendid temple to Dionysus."
³⁴說完這話就走了。司祭們舉手向天，呼求那常為自己的民族作戰者說：	³⁴With these words he went away. The priests stretched out their hands toward heaven, calling upon the unfailing defender of our nation in these words:
³⁵「萬有的上主！你一無所缺，但是你卻樂意在我們中有一座聖殿作你的住所。	³⁵"Lord of all, though you are in need of nothing, you have approved of a temple for your dwelling place among us.
³⁶那麼，至聖的上主！求你保護這座纔潔淨的聖殿，使它永遠不再受褻瀆！」	³⁶Therefore, O holy One, Lord of all holiness, preserve forever undefiled this house, which has been so recently purified."
³⁷在耶路撒冷有長老，名叫辣齊斯，被人在尼加諾爾跟前控告了；他原是熱心愛國，極負盛名的人，因為為人慈祥，人都稱他為猶太人之父。	³⁷ A certain Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nicanor as a patriot. A man highly regarded, he was called a father of the Jews because of his love for them.
³⁸他在與外邦人絕交的初期，也曾因猶太教而被控告；他已決意為猶太教犧牲自身和性命。	³⁸In the early days of the revolt, he had been convicted of Judaism, and had risked body and life in his ardent zeal for it.
³⁹尼加諾爾為發洩自己對猶太人所懷的仇恨，便派了五百多人去捉拿他，	³⁹Nicanor, to show his detestation of the Jews, sent more than five hundred soldiers to arrest him.
⁴⁰認為逮捕這個人，一定能給猶太人一個極大的打擊。	⁴⁰He thought that by arresting such a man he would deal the Jews a hard blow.
⁴¹當軍隊正要佔據堡壘，撞開庭院大門，下令放火燒門時，辣齊斯見四面受敵，便伏劍自刎，	⁴¹But when these troops, on the point of capturing the tower, were forcing the outer gate and calling for fire to set the door ablaze, Razis, now caught on all sides, turned his sword against himself,
⁴²寧願壯烈犧牲不願陷在惡人手中，使自己的身份遭受不堪的凌辱。	⁴²preferring to die nobly rather than fall into the hands of vile men and suffer outrages unworthy of his noble birth.
⁴³但因伏劍過急，沒有刺中要害，那時敵人已闖進門內，他便奮身跑到牆上，毅然跳到人群中。	⁴³In the excitement of the struggle he failed to strike exactly. So while the troops rushed in through the doors, he gallantly ran up to the top of the wall and with manly courage threw himself down into the crowd.
⁴⁴眾人都急忙後退，讓出一塊空地，他便落在空地上。	⁴⁴But as they quickly drew back and left an opening, he fell into the middle of the empty space.
⁴⁵這時他還活着，於是怒火如焚的爬起來，雖然血流如注，傷勢甚重，還跑着穿過人群，屹立在一塊巖石上；	⁴⁵Still breathing, and inflamed with anger, he got up and ran through the crowd, with blood gushing from his frightful wounds.
⁴⁶血快要流盡的時候，又將五臟扯出來，雙手捧着，向人群拋去，懇求那掌管生命及靈魂的主宰，把這一切再還給他；他就這樣死了。	⁴⁶Then, standing on a steep rock, as he lost the last of his blood, he tore out his entrails and flung them with both hands into the crowd, calling upon the Lord of life and of spirit to give these back to him again. Such was the manner of his death.