| 瑪加伯下 |
2 Maccabees |
| 1敖尼雅作大司祭的時候，因他的熱誠和嫉惡的心，聖城安享太平，人民無不奉公守法， |
1 While the holy city lived in perfect peace and the laws were strictly observed because of the piety of the high priest Onias and his hatred of evil, |
| 2各國君王都尊敬聖所，餽贈珍貴禮品，增添聖殿的光榮； |
2the kings themselves honored the Place and glorified the temple with the most magnificent gifts. |
| 3連亞細亞王色婁苛也以私人的進貢，來供給獻祭時所需要的一切費用。 |
3 Thus Seleucus, king of Asia, defrayed from his own revenues all the expenses necessary for the sacrificial services. |
| 4但是有一個彼耳加族的息孟，本是聖殿的管理員，為了管理市場的事，與大司祭發生了衝突。 |
4 But a certain Simon, of the priestly course of Bilgah, who had been appointed superintendent of the temple, had a quarrel with the high priest about the supervision of the city market. |
| 5他既不能制勝敖尼雅，便投奔到塔爾索人阿頗羅尼那裏，當時他正是切肋敘利亞和腓尼基的總督。 |
5Since he could not prevail against Onias, he went to Apollonius of Tarsus, who at that time was governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, |
| 6息孟便向他述說耶路撒冷寶庫的財寶富不可言，進款多得無法統計，這一切與祭獻的費用毫無關係，所以可收歸王有。 |
6and reported to him that the treasury in Jerusalem was so full of untold riches that the total sum of money was incalculable and out of all proportion to the cost of the sacrifices, and that it would be possible to bring it all under the control of the king. |
| 7阿頗羅尼朝覲的時候，便把別人給他述說的這項財寶告訴了國王：王遂選派總理大臣赫略多洛，奉命去沒收上述的錢財。 |
7When Apollonius had an audience with the king, he informed him about the riches that had been reported to him. The king chose his minister Heliodorus and sent him with instructions to expropriate the aforesaid wealth. |
| 8赫略多洛便立時起程，名義上是為視察切肋敘利亞和腓尼基的各城市，其實是為執行國王的計劃。 |
8So Heliodorus immediately set out on his journey, ostensibly to visit the cities of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, but in reality to carry out the king's purpose. |
| 9他到了耶路撒冷，受到大司祭和全城的歡迎，以後便說明他所得到的消息，並說明來意，繼而詢問這些事是否屬實。 |
9When he arrived in Jerusalem and had been graciously received by the high priest of the city, he told him about the information that had been given, and explained the reason for his presence, and he asked if these things were really true. |
| 10大司祭聲明說：庫內的存款，都是寡婦孤兒所寄存的； |
10The high priest explained that part of the money was a care fund for widows and orphans, |
| 11還有一部份是位高望重的托彼雅的後裔依爾卡諾所寄存的；至於全庫的財寶，並沒有像邪惡的息孟傳報的那樣多，只有銀子四百「塔冷通」，金子二百「塔冷通」罷了。 |
11 and a part was the property of Hyrcanus, son of Tobias, a man who occupied a very high position. Contrary to the calumnies of the impious Simon, the total amounted to four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold. |
| 12此外，使那些信賴聖所神聖的人受剝削，使這舉世所敬仰的聖殿，與其神聖不可侵犯的尊嚴受到侮辱，是萬萬不可的。 |
12He added that it was utterly unthinkable to defraud those who had placed their trust in the sanctity of the Place and in the sacred inviolability of a temple venerated all over the world. |
| 13但是赫略多洛因為受了王命，堅決主張應將這些財寶收歸國庫。 |
13But because of the orders he had from the king, Heliodorus said that in any case the money must be confiscated for the royal treasury. |
| 14赫略多洛便於指定的日子進去清查這些寶物。這使全城大感憂傷。 |
14So on the day he had set he went in to take an inventory of the funds. There was great distress throughout the city. |
| 15眾司祭都穿上司祭祭服，俯伏在祭台前呼號上天，求存款的立法者，替那些存款的人安全保護這批財寶。 |
15Priests prostrated themselves in their priestly robes before the altar, and loudly begged him in heaven who had given the law about deposits to keep the deposits safe for those who had made them. |
| 16凡看見大司祭面容的人，沒有不心中悲傷的，因為他的神氣和他面色的改變，都明顯他心靈上的痛苦。 |
16Whoever saw the appearance of the high priest was pierced to the heart, for the changed color of his face manifested the anguish of his soul. |
| 17他驚惶失措與全身戰慄的態度，使人見了就明瞭他內心的憂傷。 |
17The terror and bodily trembling that had come over the man clearly showed those who saw him the pain that lodged in his heart. |
| 18居民都成群結隊的從房屋湧出，共同祈禱，因為聖所快要遭受污辱。 |
18People rushed out of their houses in crowds to make public supplication, because the Place was in danger of being profaned. |
| 19婦女都苦帶束胸，塞滿了街道，連深居不出的處女，也有的跑到門口，有的爬上牆頭，有的從窗戶向外觀望； |
19Women, girded with sackcloth below their breasts, filled the streets; maidens secluded indoors ran together, some to the gates, some to the walls, others peered through the windows, |
| 20大家都向上天舉手哀禱。 |
20all of them with hands raised toward heaven, making supplication. |
| 21看見群眾一起伏地哀求，與大司祭的焦心不安，委實令人可憐。 |
21It was pitiful to see the populace variously prostrated in prayer and the high priest full of dread and anguish. |
| 22正當人民呼求全能的天主，保護存款的人所寄存的財寶絕對安全時， |
22While they were imploring the almighty Lord to keep the deposits safe and secure for those who had placed them in trust, |
| 23赫略多洛就來執行他所決定的事。 |
23Heliodorus went on with his plan. |
| 24當他與衛兵走近寶庫的時候，眾神和全能的主忽然大顯異像，使那些擅入聖殿的人，受到天主威能的打擊，驚惶失措，不省人事， |
24But just as he was approaching the treasury with his bodyguards, the Lord of spirits who holds all power manifested himself in so striking a way that those who had been bold enough to follow Heliodorus were panic-stricken at God's power and fainted away in terror. |
| 25因為在他們眼前出現了一匹配備華麗的駿馬，上面騎着一位威嚴可怕的騎士，疾馳衝來，前蹄亂踏赫略多洛，騎馬的人身穿金黃的鎧甲。 |
25There appeared to them a richly caparisoned horse, mounted by a dreadful rider. Charging furiously, the horse attacked Heliodorus with its front hoofs. The rider was seen to be wearing golden armor. |
| 26同時又出現了兩位英勇的少年，光榮體面，穿戴華麗，立在赫略多洛的兩旁，鞭打不停，使他身受重傷。 |
26Then two other young men, remarkably strong, strikingly beautiful, and splendidly attired, appeared before him. Standing on each side of him, they flogged him unceasingly until they had given him innumerable blows. |
| 27赫略多洛忽然倒在地上，昏迷不省。人將他扶起，放在床上， |
27Suddenly he fell to the ground, enveloped in great darkness. Men picked him up and laid him on a stretcher. |
| 28這即是方才帶着大批侍從和衛士來到寶庫的人，現在卻無能為力，為人抬出，公然承認了這是天主的大能。 |
28The man who a moment before had entered that treasury with a great retinue and his whole bodyguard was carried away helpless, having clearly experienced the sovereign power of God. |
| 29正當這人受天主大能的打擊，啞口失聲，絕望無救的時候， |
29While he lay speechless and deprived of all hope of aid, due to an act of God's power, |
| 30猶太人卻同聲讚頌上主，因為上主光榮了自己的聖所；方才還充滿着恐怖驚慌的聖殿，如今卻因全能上主的顯現，充滿了歡喜快樂。 |
30the Jews praised the Lord who had marvelously glorified his holy Place; and the temple, charged so shortly before with fear and commotion, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the almighty Lord had manifested himself. |
| 31赫略多洛的同僚便急忙懇請敖尼雅哀求至高者，使這奄奄待斃的人重獲生命。 |
31Soon some of the companions of Heliodorus begged Onias to invoke the Most High, praying that the life of the man who was about to expire might be spared. |
| 32大司祭害怕國王懷疑猶太人對赫略多洛下了毒手，所以就為這人獻祭祈求痊癒。 |
32Fearing that the king might think that Heliodorus had suffered some foul play at the hands of the Jews, the high priest offered a sacrifice for the man's recovery. |
| 33當大司祭奉獻贖罪祭時，那兩位少年又顯現給赫略多洛，他們仍穿着同樣的服裝，站在他跟前說：「你應多謝大司祭敖尼雅，因為上主為了他纔賞你活命。 |
33While the high priest was offering the sacrifice of atonement, the same young men in the same clothing again appeared and stood before Heliodorus. "Be very grateful to the high priest Onias," they told him. "It is for his sake that the Lord has spared your life. |
| 34你這被上天鞭打的人，該向一切人宣揚天主的大能。」他們說完這話，就不見了。 |
34Since you have been scourged by Heaven, proclaim to all men the majesty of God's power." When they had said this, they disappeared. |
| 35於是赫略多洛向上主獻了犧牲，且向保全自己生命的上主許下大願，和顏悅色地辭別敖尼雅，以後便率領部下回到國王那裏。 |
35After Heliodorus had offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made most solemn vows to him who had spared his life, he bade Onias farewell, and returned with his soldiers to the king. |
| 36他並向一切人作證，他親眼見了偉大的天主的作為。 |
36Before all men he gave witness to the deeds of the most high God that he had seen with his own eyes. |
| 37國王問赫略多洛，下次派遣誰去耶路撒冷更相宜呢？他回答說： |
37When the king asked Heliodorus who would be a suitable man to be sent to Jerusalem next, he answered: |
| 38「你若有仇人或叛國之徒，可以派他到那裏去，即使他能逃生，也必飽受一頓毒打，纔能回來見你；那裏確實有天主的能力， |
38"If you have an enemy or a plotter against the government, send him there, and you will receive him back well-flogged, if indeed he survives at all; for there is certainly some special divine power about the Place. |
| 39因為那住在天上的，是那地方的看守者和保護者，故此，凡存惡意去的，必遭受痛打和殺害。」 |
39He who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that Place and protects it, and he strikes down and destroys those who come to harm it." |
| 40關於赫略多洛及保護聖庫的事，就是如此。 |
40This was how the matter concerning Heliodorus and the preservation of the treasury turned out. |
