| 瑪加伯下 |
2 Maccabees |
| 1這時安提約古正從波斯地域含羞歸來， |
1 About that time Antiochus retreated in disgrace from the region 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。 |
2He had entered the city called Persepolis and attempted to rob the temple and gain control of the city. Thereupon the people had swift recourse to arms, and Antiochus' men were routed, so that in the end Antiochus was put to flight by the natives and forced to beat a shameful retreat. |
| 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， |
3On his arrival in Ecbatana, he learned what had happened to Nicanor and to Timothy's forces. |
| 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」。 |
4Overcome with anger, he planned to make the Jews suffer for the injury done by those who had put him to flight. Therefore he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping until he finished the journey. Yet the condemnation of Heaven rode with him, since he said in his arrogance, "I will make Jerusalem the common graveyard of the Jews as soon as I arrive there." |
| 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。 |
5So the all-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him down with an unseen but incurable blow; for scarcely had he uttered those words when he was seized with excruciating pains in his bowels and sharp internal torment, |
| 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。 |
6a fit punishment for him who had tortured the bowels of others with many barbarous torments. |
| 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。 |
7Far from giving up his insolence, he was all the more filled with arrogance. Breathing fire in his rage against the Jews, he gave orders to drive even faster. As a result he hurtled from the dashing chariot, and every part of his body was racked by the violent fall. |
| 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 who previously, in his superhuman presumption, thought he could command the waves of the sea, and imagined he could weigh the mountaintops in his scales, was now thrown to the ground and had to be carried on a litter, clearly manifesting to all the power of God. |
| 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。 |
9The body of this impious man swarmed with worms, and while he was still alive in hideous torments, his flesh rotted off, so that the entire army was sickened by the stench of his corruption. |
| 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。 |
10Shortly before, he had thought that he could reach the stars of heaven, and now, no one could endure to transport the man because of this 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。 |
11At last, broken in spirit, he began to give up his excessive arrogance, and to gain some understanding, under the scourge of God, for he was racked with pain unceasingly. |
| 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！」 |
12When he could no longer bear his own stench, he said, "It is right to be subject to God, and not to think one's mortal self divine." |
| 13這惡人不住向那不再憐憫他的上主許願說： |
13Then this vile man vowed to the Lord, who would no longer have mercy on him, |
| 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； |
14that he would set free the holy city, toward which he had been hurrying with the intention of leveling it to the ground and making it a common graveyard; |
| 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； |
15he would put on perfect equality with the Athenians all the Jews, whom he had judged not even worthy of burial, but fit only to be thrown out with their children to be eaten by vultures and wild animals; |
| 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； |
16he would adorn with the finest offerings the holy temple which he had previously despoiled; he would restore all the sacred vessels many times over; and would provide from his own revenues the expenses required for 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。 |
17Besides all this, he would become a Jew himself and visit every inhabited place to proclaim there 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 since God's punishment had justly come upon him, his sufferings were not lessened, so he lost hope for himself and wrote the following letter to the Jews in the form of a supplication. It read thus: Death of Antiochus |
| 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！ |
19 "To my esteemed Jewish citizens, Antiochus, their king and general, sends hearty greetings and best wishes for their health 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 your affairs are going as you wish, I thank God very much, for my hopes are in heaven. |
| 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。 |
21Now that I am ill, I recall with affection the esteem and good will you bear me. On returning from the regions of Persia, I fell victim to a troublesome illness; so I thought it necessary to form plans for the general welfare of all. |
| 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。 |
22Actually, I do not despair about my health, since I have great hopes of recovering from my illness. |
| 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， |
23Nevertheless, I know that my father, whenever he went on campaigns in the hinterland, would name his successor, |
| 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； |
24so that, if anything unexpected happened or any unwelcome news came, the people throughout the realm would know to whom the government had been entrusted, and so not be disturbed. |
| 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。 |
25 I am also bearing in mind that the neighboring rulers, especially those on the borders of our kingdom, are on the watch for opportunities and waiting to see what will happen. I have therefore appointed as king my son Antiochus, whom I have often before entrusted and commended to most of you, when I made hurried visits to the outlying provinces. I have written to him the letter copied 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， |
26Therefore I beg and entreat each of you to remember the general and individual benefits you have received, and to continue to show good will toward me and 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。」 |
27I am confident that, following my policy, he will treat you with mildness and kindness in his relations with 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。 |
28So this murderer and blasphemer, after extreme sufferings, such as he had inflicted on others, died a miserable death in the mountains of a foreign land. |
| 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。 |
29His foster brother Philip brought the body home; but fearing Antiochus' son, he later withdrew into Egypt, to Ptolemy Philometor. |
