2 Maccabees
Chapter 11
1 1 Very soon afterward, Lysias, guardian and kinsman of the king and head of the government, being greatly displeased at what had happened,
此后不久，王的亲戚和监护人并国务总理里息雅对所遭遇的事，异常愤恨。
2 mustered about eighty thousand infantry and all his cavalry and marched against the Jews. His plan was to make Jerusalem a Greek settlement;
便募集了八万步兵及所有的骑兵，出发进攻犹太人，企图将圣城作为希腊人的居所；
3 to levy tribute on the temple, as he did on the sanctuaries of the other nations; and to put the high priesthood up for sale every year.
向圣殿征税，象对其他各国的寺庙一样；并且每年高价出售大司祭的职位。
4 He did not take God's power into account at all, but felt exultant confidence in his myriads of foot soldiers, his thousands of horsemen, and his eighty elephants.
他毫不想天主的威能，而只信赖他的几万步兵，数千骑兵和八十匹象。
5 So he invaded Judea, and when he reached Beth-zur, a fortified place about twenty miles from Jerusalem, launched a strong attack against it.
侵入犹太之后，逼近离耶路撒冷约三十二公里的一个要塞贝特族尔，倾全力围攻。
6 When Maccabeus and his men learned that Lysias was besieging the strongholds, they and all the people begged the Lord with lamentations and tears to send a good angel to save Israel.
玛加伯与部下听说他围攻那堡垒，便与民众一同叹息流泪，恳求上主派一位好天使来拯救以色列。
7 Maccabeus himself was the first to take up arms, and he exhorted the others to join him in risking their lives to help their kinsmen. Then they resolutely set out together.
玛加伯自己首先拿起武器，然后激励众人跟他去冒险拯救同胞；众人都自告奋勇与他前去。
8 Suddenly, while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman appeared at their head, clothed in white garments and brandishing gold weapons.
他们离耶路撒冷不远，有位身穿白衣，手挥金武器的骑兵出现，作他们的前锋。
9 Then all of them together thanked God for his mercy, and their hearts were filled with such courage that they were ready to assault not only men, but the most savage beasts, yes, even walls of iron.
他们一致称扬仁慈的天主，个个勇往直前，不但准备冲锋杀敌，而且还敢与最凶猛的野兽搏斗，冲破铜墙铁壁。
10 Now that the Lord had shown his mercy toward them, they advanced in battle order with the aid of their heavenly ally.
他们既得上主垂怜，从天上获得联军助战，就列阵前进，
11 Hurling themselves upon the enemy like lions, they laid low eleven thousand foot soldiers and sixteen hundred horsemen, and put all the rest to flight.
冲向敌人如猛狮一般，击杀了步兵一万一千，骑兵一千六百，迫得其余的人都望风而逃，
12 Most of those who got away were wounded and stripped of their arms, while Lysias himself escaped only by shameful flight.
大半负伤弃甲逃命，连里息雅自己也得抱头鼠窜，才得苟全性命。
13 But Lysias was not a stupid man. He reflected on the defeat he had suffered, and came to realize that the Hebrews were invincible because the mighty God was their ally. He therefore sent a message
但他并不是个愚昧人：当他回想自己所遭遇的失败，便知希伯来人是不可战胜的，因为有全能的天主与他们共同作战；
14 persuading them to settle everything on just terms, and promising to persuade the king also, and to induce him to become their friend.
于是派遣使者去同犹太人说和，立平等的条件，且许下尽力劝国王与他们做朋友。
15 Maccabeus, solicitous for the common good, agreed to all that Lysias proposed; and the king, on his part, granted in behalf of the Jews all the written requests of Maccabeus to Lysias.
玛加伯为顾全公共的利益，就接受了里息雅所提出的一切，王也批准了玛加伯为犹太人向里息雅书面所要求的各项条件。
16 These are the terms of the letter which Lysias wrote to the Jews: ＂Lysias sends greetings to the Jewish people.
里息雅给犹太人所写的函件如下：＂里息雅祝犹太人民安好！
17 John and Absalom, your envoys, have presented your signed communication and asked about the matters contained in it.
你们的使者若望及阿贝沙隆呈递下附的函件，请求批准所列的事项。
18 Whatever had to be referred to the king I called to his attention, and the things that were acceptable he has granted.
凡应转呈君王的，我已禀呈；凡是可允准的，他一概允准了。
19 If you maintain your loyalty to the government, I will endeavor to further your interests in the future.
若你们对政府仍保持友好，今后我必尽力为你们谋求幸福。
20 On the details of these matters I have authorized my representatives, as well as your envoys, to confer with you.
关于这些及其余详细事项，我已吩咐你们的使者和我的特派员与你们会商。
21 2 Farewell.＂ The year one hundred and forty-eight, the twenty-fourth of Dioscorinthius.
祝你们健康！一四八年＂彤斯苛洛＂月二十四日。
22 The king's letter read thus: ＂King Antiochus sends greetings to his brother Lysias.
王的谕文如下：＂安提约古王祝兄弟里息雅安好！
23 Now that our father has taken his place among the gods, we wish the subjects of our kingdom to be undisturbed in conducting their own affairs.
自从先父归于诸神以后，我们愿意所属人民，自管其国，不受骚忧;
24 We understand that the Jews do not agree with our father's policy concerning Greek customs but prefer their own way of life. They are petitioning us to let them retain their own customs.
我们也听说犹太人不满意先父令他们随从希腊风俗，而愿保守自己固有的生活方式，并且要求许可遵守自己的法律。
25 Since we desire that this people too should be undisturbed, our decision is that their temple be restored to them and that they live in keeping with the customs of their ancestors.
其实，我们很愿意这民族不受骚扰，决意将圣殿交还他们，准许他们按照祖先的习例度日。
26 Accordingly, please send them messengers to give them our assurances of friendship, so that, when they learn of our decision, they may have nothing to worry about but may contentedly go about their own business.＂
所以你更好派使者到他们那里去，与他们和好，好使他们认清我们的意思，安心乐意处理自己的事务。＂
27 The king's letter to the people was as follows: ＂King Antiochus sends greetings to the Jewish senate and to the rest of the Jews.
王给犹太民族所颁的诏书如下：＂安提约古王祝犹太参议院与其余犹太人安好！
28 If you are well, it is what we desire. We too are in good health.
如果你们安康，那正是我们的希望，我们也很平安。
29 Menelaus has told us of your wish to return home and attend to your own affairs.
默乃劳向我们呈报说，你们愿意回乡，从事己业。
30 Therefore, those who return by the thirtieth of Xanthicus will have our assurance of full permission
因此，凡在＂散提苛＂月三十日以前回家的，一概得享平安，
31 to observe their dietary laws and other laws, just as before, and none of the Jews shall be molested in any way for faults committed through ignorance.
并允许犹太人象昔日一样享用自己规定的食物，遵守自己的法律；如果有人无意做了什么错事，谁也不可干涉。
32 I have also sent Menelaus to reassure you.
此外，我又派默乃特去慰问你们。
33 3 Farewell.＂ In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth of Xanthicus.
谨此祝你们健康！一四八年＂散提苛＂月十五日＂。
34 The Romans also sent them a letter as follows: ＂Quintus Memmius and Titus Manius, legates of the Romans, send greetings to the Jewish people.
罗马人也寄给犹太人一封公函，其原文如下：＂罗马人的使者昆突默米，提突玛尼祝犹太人民安好！
35 Whatever Lysias, kinsman of the king, has granted you, we also approve.
王的亲人里息雅与你们商定的事，我们也表示赞同。
36 But the matters on which he passed judgment should be submitted to the king. As soon as you have considered them, send someone to us with your decisions so that we may present them to your advantage, for we are on our way to Antioch.
对于那些他认为应请示国王的事，在你们仔细考虑以后，即刻派一人来，使我们能依照你们的利益去建议，因为我们快要起身到安提约基雅去。
37 Make haste, then, to send us those who can inform us of your intentions.
请急速派几个人来，叫我们知道究竟你们有什么意见。
38 4 Farewell.＂ In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth of Xanthicus.
谨此祝你们健康！一四八年＂散提苛月十五日。＂
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Footnotes（注解）
1 [1-12] The defeat of Lysias at Beth-zur probably occurred before the purification of the temple; cf 1 Macc 4:26-35.
2 [21] The year one hundred and forty-eight: 164 B.C. The reading of the name of the month and its position in the calendar are uncertain.
3 [33] The date, which is the same as the date of the Romans' letter (v 38), cannot be correct. The king's letter must be connected with the peace treaty of the year 149 of the Seleucid era, i. e., 163 B.C. Perhaps the mention of the month of Xanthicus in the body of the letter (2 Macc 11:30) caused the date of the Romans' letter to be transferred to this one.
4 [38] The date is March 12, 164 B.C.