1 Maccabees 14

Wycliffe Bible

14 In the hundred and two and seventy [or and seventieth] year, king Demetrius gathered his host, and went to Media, for to draw together helps to (or for) him(self), for to overcome Tryphon.

² And as Arsaces, (the) king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius entered into his nigh coasts, he sent one of his princes, for to take him quick (or alive), and (so) that he should bring him (back) to himself.

³ And he went, and smote the host of Demetrius, and took him, and led him to Arsaces, and he putted him into keeping (or into prison).

⁴ And the land of Judea was still, either peaceable, in all the days of Simon, and he sought good things of (or for) his folk; and his power and his glory pleased them in all days.

⁵ And with all his glory he took Joppa into haven, and made entry into (the) isles of the sea;

⁶ and alarged (or enlarged) the coasts of his people, and wielded the country.

⁷ And he gathered much captivity, and was lord in Gazara, and Bethsura, and the high tower; and he did away (the) uncleannesses of it, and there was not that against-stood him.

⁸ And each man tilled his own land in peace, and the land of Judea gave his (or its) fruits, and (the) trees of (the) fields [or and trees of the field] their fruit.

⁹ (The) Elder men sat all in (the) streets [or All elder men sat in streets], and treated of (the) goods of the land; and (the) young men clothed them(selves) in glory, and (the) stoles of battle, that is armours, in the time of peace.

¹⁰ And to the cities he gave foods, and ordained those, that those were vessels of strengthening [or and ordained them, that they were vessels of strengthening], till that the name of his glory was named till to the last of (the) earth.

¹¹ He made peace on the land, and Israel was glad [or gladded] with great gladness;

¹² and each man sat under his vine, and under his fig tree, neither there was that feared them (or and there was none that made them afraid).

¹³ The fighting man against them failed on (the) earth; (the) kings were all-broken in those days.

¹⁴ And he confirmed all meek men of his people, and he sought out the law, and did away all evil and wickedness;

¹⁵ and he glorified holy things, and multiplied vessels of holy things. (and he beautified the Temple, and multiplied the vessels of the Temple.)

¹⁶ And it was heard at Rome, that Jonathan was dead, and till into (the) Spartans, and they were full sorrowful.

¹⁷ Forsooth as they heard, that Simon, his brother, was made highest priest in his stead, and he wielded the country, and (the) cities in it,

¹⁸ they wrote to him in brazen tables (or on bronze tablets), for to renew (the) friendship, and fellowship, that they made with Judas and Jonathan, his brethren;

¹⁹ and they were read in the sight of the church (or the congregation) in Jerusalem.

²⁰ And this is the ensample (or a copy) of (the) epistles, that (the) Spartans (or the Lacedaemonians) sent. The prince and the cities, that is, (the) governors of the cities, of (the) Spartans (or of the Lacedaemonians) to Simon, (the) great priest, and to the elder men, and priests, and to (the) other people of (the) Jews, brethren, health.

²¹ (The) Legates that were sent to our people, told to us of your glory, and honour, and gladness, and we joyed in (or at) the entry of them.

²² And we have written what things were said of them in (the) councils [or in (the) council] of (the) people, thus. Numenius, the son of Antiochus, and Antipater, the son of Jason, (the) legates of (the) Jews, came to us, and renewed with us the former friendship.

²³ And it pleased to the people, for to receive the men gloriously, and to put (an) ensample of their words in departed books of the people (or and to put a copy of their address in the public records), that it be to mind to the people of (the) Spartans (or so that it be in the mind of, or remembered by, the Lacedaemonians); forsooth we have written (an) ensample (or a copy) of these things to Simon, the great priest.

²⁴ Forsooth after these things, Simon sent Numenius to Rome, having a great golden shield, in (the) weight of a thousand bezants, for to ordain fellowship with them.

²⁵ Soothly when the people of Rome heard these words, they said, What doing of thankings shall we yield to Simon, and his sons?

²⁶ For he restored his brethren, and overcame the enemies of Israel from them. And they ordained to him liberty, [Forsooth he restored his brethren, and overcame the enemies of Israel from them. And they ordained to them (their) liberty,]

²⁷ and wrote in brazen tables, and (the) Jews putted in titles, in the mount of Zion (or and wrote it on bronze tablets, which the Jews set upon pillars on mount Zion). And this is (an) ensample (or a copy) of (the) writing. In the eighteenth day of the month Elul, that is, August, in the hundred and two and seventy [or and seventieth] year, the third year under Simon, (the) great priest,

²⁸ in Saramel, in the great coming together of (the) priests, (and) of the people, and (the) princes, and (the) folk, and the elder men [or and seniors] of the country, these things were made known;

²⁹ for many times battles were done [or be made] in your country. Forsooth Simon, the son of Mattathias, of the sons of Jarib, and his brethren, gave themselves to peril, and against-stood (the) adversaries of their folk, (so) that their holy things (or their Temple) and (the) law should stand; and by great glory they glorified their folk (or and they brought great glory to their people).

³⁰ And Jonathan gathered his folk (together), and was made to them a great priest, and is put to his people.

³¹ And the enemies of them would defoul (the) holy things, and destroy the country of them, and stretch forth hands into (the) holy things of them. (And their enemies would defile the Temple, and destroy their country, and stretch forth hands upon their Temple.)

³² Then Simon against-stood, and fought for his people, and gave many riches [or and gave much money], and armed (the) men of virtue of his folk, and gave to them solds (or wages);

³³ and strengthened the cities of Judea, and Bethsura, that was in the ends of Judea, where before were (the) armours of (the) enemies, and he putted there (a) help, [or (a) strength], (or a stronghold), (yea), (with) men of (the) Jews.

³⁴ And he strengthened Joppa, that was at the sea, and Gazara, that was in the coasts of Azotus, in which (the) enemies (had) dwelt before; and he setted there Jews, and whatever things were able to (the) amending of them, he putted in them.

³⁵ And the people saw the doing of Simon, and (the) glory that he thought for to do to (or for) his folk, and they made him their duke, and prince of priests, for that he had done all these things, and (for the) rightwiseness, and faith that he kept to his folk; and he sought out in all manner for to raise (up) his people.

³⁶ And in his days it had prosperity in his hands, (so) that (the) heathen men were taken away from the country of them, (and) which were (also) in the city of David in Jerusalem, in the high tower, from which they came out, and defouled all things that were in compass of holy things (or from which they came out, and defiled all the things that were around the Temple), and gave great wound to (its) chastity (or to its purity).

³⁷ And he setted therein men Jews, to defending of the country, and (the) city, and raised (up) the walls in (or of) Jerusalem.

³⁸ And king Demetrius ordained to him the highest priesthood;

³⁹ by this he made him his friend, and glorified him in great glory.

⁴⁰ For he heard, that (the) Jews were called of (or by) (the) Romans friends, and fellows, and brethren, and that they received (the) legates (or the ambassadors) of Simon gloriously;

⁴¹ and that (the) Jews, and (the) priests of them, consented, him for to be their duke, and highest priest [into] without end, till there rise a faithful prophet;

⁴² and that he be duke on them, and care, or busyness, were to him for (the) holy things; and that he should ordain governors [or provosts] on the works of them, and on the country, and on armours, and on strengths; and care be to him of (the) holy things; (and that he be the leader over them, and that he should take charge of the Temple; and that he should ordain governors over their works, and over the country, and over the armour, or the arms, or the weapons, and over the strongholds; and that he should take charge of the Temple;)

⁴³ and that he be heard of (or obeyed by all) men, and all (the) writings in the country be written together under the name of him, and that he be covered with purple and gold;

⁴⁴ and that it be not leaveful to (or lawful for) any of the people, and to (or for) priests, for to make anything of these void, and against-say (or say against, or gainsay) to these things that be said of (or by) him, either for to call together (a) convent (or an assembly) in the country without him; and for to be clothed in purple, and for to use a golden lace, or (an) ouch (or to be clothed in purple, or to wear a gold clasp, or a buckle).

⁴⁵ Soothly he that shall do without this, either [or] shall make void any of these (things), shall be guilty.

⁴⁶ And (so) it pleased (al)together to all the people, for to ordain Simon, and do by [or and to do after] these words.

⁴⁷ And Simon received (this), and it pleased him, that he should use [or that he was set in] (the) high priesthood or (the) highest priesthood, and be duke and prince of the folk of (the) Jews, and priests, and be the sovereign of all men.

⁴⁸ And they ordained for to put this writing in brazen tables, and put them in the wall about the compassing of (the) holy things [or and put them in the walking place of holy things], in solemn place; (And they ordained to put this writing on bronze tablets, and to put them within the Temple area, or precincts, in an esteemed or a prominent place;)

⁴⁹ forsooth for to put (an) ensample of these in the treasury, (so) that Simon have and his sons. (and also to put a copy of them in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons would have them.)