2 Maccabees 4

Wycliffe Bible

4 Simon forsooth before-said (of), (an) accuser of (the) riches [or of monies], and of the country, spake evil of Onias, as if he had stirred Heliodorus to these things, and he had been (the) stirrer of evils;

² and he durst say the purveyor of the city, and defender of his folk, and lover of the law of God, (was a) traitor [or (an) enemy] of the realm.

³ But when (their) enmities came forth in so much, that also by some familiar, [or nigh], friends of Simon, man-slayings were done,

⁴ Onias beheld the peril of strife [or Onias, beholding the peril of strife], and that Apollonius was mad, as duke of Celosyria and Phenice (or as the governor of Greater Syria and Phoenicia), for to increase the malice of Simon.

⁵ And Onias gave himself to the king; not as (an) accuser of (the) citizens, but beholding with himself the common profit of all the multitude.

⁶ For he saw, that it was impossible that peace were given to things without the king’s purveyance, and that Simon might not cease of (or from) his folly.

⁷ But after the passing out of Seleucus’ life, when Antiochus, that was called noble (or who was called Epiphanes), had taken (the) realm, Jason, the brother of Onias, coveted the highest priesthood or the high priesthood;

⁸ and Jason went to the king, and promised to him three hundred talents and sixty of silver (or three hundred and sixty talents of silver), and of other rents fourscore talents; [the king gone to, promising him three hundred talents and sixty of silver, and of other rents fourscore;]

⁹ over these things he promised also other talents an hundred and fifty, if it were granted to his power, for to ordain a school, and (a) gathering of young men to him; and for to write them that were in Jerusalem (who were known as) (the) Antiochenes, or (the) men of Antiochus.

¹⁰ And when the king had granted this, and he wielded the princehood, anon (or at once) he began to translate to heathen custom(s), (the) men of his lineage. [Which thing when the king had granted, and he wielded the princehood, anon he began for to transfer to heathen custom, or observance, men of his lineage.]

¹¹ And when these things were done away, which by cause (or because) of humanity, either courtesy, were ordained of (or by) kings to (the) Jews by John, the father of Eupolemus, which was ordained in lawful message of friendship and fellowship with (the) Romans, he destroyed (the) rights, or (the) laws, of (the) citizens, and made shrewd (or depraved) ordinances;

¹² for he was hardy for to ordain a school of heathenness under that high tower, and for to put all the best of (the) fair young men in bordel houses.

¹³ Forsooth this was not (the) beginning, but some increasing and profit of heathen and alien life, for the unleaveful (or the unlawful) and unheard great trespass of unpious(ness), and not priest Jason;

¹⁴ so that (the) priests not now were given about offices of the altar, but they despised the temple, and left (the) sacrifices, and they hast(en)ed for to be made fellows of wrestling or of rassling, and of unjust giving of him, that is, of his giving of (the) worst teaching, and in occupations of a dish, either playing with a leaden dish (or discus).

¹⁵ And soothly they had (the) honours of (their) fathers at nought, and deemed (the) Greek glories best. [And they having honours of fathers at nought, deemed Greek glories best.]

¹⁶ For cause of which perilous contention had them, and they followed their ordinances; and by all things they coveted them for to be like them, which they had (as their) enemies and destroyers. [For grace of which perilous contention had them, and their ordinances they followed, or loved; and by all things they coveted for to like to them, whom they had enemies and destroyers.]

¹⁷ Forsooth for to do unfaithfully [or unpiously] against God’s laws it befalleth not without pain, but the time (pur)suing (or following) shall declare these things.

¹⁸ Soothly when Justus, done once in five years (Now when the athletic game that was done every five years), was made solemnly in Tyre, and the king was present,

¹⁹ Jason, full of great trespasses, sent from Jerusalem men sinners, (or some Antiochenes), bearing three hundred double drachmas of silver into (or for) (the) sacrifice of Hercules; which these men that bare out asked, that those were not given in sacrifices, for it needed not, but that those shall be ordained into other expenses. [Jason, full of great trespasses sent from Jerusalem men sinners, bearing three hundred drachmas of silver into sacrifice of Hercules; which these men that bare out asked, that they were not given in sacrifices, for it needed not, but into other expenses them for to be ordained.]

²⁰ But soothly these were offered of (or by) him that sent into (or for) the sacrifice of Hercules; soothly for (the) men present those [or they] were given into (the) making of great ships.

²¹ Forsooth Apollonius, son of Menestheus, was sent into Egypt for primates, or princes, of Ptolemy Philometor, the king (or was sent into Egypt for the coronation of Ptolemeus Philometor, the king); when Antiochus knew him made alien from needs of the realm, he counselled for [or to] his own profits, and went from thence, and came to Joppa, and from thence to Jerusalem.

²² And he was received of (or by) Jason and the city worshipfully (or honourably), with (the) lights of brands, and praisings, and went in, and from thence he turned the host into Phenice (or unto Phoenicia).

²³ And after the time of three years Jason sent Menelaus, the brother of Simon above-said, bearing riches [or monies] to the king, and of necessary causes to bearing answers.

²⁴ And he was commended to the king, and, when he had magnified the face of his power, he turned into (or unto) himself the highest priesthood, and setted above Jason three hundred talents of silver (or he got for himself the highest priesthood, and offered more than Jason by three hundred talents of silver). [And he commended to the king, when he had magnified the face of his power, turned into himself the highest priesthood, above putting to Jason three hundred talents of silver.]

²⁵ And by commandments taken of (or from) the king, he came, soothly having nothing worthy to (or of) (the) priesthood; but he bare the soul of a cruel tyrant, and (the) wrath of [a] wild beast.

²⁶ And soothly that Jason, that took his own brother captive, was deceived, and was outlawed, and put out into the country of (the) Ammonites.

²⁷ But Menelaus forsooth wielded the princehood, but of (or as for) (the) riches promised to the king he did nothing, when Sostratus, that was (the) sovereign of the high tower, made exaction, or masterful asking, [But Menelaus forsooth wielded the princehood, but of (or as for) (the) monies promised to the king he had nothing, when Sostratus, that was provost of the high rock, made exaction, or unjust asking,]

²⁸ for why raising [or extraction] of tributes pertained to him; for which cause both were called to the king.

²⁹ And Menelaus was removed from (the) priesthood, and Lysimachus, his brother, was (his) successor; soothly Sostratus was made sovereign of (the) men of Cyprus.

³⁰ And when these things were done, it befell (to them of) Tarsus and Mallus for to move debate, for that they were given in gift to the concubine of Antiochus, the king.

³¹ Therefore the king hastily came, for to assuage them, and left one of his earls suffectus (or suffect consuls), Andronicus, in dignity, or (as his) lieutenant.

³² Forsooth Menelaus deemed that he had taken covenable (or opportune) time, and stole some golden vessels of (or from) the temple, and gave (some of them) to Andronicus, and he sold to Tyre others, and by (or to) (the) nigh cities. [Forsooth Menelaus deeming him for to have taken covenable time, stealing some golden vessels of the temple, gave to Andronicus, and others he sold to Tyre, and by nigh cities.]

³³ And when Onias had known this thing most certainly, he reproved him, and held (or took) himself in(to) a secure place at Antiochia, beside Daphne. [Which thing when Onias had known most certainly, he reproved him, he holding himself in a securer place at Antiochia, beside Daphne.]

³⁴ Wherefore Menelaus went to Andronicus, and prayed that he would slay Onias. And when he came to Onias, and had given right hands with an oath, though he was suspect to him, he counselled him for to go forth (out) of asylum (or out of the place of refuge), and anon (or at once) he slew him, and dreaded not rightwiseness (or and had no fear of reckoning or of retribution). [Whereof Menelaus going to Andronicus, prayed that he slay Onias. Which when he came to Onias, and right hands given with oath, though he was suspect to him, counselled him for to go forth of asylum, anon slew him, not dreading rightwiseness.]

³⁵ For which cause not only (the) Jews, but and other nations, were wroth, and bare heavily of (or for) the unjust death of so great a man.

³⁶ But (the) Jews at Antioch, and (the) Greeks, together (com)plained of (or about) the unjust death of Onias, and went to the king, that (re)turned again from (the) places of (or about) Cilicia.

³⁷ Therefore the king Antiochus was sorry in soul for Onias, and was bowed to mercy, and shedded tears, and bethought on the soberness and mildness (or humility) of the dead man.

³⁸ And his heart was kindled, and he commanded that Andronicus, unclothed of (his) purple, be led about by all the city, and that in that place in which he had done unpious(ly) against Onias, the cursed man be (de)prived of life; for the Lord gave to him even-worthy pain.

³⁹ Forsooth when many sacrileges were done of (or by) Lysimachus, by counsel of Menelaus, in the temple (or in the city), and the fame (or the story) was published, (a) multitude was gathered against Lysimachus; for much gold was then borne out. [Forsooth many sacrileges done in the temple of Lysimachus, by counsel of Menelaus, and fame published, a multitude is gathered against Lysimachus, much gold now borne out.]

⁴⁰ Forsooth when the companies rose, and souls were filled with wrath, Lysimachus began for to use almost three thousand armed wicked hands, by some tyrant leader, eld in age, and also in madness. [Forsooth the companies again-rising, and the inwits full-filled with wrath, Lysimachus almost three thousand armed wicked hands began to use, some tyrant duke, old in age and also madness.]

⁴¹ But as they understood the enforcing (or the endeavouring) of Lysimachus, others took stones, others strong staffs, (and) some soothly casted ashes into (or onto) Lysimachus.

⁴² And many soothly were wounded, some forsooth were cast down, all forsooth were (al)together turned into flight; also they slew him (the) sacrileger, either (the) thief of (the) holy things, beside the treasury.

⁴³ Therefore of these things doom began for to be moved against Menelaus.

⁴⁴ And when the king came to Tyre, three men were sent of (or from) the elder men, and brought the cause to him.

⁴⁵ And when Menelaus was overcome, he promised for to give many riches [or many monies] to Ptolemy, for to counsel the king.

⁴⁶ Therefore Ptolemy went to the king, set in some porch, as for cause of refreshing, either colding, [or cooling], and led away from (the) sentence;[.]

⁴⁷ and (he) assoiled (or absolved) from (the) crimes Menelaus, guilty truly of all the malice [or And he assoiled (or absolved) Menelaus, guilty truly of crimes, of all the malice]. Forsooth he damned or condemned by death these wretches, which should be deemed innocents, yea, if they had led cause with (the) Scythians.

⁴⁸ Therefore soon they gave unjust pain to them, that pursued (the) cause for the city, and [for the] people, and (for the) holy vessels.

⁴⁹ Wherefore and (the) men of Tyre were wroth, and were most liberal with the burying of them.

⁵⁰ Forsooth for (the) covetousness of them that were in power, Menelaus dwelt in power, waxing (or growing) in malice, and to deceits (or in the deceiving) of (the) citizens.