2 Maccabees 6

Wycliffe Bible

6 But not after much time, the king sent an eld man of Antiochia, (or the king sent an old man of Athens), which should constrain (the) Jews, that they should translate themselves from (the) laws of (the) fathers, and of God; [But not after much time, the king sent some old Antiochene, which should constrain Jews, that they should transfer them from the laws of fathers and of God;]

² also he should defoul the temple in Jerusalem (or and they should defile the Temple in Jerusalem), and should call it (the Temple) of Jupiter Olympus, and in Gerizim, as they were, that inhabited the place, (the Temple) of Jupiter (of) Hospitality.

³ Forsooth the falling in of evils was worst and grievous to all;

⁴ for why the temple was full of lechery and gluttony of (the) heathen men, and of men doing lechery with whores, and women bare in themselves to (the) hallowed houses, at their own will, bearing within those things which it was not leaveful (or lawful).

⁵ Also the altar was full of unleaveful (or of unlawful) things, which were forbidden by laws (or by the law).

⁶ Soothly neither sabbaths were kept, neither solemn days of (the) fathers were kept, neither simply, neither openly, [or plainly], any man acknowledged him(self) (to be) a Jew.

⁷ Forsooth they were led with bitter need in the day of the king’s birth to sacrifices. And when (the) holy things of Liber, that is Bacchus, either a false god, which the heathen men called (the) god of wine, were made solemnly, [or were hallowed], they were crowned with ivy, and were constrained for to go about with Liber (or unto Bacchus).

⁸ Soothly the doom went out into the next cities of (the) heathen men, by Ptolemy procuring, that in like manner also they should do against (the) Jews, that they should do sacrifice;

⁹ soothly that they should slay them, that would not pass (or agree) to the ordinances of (the) heathen men. Therefore it was to see wretchedness [or Therefore it was wretchedness for to see these things].

¹⁰ For why two women were accused, that they had circumcised their children; and when they had led them about openly by the city, with (the) infants hanged at their breasts, they casted (them) down by the walls. [Forsooth two women were accused, for to have circumcised their children; whom when they had led about openly by the city, the infants hanged at (their) breasts, they casted them down by the walls.]

¹¹ Forsooth other men went together to the next dens (or caves), and hallowed privily the day of sabbath, (and) when they were showed to Philip, they were burnt in flames, for they dreaded for religion and observance, for to bear help to themselves with hand.

¹² Therefore I beseech them, that shall read this book, that they dread not for adversities; but areckon they those things that befell to be not to perishing, but to [or but for] (the) amending of our kin.

¹³ For why for to not suffer by much time sinners for to do of sentence, [or doom], but anon (or at once) for to give vengeances, is the showing of (his) great benefice.

¹⁴ For why, not as in other nations, the Lord abideth patiently, (so) that when the day of doom shall come, he punish them in (the) plenty of (their) sins, so and in us he ordaineth,

¹⁵ that when our sins be turned about into (the) end, so at the last he (a)venge on us.

¹⁶ For which thing soothly he never removeth his mercy from us; but he chastiseth his people, and forsaketh not in adversities.

¹⁷ But these things be said of (or by) us [or be said to you] in (a) few words to the admonishing of men reading; now forsooth it is to come to the telling.

¹⁸ Therefore Eleazar, one of the former (or the first, or the principal), of the scribes, or men of (the) law, and a man waxed (or grown) in age, and fair in cheer, was compelled, yawning with (an) open mouth, for to eat swine’s flesh.

¹⁹ And he embraced, or chose, more glorious death, than hateful life, and willfully (or willingly) went before to torment. [And he embracing, or desiring, more glorious death, than hateful life, willfully went before to torment.]

²⁰ Forsooth he beheld how it behooved for to go, and suffered patiently, and ordained for to not do unleaveful (or unlawful) things for the love of life.

²¹ Soothly these that stood nigh, were moved (al)together by wicked mercy, for eld [or old] friendship of the man, and they took him privily [or taking him privily], and prayed that fleshes should be brought, which it was leaveful (or lawful) to him for to eat, (so) that he were feigned to have eaten, as the king commanded, of the flesh of sacrifice;

²² (so) that by this deed he should be delivered from death; and for eld friendship of the man, they did this humanity, or courtesy, to him. [that this thing feigned, he were delivered from death; and for old friendship of the man, they did this humanity, or courtesy, in him.]

²³ And he began for to think (about) the worthy excellence of age, and of his eld (age), and the free-born hoariness of nobility, and of (his) best living from child(hood); and by the ordinances of (the) holy law, and made of (or by) God, he answered soon, saying, that he would be sent before into hell (or to the grave). [And he began for to think the worthy excellence of age, and his eld, and the free born hoariness, or nobility, and from childhood of best living; and after the ordinances of holy law, and made of God, he answered soon, saying, him for to will to be sent before into hell.]

²⁴ For he said, It is not worthy to (or for) our age for to feign, (so) that many young men deem, that Eleazar of fourscore year and ten, hath passed to the life of aliens, (or to the religion of strangers),

²⁵ and that they be deceived by my feigning, and that for (a) little time of corruptible life, and that by this I get spot and execration, or cursedness, to mine eld (age).

²⁶ For why though in present time I be delivered from (the) torments of men, but neither quick (or alive), neither dead, I shall (not) escape the hand of [the] Almighty.

²⁷ Wherefore in passing the life strongly, that is, in dying for the law of God, soothly I shall appear worthy of (my) age;

²⁸ forsooth I shall leave strong ensample to young men, if I use perfectly honest death with ready will [or if I be perfectly set in honest death with ready inwit], and strongly for the worthiest and holiest laws. When these things were said, anon (or at once) he was drawn to (the) torment.

²⁹ Forsooth these that led him, and (that) a little before were milder, were turned into wrath, for the words said of (or by) him, which they deemed brought forth by pride of heart.

³⁰ But when he should be slain with wounds, he sorrowed inwardly, and said, Lord, that hast holy cunning (or knowing, or knowledge), openly thou knowest, that when I might be delivered from death, I (now) suffer hard sorrows of (or in) (my) body; forsooth by soul willfully (or willingly) I suffer these things, for thy dread.

³¹ And soothly this man on this manner [or in this manner] departed from life; not only leaving the mind (or the memory) of his death to young men, but and to all the folk, to (or for) (an) ensample of virtue and strength.