2 Maccabees 2:31-32

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised

³¹ but the one who recasts the narrative should be allowed to strive for brevity of expression and to forego exhaustive treatment. ³² At this point therefore let us begin our narrative, without adding any more to what has already been said; for it would be foolish to lengthen the preface while cutting short the history itself.