1 Maccabees 16
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
16 John went up from Gazar′a and reported to Simon his father what Cendebe′us had done. 2 And Simon called in his two older sons Judas and John, and said to them: “I and my brothers and the house of my father have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day, and things have prospered in our hands so that we have delivered Israel many times. 3 But now I have grown old, and you by His mercy are mature in years. Take my place and my brother’s, and go out and fight for our nation, and may the help which comes from Heaven be with you.”
4 So John[a] chose out of the country twenty thousand warriors and horsemen, and they marched against Cendebe′us and camped for the night in Mo′de-in. 5 Early in the morning they arose and marched into the plain, and behold, a large force of infantry and horsemen was coming to meet them; and a stream lay between them. 6 Then he and his army lined up against them. And he saw that the soldiers were afraid to cross the stream, so he crossed over first; and when his men saw him, they crossed over after him. 7 Then he divided the army and placed the horsemen in the midst of the infantry, for the cavalry of the enemy were very numerous. 8 And they sounded the trumpets, and Cendebe′us and his army were put to flight, and many of them were wounded and fell; the rest fled into the stronghold. 9 At that time Judas the brother of John was wounded, but John pursued them until Cendebe′us[b] reached Kedron, which he had built. 10 They also fled into the towers that were in the fields of Azo′tus, and John[c] burned it with fire, and about two thousand of them fell. And he returned to Judea safely.
Murder of Simon and His Sons
11 Now Ptol′emy the son of Abu′bus had been appointed governor over the plain of Jericho, and he had much silver and gold, 12 for he was son-in-law of the high priest. 13 His heart was lifted up; he determined to get control of the country, and made treacherous plans against Simon and his sons, to do away with them. 14 Now Simon was visiting the cities of the country and attending to their needs, and he went down to Jericho with Mattathi′as and Judas his sons, in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year,[d] in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat. 15 The son of Abu′bus received them treacherously in the little stronghold called Dok, which he had built; he gave them a great banquet, and hid men there. 16 When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptol′emy and his men rose up, took their weapons, and rushed in against Simon in the banquet hall, and they killed him and his two sons and some of his servants. 17 So he committed an act of great treachery and returned evil for good.
John Succeeds Simon
18 Then Ptol′emy wrote a report about these things and sent it to the king, asking him to send troops to aid him and to turn over to him the cities and the country. 19 He sent other men to Gazar′a to do away with John; he sent letters to the captains asking them to come to him so that he might give them silver and gold and gifts; 20 and he sent other men to take possession of Jerusalem and the temple hill. 21 But some one ran ahead and reported to John at Gazar′a that his father and brothers had perished, and that “he has sent men to kill you also.” 22 When he heard this, he was greatly shocked; and he seized the men who came to destroy him and killed them, for he had found out that they were seeking to destroy him.
23 The rest of the acts of John and his wars and the brave deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which he built, and his achievements, 24 behold, they are written in the chronicles of his high priesthood, from the time that he became high priest after his father.
Footnotes
- 1 Maccabees 16:4 Other authorities read he
- 1 Maccabees 16:9 Gk he
- 1 Maccabees 16:10 Gk he
- 1 Maccabees 16:14 134 b.c.
Sirach 38-39
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Concerning Physicians and Health
38 Honor the physician with the honor due him,[a] according to your need of him,
for the Lord created him;
2 for healing comes from the Most High,
and he will receive a gift from the king.
3 The skill of the physician lifts up his head,
and in the presence of great men he is admired.
4 The Lord created medicines from the earth,
and a sensible man will not despise them.
5 Was not water made sweet with a tree
in order that his[b] power might be known?
6 And he gave skill to men
that he[c] might be glorified in his marvelous works.
7 By them he heals and takes away pain;
8 the pharmacist makes of them a compound.
His works will never be finished;
and from him health[d] is upon the face of the earth.
9 My son, when you are sick do not be negligent,
but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
10 Give up your faults and direct your hands aright,
and cleanse your heart from all sin.
11 Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of fine flour,
and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.[e]
12 And give the physician his place, for the Lord created him;
let him not leave you, for there is need of him.
13 There is a time when success lies in the hands of physicians,[f]
14 for they too will pray to the Lord
that he should grant them success in diagnosis[g]
and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.
15 He who sins before his Maker,
may he fall into the care[h] of a physician.
On Mourning for the Dead
16 My son, let your tears fall for the dead,
and as one who is suffering grievously begin the lament.
Lay out his body with the honor due him,
and do not neglect his burial.
17 Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing fervent;
observe the mourning according to his merit,
for one day, or two, to avoid criticism;
then be comforted for your sorrow.
18 For sorrow results in death,
and sorrow of heart saps one’s strength.
19 In calamity sorrow continues,
and the life of the poor man weighs down his heart.
20 Do not give your heart to sorrow;
drive it away, remembering the end of life.
21 Do not forget, there is no coming back;
you do the dead[i] no good, and you injure yourself.
22 “Remember my doom, for yours is like it:
yesterday it was mine, and today it is yours.”
23 When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance cease,
and be comforted for him when his spirit has departed.
Trades and Crafts
24 The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure;
and he who has little business may become wise.
25 How can he become wise who handles the plow,
and who glories in the shaft of a goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,
and whose talk is about[j] bulls?
26 He sets his heart on plowing furrows,
and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.
27 So too is every craftsman and master workman
who labors by night as well as by day;
those who cut the signets of seals,
each is diligent in making a great variety;
he sets his heart on painting a lifelike image,
and he is careful to finish his work.
28 So too is the smith sitting by the anvil,
intent upon his handiwork in iron;
the breath of the fire melts his flesh,
and he wastes away in[k] the heat of the furnace;
he inclines his ear to the sound of the hammer,[l]
and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.
He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork,
and he is careful to complete its decoration.
29 So too is the potter sitting at his work
and turning the wheel with his feet;
he is always deeply concerned over his work,
and all his output is by number.
30 He moulds the clay with his arm
and makes it pliable with his feet;
he sets his heart to finish the glazing,
and he is careful to clean the furnace.
31 All these rely upon their hands,
and each is skilful in his own work.
32 Without them a city cannot be established,
and men can neither sojourn nor live there.
33 Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people,
nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly.
They do not sit in the judge’s seat,
nor do they understand the sentence of judgment;
they cannot expound discipline or judgment,
and they are not found using proverbs.
34 But they keep stable the fabric of the world,
and their prayer is in the practice of their trade.
The Activity of the Scribe
39 On the other hand he who devotes himself
to the study of the law of the Most High
will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients,
and will be concerned with prophecies;
2 he will preserve the discourse of notable men
and penetrate the subtleties of parables;
3 he will seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs
and be at home with the obscurities of parables.
4 He will serve among great men
and appear before rulers;
he will travel through the lands of foreign nations,
for he tests the good and the evil among men.
5 He will set his heart to rise early
to seek the Lord who made him,
and will make supplication before the Most High;
he will open his mouth in prayer
and make supplication for his sins.
6 If the great Lord is willing,
he will be filled with the spirit of understanding;
he will pour forth words[m] of wisdom
and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
7 He will direct his counsel and knowledge aright,
and meditate on his secrets.
8 He will reveal instruction in his teaching,
and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
9 Many will praise his understanding,
and it will never be blotted out;
his memory will not disappear,
and his name will live through all generations.
10 Nations will declare his wisdom,
and the congregation will proclaim his praise;
11 if he lives long, he will leave a name greater than a thousand,
and if he goes to rest, it is enough[n] for him.
A Hymn of Praise to God
12 I have yet more to say, which I have thought upon,
and I am filled, like the moon at the full.
13 Listen to me, O you holy sons,
and bud like a rose growing by a stream of water;
14 send forth fragrance like frankincense,
and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all his works;
15 ascribe majesty to his name
and give thanks to him with praise,
with songs on your lips, and with lyres;
and this you shall say in thanksgiving:
16 “All things are the works of the Lord, for they are very good,
and whatever he commands will be done in his time.”
17 No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?”
for in God’s[o] time all things will be sought after.
At his word the waters stood in a heap,
and the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.
18 At his command whatever pleases him is done,
and none can limit his saving power.
19 The works of all flesh are before him,
and nothing can be hid from his eyes.
20 From everlasting to everlasting he beholds them,
and nothing is marvelous to him.
21 No one can say, “What is this?” “Why is that?”
for everything has been created for its use.
22 His blessing covers the dry land like a river,
and drenches it like a flood.
23 The nations will incur his wrath,
just as he turns fresh water into salt.
24 To the holy his ways are straight,
just as they are obstacles to the wicked.
25 From the beginning good things were created for good people,
just as evil things for sinners.
26 Basic to all the needs of man’s life
are water and fire and iron and salt
and wheat flour and milk and honey,
the blood of the grape, and oil and clothing.
27 All these are for good to the godly,
just as they turn into evils for sinners.
28 There are winds that have been created for vengeance,
and in their anger they scourge heavily;
in the time of consummation they will pour out their strength
and calm the anger of their Maker.
29 Fire and hail and famine and pestilence,
all these have been created for vengeance;
30 the teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions and vipers,
and the sword that punishes the ungodly with destruction;
31 they will rejoice in his commands,
and be made ready on earth for their service,
and when their times come they will not transgress his word.
32 Therefore from the beginning I have been convinced,
and have thought this out and left it in writing:
33 The works of the Lord are all good,
and he will supply every need in its hour.
34 And no one can say, “This is worse than that,”
for all things will prove good in their season.
35 So now sing praise with all your heart and voice,
and bless the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Sirach 38:1 Other authorities omit with the honor due him
- Sirach 38:5 Or its
- Sirach 38:6 Or they
- Sirach 38:8 Or peace
- Sirach 38:11 Heb: Vulgate omits as much as you can afford; Greek is obscure
- Sirach 38:13 Gk in their hands
- Sirach 38:14 Heb: Gk rest
- Sirach 38:15 Gk hands
- Sirach 38:21 Gk him
- Sirach 38:25 Or among
- Sirach 38:28 Cn Compare Syr: Gk contends with
- Sirach 38:28 Cn: Gk the sound of the hammer renews his ear
- Sirach 39:6 Other authorities read his words
- Sirach 39:11 Cn: the meaning of the Greek is uncertain
- Sirach 39:17 Gk his
Proverbs 23:29-35
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who tarry long over wine,
those who go to try mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32 At the last it bites like a serpent,
and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind utter perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.[a]
35 “They struck me,” you will say,[b] “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek another drink.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 23:34 Heb obscure
- Proverbs 23:35 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb lacks you will say
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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