1 Maccabees 4
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Battle at Emmaus
4 Now Gor′gias took five thousand infantry and a thousand picked cavalry, and this division moved out by night 2 to fall upon the camp of the Jews and attack them suddenly. Men from the citadel were his guides. 3 But Judas heard of it, and he and his mighty men moved out to attack the king’s force in Emma′us 4 while the division was still absent from the camp. 5 When Gor′gias entered the camp of Judas by night, he found no one there, so he looked for them in the hills, because he said, “These men are fleeing from us.”
6 At daybreak Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, but they did not have armor and swords such as they desired. 7 And they saw the camp of the Gentiles, strong and fortified, with cavalry round about it; and these men were trained in war. 8 But Judas said to the men who were with him, “Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. 9 Remember how our fathers were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. 10 And now let us cry to Heaven, to see whether he will favor us and remember his covenant with our fathers and crush this army before us today. 11 Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.”
12 When the foreigners looked up and saw them coming against them, 13 they went forth from their camp to battle. Then the men with Judas blew their trumpets 14 and engaged in battle. The Gentiles were crushed and fled into the plain, 15 and all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazar′a, and to the plains of Idume′a, and to Azo′tus and Jam′nia; and three thousand of them fell. 16 Then Judas and his force turned back from pursuing them, 17 and he said to the people, “Do not be greedy for plunder, for there is a battle before us; 18 Gor′gias and his force are near us in the hills. But stand now against our enemies and fight them, and afterward seize the plunder boldly.”
19 Just as Judas was finishing this speech, a detachment appeared, coming out of the hills. 20 They saw that their army[a] had been put to flight, and that the Jews[b] were burning the camp, for the smoke that was seen showed what had happened. 21 When they perceived this they were greatly frightened, and when they also saw the army of Judas drawn up in the plain for battle, 22 they all fled into the land of the Philistines. 23 Then Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they seized much gold and silver, and cloth dyed blue and sea purple, and great riches. 24 On their return they sang hymns and praises to Heaven, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever. 25 Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.
First Campaign of Lysias
26 Those of the foreigners who escaped went and reported to Lys′ias all that had happened. 27 When he heard it, he was perplexed and discouraged, for things had not happened to Israel as he had intended, nor had they turned out as the king had commanded him. 28 But the next year he mustered sixty thousand picked infantrymen and five thousand cavalry to subdue them. 29 They came into Idume′a and encamped at Beth-zur,[c] and Judas met them with ten thousand men.
30 When he saw that the army was strong, he prayed, saying, “Blessed art thou, O Savior of Israel, who didst crush the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of thy servant David, and didst give the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and of the man who carried his armor. 31 So do thou hem in this army by the hand of thy people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry. 32 Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. 33 Strike them down with the sword of those who love thee, and let all who know thy name praise thee with hymns.”
34 Then both sides attacked, and there fell of the army of Lys′ias five thousand men; they fell in action.[d] 35 And when Lys′ias saw the rout of his troops and observed the boldness which inspired those of Judas, and how ready they were either to live or to die nobly, he departed to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries, to invade Judea again with an even larger army.
Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple
36 Then said Judas and his brothers, “Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.” 37 So all the army assembled and they went up to Mount Zion. 38 And they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. 39 Then they rent their clothes, and mourned with great lamentation, and sprinkled themselves with ashes. 40 They fell face down on the ground, and sounded the signal on the trumpets, and cried out to Heaven. 41 Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary.
42 He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, 43 and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. 44 They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned. 45 And they thought it best to tear it down, lest it bring reproach upon them, for the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar, 46 and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until there should come a prophet to tell what to do with them. 47 Then they took unhewn[e] stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one. 48 They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts. 49 They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. 50 Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple. 51 They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.
52 Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year,[f] 53 they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which they had built. 54 At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. 55 All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. 56 So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness; they offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise. 57 They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and furnished them with doors. 58 There was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was removed.
59 Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of the dedication of the altar should be observed with gladness and joy for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.
60 At that time they fortified Mount Zion with high walls and strong towers round about, to keep the Gentiles from coming and trampling them down as they had done before. 61 And he stationed a garrison there to hold it. He also[g] fortified Beth-zur, so that the people might have a stronghold that faced Idume′a.
Footnotes
- 1 Maccabees 4:20 Gk they
- 1 Maccabees 4:20 Gk they
- 4.29 Vulgate has “Judea” for Idumea and “Beth-horon” for Beth-zur.
- 1 Maccabees 4:34 Or and some fell on the opposite side
- 1 Maccabees 4:47 Gk whole
- 1 Maccabees 4:52 164 b.c.
- 1 Maccabees 4:61 Gk adds to hold it
Sirach 10-12
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
10 A wise magistrate will educate his people,
and the rule of an understanding man will be well ordered.
2 Like the magistrate of the people, so are his officials;
and like the ruler of the city, so are all its inhabitants.
3 An undisciplined king will ruin his people,
but a city will grow through the understanding of its rulers.
4 The government of the earth is in the hands of the Lord,
and over it he will raise up the right man for the time.
5 The success of a man is in the hands of the Lord,
and he confers his honor upon the person of the scribe.[a]
The Sin of Pride
6 Do not be angry with your neighbor for any injury,
and do not attempt anything by acts of insolence.
7 Arrogance is hateful before the Lord and before men,
and injustice is outrageous to both.
8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation
on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.
9 How can he who is dust and ashes be proud?
for even in life his bowels decay.[b]
10 A long illness baffles the physician;[c]
the king of today will die tomorrow.
11 For when a man is dead,
he will inherit creeping things, and wild beasts, and worms.
12 The beginning of man’s pride is to depart from the Lord;
his heart has forsaken his Maker.
13 For the beginning of pride is sin,
and the man who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brought upon them extraordinary afflictions,
and destroyed them utterly.
14 The Lord has cast down the thrones of rulers,
and has seated the lowly in their place.
15 The Lord has plucked up the roots of the nations,[d]
and has planted the humble in their place.
16 The Lord has overthrown the lands of the nations,
and has destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
17 He has removed some of them and destroyed them,
and has extinguished the memory of them from the earth.
18 Pride was not created for men,
nor fierce anger for those born of women.
Persons Deserving Honor
19 What race is worthy of honor?
The human race.
What race is worthy of honor?
Those who fear the Lord.
What race is unworthy of honor?
The human race.
What race is unworthy of honor?
Those who transgress the commandments.
20 Among brothers their leader is worthy of honor,
and those who fear the Lord are worthy of honor in his eyes.[e]
22 The rich, and the eminent, and the poor—
their glory is the fear of the Lord.
23 It is not right to despise an intelligent poor man,
nor is it proper to honor a sinful man.
24 The nobleman, and the judge, and the ruler will be honored,
but none of them is greater than the man who fears the Lord.
25 Free men will be at the service of a wise servant,
and a man of understanding will not grumble.
Concerning Humility
26 Do not make a display of your wisdom when you do your work,
nor glorify yourself at a time when you are in want.
27 Better is a man who works and has an abundance of everything,
than one who goes about boasting, but lacks bread.
28 My son, glorify yourself with humility,
and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worth.
29 Who will justify the man that sins against himself?
And who will honor the man that dishonors his own life?
30 A poor man is honored for his knowledge,
while a rich man is honored for his wealth.
31 A man honored in poverty, how much more in wealth!
And a man dishonored in wealth, how much more in poverty!
The Deceptiveness of Appearances
11 The wisdom of a humble man will lift up his head,
and will seat him among the great.
2 Do not praise a man for his good looks,
nor loathe a man because of his appearance.
3 The bee is small among flying creatures,
but her product is the best of sweet things.
4 Do not boast about wearing fine clothes,
nor exalt yourself in the day that you are honored;
for the works of the Lord are wonderful,
and his works are concealed from men.
5 Many kings have had to sit on the ground,
but one who was never thought of has worn a crown.
6 Many rulers have been greatly disgraced,
and illustrious men have been handed over to others.
Deliberation and Caution
7 Do not find fault before you investigate;
first consider, and then reprove.
8 Do not answer before you have heard,
nor interrupt a speaker in the midst of his words.
9 Do not argue about a matter which does not concern you,
nor sit with sinners when they judge a case.
10 My son, do not busy yourself with many matters;
if you multiply activities you will not go unpunished,
and if you pursue you will not overtake,
and by fleeing you will not escape.
11 There is a man who works, and toils, and presses on,
but is so much the more in want.
12 There is another who is slow and needs help,
who lacks strength and abounds in poverty;
but the eyes of the Lord look upon him for his good;
he lifts him out of his low estate
13 and raises up his head,
so that many are amazed at him.
14 Good things and bad, life and death,
poverty and wealth, come from the Lord.[f]
17 The gift of the Lord endures for those who are godly,
and what he approves will have lasting success.
18 There is a man who is rich through his diligence and self-denial,
and this is the reward allotted to him:
19 when he says, “I have found rest,
and now I shall enjoy[g] my goods!”
he does not know how much time will pass
until he leaves them to others and dies.
20 Stand by your covenant[h] and attend to it,
and grow old in your work.
21 Do not wonder at the works of a sinner,
but trust in the Lord and keep at your toil;
for it is easy in the sight of the Lord
to enrich a poor man quickly and suddenly.
22 The blessing of the Lord is[i] the reward of the godly,
and quickly God causes his blessing to flourish.
23 Do not say, “What do I need,
and what prosperity could be mine in the future?”
24 Do not say, “I have enough,
and what calamity could happen to me in the future?”
25 In the day of prosperity, adversity is forgotten,
and in the day of adversity, prosperity is not remembered.
26 For it is easy in the sight of the Lord
to reward a man on the day of death according to his conduct.
27 The misery of an hour makes one forget luxury,
and at the close of a man’s life his deeds will be revealed.
28 Call no one happy before his death;
a man will be known through his children.
Care in Choosing Friends
29 Do not bring every man into your home,
for many are the wiles of the crafty.
30 Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the mind of a proud man,
and like a spy he observes your weakness;[j]
31 for he lies in wait, turning good into evil,
and to worthy actions he will attach blame.
32 From a spark of fire come many burning coals,
and a sinner lies in wait to shed blood.
33 Beware of a scoundrel, for he devises evil,
lest he give you a lasting blemish.
34 Receive a stranger into your home and he will upset you with commotion,
and will estrange you from your family.
12 If you do a kindness, know to whom you do it,
and you will be thanked for your good deeds.
2 Do good to a godly man, and you will be repaid—
if not by him, certainly by the Most High.
3 No good will come to the man who persists in evil
or to him who does not give alms.
4 Give to the godly man, but do not help the sinner.
5 Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly;
hold back his bread, and do not give it to him,
lest by means of it he subdue you;
for you will receive twice as much evil
for all the good which you do to him.
6 For the Most High also hates sinners
and will inflict punishment on the ungodly.[k]
7 Give to the good man, but do not help the sinner.
8 A friend will not be known[l] in prosperity,
nor will an enemy be hidden in adversity.
9 A man’s enemies are grieved when he prospers,
and in his adversity even his friend will separate from him.
10 Never trust your enemy,
for like the rusting of copper, so is his wickedness.
11 Even if he humbles himself and goes about cringing,
watch yourself, and be on your guard against him;
and you will be to him like one who has polished a mirror,
and you will know that it was not hopelessly tarnished.
12 Do not put him next to you,
lest he overthrow you and take your place;
do not have him sit at your right,
lest he try to take your seat of honor,
and at last you will realize the truth of my words,
and be stung by what I have said.
13 Who will pity a snake charmer bitten by a serpent,
or any who go near wild beasts?
14 So no one will pity a man who associates with a sinner
and becomes involved in his sins.
15 He will stay with you for a time,
but if you falter, he will not stand by you.
16 An enemy will speak sweetly with his lips,
but in his mind he will plan to throw you into a pit;
an enemy will weep with his eyes,
but if he finds an opportunity his thirst for blood will be insatiable.
17 If calamity befalls you, you will find him there ahead of you;
and while pretending to help you, he will trip you by the heel;
18 he will shake his head, and clap his hands,
and whisper much, and change his expression.
Footnotes
- Sirach 10:5 Or the official
- Sirach 10:9 Heb: Gk is obscure
- Sirach 10:10 Heb Vg: Gk is uncertain
- Sirach 10:15 Some authorities read proud nations
- Sirach 10:20 Other authorities add as verse 21, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance; obduracy and pride are the beginning of rejection.
- Sirach 11:14 Other authorities add as verses 15 and 16, 15 Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of the law come from the Lord; affection and the ways of good works come from him. 16 Error and darkness were created with sinners; evil will grow old with those who take pride in malice.
- Sirach 11:19 Gk eat of
- Sirach 11:20 Heb task
- Sirach 11:22 Gk is in
- Sirach 11:30 Heb: Gk downfall
- Sirach 12:6 Other authorities add and he is keeping them for the mighty day of their punishment
- Sirach 12:8 Other authorities read punished
Proverbs 22:9-12
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
9 He who has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,
and quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart,
and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the faithless.
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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