1 Maccabees 8
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
A Eulogy of the Romans
8 Now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they were very strong and were well-disposed toward all who made an alliance with them, that they pledged friendship to those who came to them, 2 and that they were very strong. Men told him of their wars and of the brave deeds which they were doing among the Gauls, how they had defeated them and forced them to pay tribute, 3 and what they had done in the land of Spain to get control of the silver and gold mines there, 4 and how they had gained control of the whole region by their planning and patience, even though the place was far distant from them. They also subdued the kings who came against them from the ends of the earth, until they crushed them and inflicted great disaster upon them; the rest paid them tribute every year. 5 Philip, and Per′seus king of the Macedonians,[a] and the others who rose up against them, they crushed in battle and conquered. 6 They also defeated Anti′ochus the Great, king of Asia, who went to fight against them with a hundred and twenty elephants and with cavalry and chariots and a very large army. He was crushed by them; 7 they took him alive and decreed that he and those who should reign after him should pay a heavy tribute and give hostages and surrender some of their best provinces, 8 the country of India and Media and Lydia. These they took from him and gave to Eu′menes the king. 9 The Greeks planned to come and destroy them, 10 but this became known to them, and they sent a general against the Greeks[b] and attacked them. Many of them were wounded and fell, and the Romans[c] took captive their wives and children; they plundered them, conquered the land, tore down their strongholds, and enslaved them to this day. 11 The remaining kingdoms and islands, as many as ever opposed them, they destroyed and enslaved; 12 but with their friends and those who rely on them they have kept friendship. They have subdued kings far and near, and as many as have heard of their fame have feared them. 13 Those whom they wish to help and to make kings, they make kings, and those whom they wish they depose; and they have been greatly exalted. 14 Yet for all this not one of them has put on a crown or worn purple as a mark of pride, 15 but they have built for themselves a senate chamber, and every day three hundred and twenty senators constantly deliberate concerning the people, to govern them well. 16 They trust one man each year to rule over them and to control all their land; they all heed the one man, and there is no envy or jealousy among them.
An Alliance with Rome
17 So Judas chose Eupol′emus the son of John, son of Accos, and Jason the son of Elea′zar, and sent them to Rome to establish friendship and alliance, 18 and to free themselves from the yoke; for they saw that the kingdom of the Greeks was completely enslaving Israel. 19 They went to Rome, a very long journey; and they entered the senate chamber and spoke as follows: 20 “Judas, who is also called Maccabe′us, and his brothers and the people of the Jews have sent us to you to establish alliance and peace with you, that we may be enrolled as your allies and friends.” 21 The proposal pleased them, 22 and this is a copy of the letter which they wrote in reply, on bronze tablets, and sent to Jerusalem to remain with them there as a memorial of peace and alliance:
23 “May all go well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews at sea and on land for ever, and may sword and enemy be far from them. 24 If war comes first to Rome or to any of their allies in all their dominion, 25 the nation of the Jews shall act as their allies wholeheartedly, as the occasion may indicate to them. 26 And to the enemy who makes war they shall not give or supply grain, arms, money, or ships, as Rome has decided; and they shall keep their obligations without receiving any return. 27 In the same way, if war comes first to the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall willingly act as their allies, as the occasion may indicate to them. 28 And to the enemy allies shall be given no grain, arms, money, or ships, as Rome has decided; and they shall keep these obligations and do so without deceit. 29 Thus on these terms the Romans make a treaty with the Jewish people. 30 If after these terms are in effect both parties shall determine to add or delete anything, they shall do so at their discretion, and any addition or deletion that they may make shall be valid.
31 “And concerning the wrongs which King Deme′trius is doing to them we have written to him as follows, ‘Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies the Jews? 32 If now they appeal again for help against you, we will defend their rights and fight you on sea and on land.’”
Footnotes
- 1 Maccabees 8:5 Or Kittim
- 1 Maccabees 8:10 Gk them
- 1 Maccabees 8:10 Gk they
Sirach 22-23
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Idler
22 The indolent may be compared to a filthy stone,
and every one hisses at his disgrace.
2 The indolent may be compared to the filth of dunghills;
any one that picks it up will shake it off his hand.
Degenerate Children
3 It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined son,
and the birth of a daughter is a loss.
4 A sensible daughter obtains her husband,
but one who acts shamefully brings grief to her father.
5 An impudent daughter disgraces father and husband,
and will be despised by both.
6 Like music in mourning is a tale told at the wrong time,
but chastising and discipline are wisdom at all times.
Wisdom and Folly
7 He who teaches a fool is like one who glues potsherds together,
or who rouses a sleeper from deep slumber.
8 He who tells a story to a fool tells it to a drowsy man;
and at the end he will say, “What is it?”[a]
11 Weep for the dead, for he lacks the light;
and weep for the fool, for he lacks intelligence;
weep less bitterly for the dead, for he has attained rest;
but the life of the fool is worse than death.
12 Mourning for the dead lasts seven days,
but for a fool or an ungodly man it lasts all his life.
13 Do not talk much with a foolish man,
and do not visit an unintelligent man;
guard yourself from him to escape trouble,
and you will not be soiled when he shakes himself off;
avoid him and you will find rest,
and you will never be wearied by his madness.
14 What is heavier than lead?
And what is its name except “Fool”?
15 Sand, salt, and a piece of iron
are easier to bear than a stupid man.
16 A wooden beam firmly bonded into a building
will not be torn loose by an earthquake;
so the mind firmly fixed on a reasonable counsel
will not be afraid in a crisis.
17 A mind settled on an intelligent thought
is like the stucco decoration on the wall of a colonnade.[b]
18 Fences set on a high place
will not stand firm against the wind;
so a timid heart with a fool’s purpose
will not stand firm against any fear.
The Preservation of Friendship
19 A man who pricks an eye will make tears fall,
and one who pricks the heart makes it show feeling.
20 One who throws a stone at birds scares them away,
and one who reviles a friend will break off the friendship.
21 Even if you have drawn your sword against a friend,
do not despair, for a renewal of friendship is possible.
22 If you have opened your mouth against your friend,
do not worry, for reconciliation is possible;
but as for reviling, arrogance, disclosure of secrets, or a treacherous blow—
in these cases any friend will flee.
23 Gain the trust of your neighbor in his poverty,
that you may rejoice with him in his prosperity;
stand by him in time of affliction,
that you may share with him in his inheritance.[c]
24 The vapor and smoke of the furnace precede the fire;
so insults precede bloodshed.
25 I will not be ashamed to protect a friend,
and I will not hide from him;
26 but if some harm should happen to me because of him,
whoever hears of it will beware of him.
A Prayer for Help against Sinning
27 O that a guard were set over my mouth,
and a seal of prudence upon my lips,
that it may keep me from falling,
so that my tongue may not destroy me![d]
23 O Lord, Father and Ruler of my life,
do not abandon me to their counsel,
and let me not fall because of them!
2 O that whips were set over my thoughts,
and the discipline of wisdom over my mind![e]
That they may not spare me in my errors,
and that it may not pass by my[f] sins;
3 in order that my mistakes may not be multiplied,
and my sins may not abound;
then I will not fall before my adversaries,
and my enemy will not rejoice over me.
4 O Lord, Father and God of my life,
do not give me haughty eyes,
5 and remove from me evil desire.
6 Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me,
and do not surrender me to a shameless soul.
7 Listen, my children, to instruction concerning speech;
the one who observes it will never be caught.
8 The sinner is overtaken through his lips,
the reviler and the arrogant are tripped by them.
9 Do not accustom your mouth to oaths,
and do not habitually utter the name of the Holy One;
10 for as a servant who is continually examined under torture
will not lack bruises,
so also the man who always swears and utters the Name
will not be cleansed from sin.
11 A man who swears many oaths will be filled with iniquity,
and the scourge will not leave his house;
if he offends, his sin remains on him,
and if he disregards it, he sins doubly;
if he has sworn needlessly, he will not be justified,
for his house will be filled with calamities.
Foul Language
12 There is an utterance which is comparable to death;[g]
may it never be found in the inheritance of Jacob!
For all these errors will be far from the godly,
and they will not wallow in sins.
13 Do not accustom your mouth to lewd vulgarity,
for it involves sinful speech.
14 Remember your father and mother
when[h] you sit among great men;
lest you be forgetful in their presence,
and be deemed a fool on account of your habits;
then you will wish that you had never been born,
and you will curse the day of your birth.
15 A man accustomed to use insulting words
will never become disciplined all his days.
Concerning Sexual Sins
16 Two sorts of men multiply sins,
and a third incurs wrath.
The soul heated like a burning fire
will not be quenched until it is consumed;
a man who commits fornication with his near of kin[i]
will never cease until the fire burns him up.
17 To a fornicator all bread tastes sweet;
he will never cease until he dies.
18 A man who breaks his marriage vows
says to himself, “Who sees me?
Darkness surrounds me, and the walls hide me,
and no one sees me. Why should I fear?
The Most High will not take notice of my sins.”
19 His fear is confined to the eyes of men,
and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord
are ten thousand times brighter than the sun;
they look upon all the ways of men,
and perceive even the hidden places.
20 Before the universe was created, it was known to him;
so it was also after it was finished.
21 This man will be punished in the streets of the city,
and where he least suspects it, he will be seized.
22 So it is with a woman who leaves her husband
and provides an heir by a stranger.
23 For first of all, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High;
second, she has committed an offense against her husband;
and third, she has committed adultery through harlotry
and brought forth children by another man.
24 She herself will be brought before the assembly,
and punishment will fall on her children.
25 Her children will not take root,
and her branches will not bear fruit.
26 She will leave her memory for a curse,
and her disgrace will not be blotted out.
27 Those who survive her will recognize
that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord,
and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.[j]
Footnotes
- Sirach 22:8 Other authorities add 9 Children who are brought up in a good life, conceal the lowly birth of their parents. 10 Children who are disdainfully and boorishly haughty stain the nobility of their kindred.
- Sirach 22:17 Or on a smooth wall
- Sirach 22:23 Other authorities add For one should not always despise restricted circumstances, nor admire a rich man who is stupid.
- Sirach 22:27 Or Who will set a guard . . . destroy me?
- Sirach 23:2 Or Who will set whips . . . my mind?
- Sirach 23:2 Gk their
- Sirach 23:12 Other authorities read clothed about with death
- Sirach 23:14 Gk for
- Sirach 23:16 Gk in the body of his flesh
- Sirach 23:27 Other authorities add 28 It is a great honor to follow God, and to be received by him is long life.
Proverbs 22:26-29
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
26 Be not one of those who give pledges,
who become surety for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark
which your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skilful in his work?
he will stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
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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