|
|
THE APOCRYPHA
FIRST ESDRAS
Now, after all these acts of Josias, it came to pass that Pharaoh, the
King of Egypt, came to raise war at Carchamis upon Euphrates; and
Josias, not regarding the words of the Prophet Jeremy, spoken by the
mouth of the Lord, went out against him and joined battle with him in
the plain of Magiddo. Then said the king unto his servants: Carry me
away out of the battle; for I am very weak. And being brought back to
Jerusalem he died and was buried in his father's sepulchre. And in all
Jewry the chief men, with the women, yea Jeremy the prophet, made
lamentation for him unto this day.
And the people took Joachaz, the son of Josias, and made him king; but
the King of Egypt deposed him, and made Joacim, his brother, King of
Judea and Jerusalem, who did evil before the Lord. Wherefore, against
him, Nabuchodonosor, King of Babylon, came up and bound him with a chain of brass, and carried him into Babylon. Nabuchodonosor also took of the holy vessels of the Lord and carried them away, and set them in his own temple at Babylon, and made Zedechias king. Zedechias reigned eleven years, but did evil also in the sight of the Lord.
The governors of the people and of the priests did likewise many things
against the Lord, and defiled the Temple of the Lord, who, being wrath
with his people for their great ungodliness, commanded the Kings of the
Chaldees to come up against them. This they did, and slew and spared
neither young man nor maid, old man nor child, among them. And they took
all the holy vessels of the Lord, both great and small, with the vessels
of the Ark of God and the king's treasures, and carried them away into
Babylon. As for the House of the Lord, they burnt it, and broke down the
walls of Jerusalem and set fire upon her towers. And the people that
were not slain with the sword were carried unto Babylon, who became
servants to Nabuchodonosor, till the Persians reigned, to fulfil the
word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremy.
In the first year of Cyrus, King of the Persians, the Lord raised up his
spirit, and he made proclamation through all his kingdom, saying: The
Lord of Israel, the most high Lord, hath made me king of the whole
world, and commanded me to build him an house at Jerusalem in Jewry. If
there be any of you that are of his people, let the Lord, even his Lord,
be with him; let him go up to Jerusalem and build the house of the Lord
of Israel.
Then the chief of the families of Judea and of the tribe of Benjamin,
the priests also, and the Levites moved up to Jerusalem to build an
house for the Lord there. And they were helped in all things with silver
and gold, with horses and cattle, and with very many free gifts. King
Cyrus also brought forth the holy vessels which Nabuchodonosor had
carried away from Jerusalem and had set up in his temple of idols. The
vessels of gold and of silver which were brought back by Sanabassar,
together with them of the captivity from Babylon to Jerusalem, were, in
number, five thousand four hundred three score and nine.
But in the time of Artaxerxes, the building of the Temple ceased. Now,
when Darius reigned, he made a great feast unto all the governors and
captains that were under him from India unto Ethiopia, of an hundred and
twenty-seven provinces. And when they had eaten and drunken, three young men that were of the guard that kept the king's body strove to excel
each other in wise speeches. Every one wrote his sentence and referred
the writings to the judgment of the king. The first declareth the
strength of wine; the second declareth the power of a king; the third
the force of women and of truth. The third, who was Zorobabel, was
judged to be wisest; and all the people then shouted: Great is Truth,
and mighty above all things.
Then said the king unto him: Ask what thou wilt, and we will give it to
thee, because thou art found wisest. Then Zorobabel said unto the king:
Remember thy vow which thou hast vowed to build Jerusalem in the day
when thou camest into thy kingdom, and to build up the Temple, which the
Edomites burned when Judea was made desolate by the Chaldees.
Then Darius the king stood up and kissed him, and wrote letters for him
unto all the treasurers and governors that they should safely convey on
their way both him and all those that went with him to build Jerusalem.
He also wrote letters unto the lieutenants in Celosyria, Phenice, and
Libanus, that they should bring cedar wood from Libanus to Jerusalem;
and that they should build the city. Then the families and tribes with
their men-servants and maid-servants and singing men and women, escorted by a thousand horsemen which Darius sent with them, were brought back to Jerusalem.
On the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were
come back to Jerusalem, the foundation of the House of God was laid; and
the Temple was finished in the three and twentieth day of the month of
Adar, in the sixth year of Darius, and dedicated with a great feast and
sacrifices.
After these things, when Artaxerxes, the King of the Persians, reigned,
came Esdras of the family of Aaron, the chief priest, from Babylon, and
with him certain priests, Levites, holy singers and ministers of the
Temple unto Jerusalem. He brought commission from the king to look into
the affairs of Judea and Jerusalem, agreeably to that which is in the
Law of the Lord, and gifts of vessels of gold and silver for the use of
the Temple of the Lord.
Then Esdras made proclamation in all Jewry and Jerusalem to all them who were of the captivity, that they should be gathered together at
Jerusalem. Three days after all the multitude gathered in the broad
court of the Temple, and they gave their hands to put away their heathen
wives and children, and to offer rams to make reconcilement for the
errors they had committed. And Esdras stood up upon a pulpit of wood,
which was made for that purpose, and opened the Law of Moses to the
people.
So Esdras blessed the Lord God, most High, the God of Hosts, Almighty.
And all the people answered: Amen; and, lifting up their hands, they
fell to the ground and worshipped the Lord, saying: This day is holy
unto the Lord; for they all wept when they heard the Law. So the Levites
published all things to the people, saying: This day is holy to the
Lord; be not sorrowful. Then went they their way every one to eat and
drink, and make merry and to give to them that have nothing, and to make
great cheer.
"SECOND ESDRAS
TOBIT
JUDITH
THE BOOK OF ESTHER
THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON
THE WISDOM OF JESUS THE SON OF SIRACH; OR ECCLESIASTICUS.
[Then follow praises of a good householder, a good physician, a wise
interpreter of the law, and injunctions as to how a man should bear the
miseries of life, and face the approach of death. And the book concludes
with praises of the Patriarchs and the Prophets.]
BARUCH
SONG OF THE THREE HOLY CHILDREN
They walked in the midst of the fire praising God and blessing the Lord.
Azarias opened his mouth in the midst of the flame and made confession
of sins, and prayer for deliverance to the confusion of their enemies.
Whereupon, the king's servants that put them in ceased not to make the
oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood, so that the flame
passed through and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.
But the Angel of the Lord came down into the oven and made the midst of
the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire
touched Azarias and his fellows not at all, neither hurt nor troubled
them. Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and
blessed God in the furnace, saying: The Lord hath delivered us from
hell, and saved us from the hand of death: for his mercy endureth for
ever.
THE HISTORY OF SUSANNA
THE HISTORY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF BEL AND THE DRAGON
THE PRAYER OF MANASSES
THE FIRST BOOK OF THE MACCABEES
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE MACCABEES
And Josias held the feast of the Passover in Jerusalem unto his Lord,
the 14th day of the first month of the 18th year of his reign, and
ordered the Levites, the holy ministers of Israel, to hallow themselves
unto the Lord, and set the Holy Ark of the Lord in the house that King
Solomon had built. And there were offered in sacrifices to the Lord on
the altar 37,600 lambs and kids, and 4,300 calves. And they roasted the
Passover with fire: as for the sacrifices, they sod them in brass pots
and pans with a good savour, and set them before all the people. And
such a Passover was not kept in Israel since the time of the Prophet
Samuel. And the works of Josias were upright before his Lord with an
heart full of godliness.
The word of the Lord came unto the prophet Esdras, saying: Go thy way,
and show my people their sinful deeds which they have done against me,
for they have forgotten me, and have offered unto strange gods. I
gathered you together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings:
But now I will cast you out from my face. Then Esdras willed to comfort
Israel, but they refused, and despised the commandments of the Lord;
therefore he announced that the heathen were called to the heavenly
kingdom. After that, Esdras saw upon the Mount Sion a great people who
praised the Lord with songs; and the angel said unto him: These be they
that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have
confessed the name of God. Now are they crowned, and receive palms in
their hands from the Son of God in their midst.
In the thirtieth year after the ruin of the city, Esdras was in Babylon
and troubled because of the desolation of Sion. He acknowledged to God
the sins of the people, yet complained that the heathen who were lords
over them were more wicked than they. Uriel, the angel, then said that
when Adam transgressed God's statutes the way was made narrow, and the
days few and evil; but, behold, the time shall come when my son Jesus
shall be revealed and shall die, and all men that have life. And after
seven days of silence, the earth shall restore those that are asleep,
and the most High shall appear upon the seat of judgment; and misery
shall pass away but judgment shall remain; truth shall stand; and faith
wax strong.
Then Esdras said: I know the most High is called merciful, and he
pardoneth; for if he did not so that they which have committed
iniquities might be eased of them, the ten thousandth part of men should
not remain living; there should be very few left, peradventure, in an
innumerable multitude. And the angel answered: There be many created,
but few shall be saved. Every one that shall be saved shall be able to
escape by his works and by faith, and then they shall be shown great
wonders. And it came to pass that a voice out of a bush called Esdras,
which prophesied that God would take vengeance upon Egypt, Syria,
Babylon, and Asia; that the servants of the Lord must look for troubles,
and not hide their sins but depart from evil, and they would be
delivered because God is their guide.
This is the Book of Tobit, of the tribe of Nephthali, who in the time of
Enemessar, King of the Assyrians, was led captive to Nineve. Tobit in
captivity still remembered God with all his heart, and was deprived of
his goods under King Sennacherib for privily burying fellow-captives who
had been killed. Then Tobit, who became blind, remembered that he had in
the days of his prosperity committed to Gabael in Rages of Media the sum
of ten talents; and he called his son Tobias to go forth and seek
Gabael, giving him handwriting. Tobias sought a guide and found Raphael,
who was an angel though Tobias knew it not, and who said he knew and had
lodged with Gabael. So they went forth both.
When Tobias and Raphael came to the River Tigris, a fish leaped out of
the water and would have devoured him, but the young man laid hold of
it, and drew it to land. The Angel bade Tobias open the fish, and take
the heart and the liver and the gall, and put them up safely. The young
man said to the Angel: To what use are these? And the Angel said:
Touching the heart and the liver, if an evil spirit trouble any, we must
make a smoke thereof, and the party shall be no more vexed. As for the
gall: it is good to anoint a man that a whiteness in his eyes shall be
healed.
When they came near to Rages, the Angel said: To-day we shall lodge with
Raguel, who is thy cousin and hath an only daughter named Sara. The maid
is fair and wise, and I will speak that she may be given thee as a wife.
Then the young man answered the Angel, that he had heard that this maid
had been given to seven men who all died in the marriage chamber, and he
feared lest he should also die. But the Angel said: Fear not, for she is
appointed unto thee from the beginning.
Now they came to the house of Raguel, and Sara met them and brought them
therein. Raguel and Edna his wife recognised Tobias as a kinsman, and
kissed and blessed him. Tobias and Raphael were entertained cheerfully;
and after Raphael had communicated with Raguel, Edna, his wife, was
called and an instrument of covenants of marriage between Sara and
Tobias were written and sealed. And a chamber was prepared for them by
Edna, who blessed Sara and asked the Lord of Heaven and Earth to give
her joy. And when they had all supped, Tobias was brought in unto Sara.
And, as he went he remembered the words of Raphael, and put the heart
and liver of the fish upon the ashes of the perfume, and made a smoke
therewith. When the evil spirit had smelled the smoke he fled into the
utmost parts of Egypt, where an angel bound him. Then Tobias and Sara
arose and prayed that God would have pity upon them, and bless them, and
mercifully ordain that they might become aged together. So they slept
both that night.
Raguel praised God because the Lord had had mercy upon two that were the
only begotten children of their fathers, and prayed that they might
finish their life in health and joy. Raphael then went to Rages to
Gabael for the money, and the two returned to Raguel's house with the
bags sealed up.
Now Tobit and his wife longed for their son, and Tobias said to Raguel:
Let me go, for my father and mother look no more to see me. Then Raguel
gave him Sara, his wife, and half his goods, servants, cattle and money.
And he and Edna blessed them and sent them away.
After a prosperous journey, they drew near unto Nineve. Then Raphael
told Tobias to make haste before his wife to prepare the house, and to
take in his hand the gall of the fish. Now Anna sat looking about toward
the way for her son, and when she espied him coming, she said to his
father: Behold, thy son cometh and the man that went with him. And Anna
ran forth, and fell upon the neck of her son and said: From henceforth I
am content to die. Tobias met his father at the door, and strake of the
gall on his father's eyes, saying: Be of good hope, my father. And Tobit
recovered his sight. When he saw his son, he fell upon his neck and
wept, and blessed God. Then Tobit went out to meet his daughter-in-law
at the gate of Nineve, and welcomed and blessed her; and there was joy
among all his brethren which were at Nineve.
Tobit offered to Raphael half of all that had been brought from Rages;
but Raphael called him and Tobias apart and exhorted them to praise and
magnify the Lord for all the things which he had done unto them; and
told them that he, Raphael, was one of the seven holy angels which
present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the
glory of the Holy One. Then they were both troubled and fell upon their
faces; but he said: Fear not, for it shall go well with you. I go up to
him that sent me; but write all the things which were done in a book.
And when they arose they saw him no more.
Tobit wrote a prayer of rejoicing, saying: In the land of my captivity
do I praise thee, O Lord, and declare thy might and majesty to a sinful
nation. For Jerusalem shall be built up, her walls and towers and
battlements restored. And all her streets shall say: Alleluia.
And when he was very aged, Tobit called his son and the six sons of his
son, and bade them go into Media, for he was ready to depart out of this
life, and he surely believed that which Jonas the prophet spake of
Nineve, that it should be overthrown. When he had said these things he
gave up the ghost. Tobias departed with his wife to Media, and died
there; but before he died he heard of the destruction of Nineve, which
was taken by Nabuchodonosor.
In the days of Arphaxad, which reigned over the Medes in Ecbatane, he
fortified Ecbatane with great stone walls, and towers and gates, for the
going forth of his mighty armies. Nabuchodonosor, who reigned in Nineve,
made war with King Arphaxad, and sent ambassadors to Cilicia, Damascus
and Syria, and the land of Moab and Ammon and Judea and all Egypt asking aid; but the inhabitants thereof made light of the commandment, and sent away his ambassadors with disgrace. Therefore, Nabuchodonosor was very angry, and sware by his throne that he would be avenged upon all the inhabitants of these countries, and would slay them with the sword.
Nabuchodonosor, in the seventeenth year of his reign, marched in battle
array against Arphaxad and overthrew his power and, all his horsemen and
chariots, and took his cities even unto Ecbatane, and spoiled the
streets thereof, and turned the beauty of the city into shame. He also
took Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau and smote him. So he returned to
Nineve with all his company of sundry nations and feasted. In the
eighteenth year, Nabuchodonosor called the chief captain of his army,
Holofernes, and commanded him to take one hundred and twenty thousand
footmen and twelve thousand horsemen and go against all the west country
because they had disobeyed his commandment. He charged also Holofernes to spare none that would not yield, and put them to the slaughter, and spoil them. And the army went forth with a great number of allies like locusts into Cilicia, and destroyed Phud and Lud, and all the children of Rasses and Ishmael. Then the army went over Euphrates and went through Mesopotamia, and destroyed all the high cities on the river
Arbonai to the sea, and then to Japheth over against Arabia, and Media
and Damascus, and burned up their tabernacles, destroyed their flocks
and herds, utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their young men
with the edge of the sword. Then fear fell upon the inhabitants of Tyrus
and Sidon, on the sea coasts, who sent ambassadors unto Holofernes, and
made submission. He received them, yet he cast down their frontiers, cut
down their groves, destroyed all the gods of the land, and decreed that
all the nations should worship Nabuchodonosor only, and call upon him as
God.
Now, the children of Israel that dwelt in Judea, who were newly returned
from captivity, were exceedingly afraid for Jerusalem and for the Temple
of the Lord their God. Therefore, they possessed themselves of all tops
of the high mountains, and fortified the villages, and laid up victuals
for the provision of war. And Joacim and all the priests ministered unto
the Lord in the Temple, and offered sacrifices and prayed that he would
not give the children of Israel for a prey, their wives for a spoil, the
cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to
profanation.
Holofernes was very angry when he heard this. And Achior, captain of the
sons of Ammon, told Holofernes what the Jews were, their history, and
what their God had done for them; and advised Holofernes not to meddle
with them. There was then tumult in the council of the Assyrian host,
and Holofernes despised the God of the people of Israel, and sent Achior
to the children of Israel that were in Bethulia, in the hill country.
Then Holofernes with all his army besieged Bethulia, and took possession
of the fountains of water, so that the inhabitants fainted for thirst,
and there was no longer any strength in them. They murmured against the
governors, and called upon them to deliver the city to Holofernes and
his army. Ozias, the chief of the city, said: Brethren, be of good
courage; let us yet endure five days, in which space the Lord our God
may turn his mercy towards us; for he will not forsake us utterly.
Now Judith heard thereof. She was a widow and was of a goodly
countenance and very beautiful to behold, and she feared God greatly.
Judith sent for the ancients of the city, and blamed them for provoking
the Lord to anger by their lack of trust, and she promised that she
would do a thing within the days before the city was to be delivered to
their enemies which should go throughout all generations to the children
of the nation. Then Judith went to the House of the Lord and fell upon
her face and called upon the Lord who breakest the battles to bless her
purpose. She went thereafter to her house, put off the garments of
widowhood and of sackcloth, and bathed, and anointed herself with
precious ointment, and put on the garments of gladness, with bracelets
and chains and rings and ornaments to lure the eyes of all the men that
should see her. Then she went forth with her maid out of the city of
Bethulia into the camp of the Assyrians, and was taken by the guard to
the tent of Holofernes, who marvelled at her beauty. Holofernes asked
Judith the cause of her coming, and she declared that if he would follow
her words, he and his army would be led by her through the midst of
Judea unto Jerusalem wherein he would set op his throne.
Holofernes and all his servants were pleased, and said there was not
such a woman in all the earth for beauty of face and wisdom of words.
Judith would not eat of the meats and wine which Holofernes offered her,
but partook only of the provisions which her maid had brought with her
in a bag. Then she was brought into a tent and abode in the camp three
days, going out every night into the valley of Bethulia to pray. In the
fourth day Holofernes made a feast, and said to Bagoas, the eunuch, to
go and persuade the Hebrew woman to come and eat and drink with him and
his officers. Judith arose and decked herself, and went in and sat on
the ground on soft skins over against Holofernes, whose heart was
ravished with her, and his mind moved, and he desired greatly her
company.
Now Judith took and ate and drank what her maid had prepared, and
Holofernes was greatly delighted with her, and drank much more wine than
he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born. Judith, when the
evening was come, was left alone with Holofernes, and the servants were
dismissed. Then she came to the pillar of the bed, which was at
Holofernes's head, took down his fauchion, seized hold of the hair of
his head, and said: Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day. And
she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and took away his head
from him.
She put the head in her bag of meat and gave it to her maid, and the
twain went forth together, according to their custom, as unto prayer,
and passed the camp. Then came they to Bethulia, and were admitted into
the city; and the people were astonished wonderfully and worshipped God,
and said: Blessed be thou, O our God, which hast this day brought to
nought the enemies of thy people. The head of Holofernes was hanged up
on the highest place of the city walls, and the men of Israel went forth
by bands into the passes of the mountain. When the Assyrians saw this,
they sent to Holofernes's tent, and said that the slaves of Israelites
had come forth against them in battle. Then Bagoas went into the tent
and found the body of Holofernes cast upon the ground and his head taken
away. When also he found not Judith, he leaped out to the people and
told them; and great fear and trembling fell upon them, and they fled,
being chased until past Damascus and the borders thereof by the children
of Israel, who gat many spoils. Then Judith sang a song of thanksgiving
in all Israel, and the people sang after her. She dedicated the spoil of
Holofernes, which the people had given her, for a gift unto the Lord;
and when she died in Bethulia, a widow of great honour, all Israel did
lament.
These are the chapters of the Book of Esther, which are found
neither in the Hebrew nor in the Chaldee.
In the second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the Great, Mardocheus, who
was a Jew and dwelt in the city of Susa, had a dream. And the same night
he overheard two eunuchs plotting to lay hands on Artaxerxes, and he,
being a servitor in the king's court, told the king; and the eunuchs,
after examination, were strangled. Aman, because of this, induced
Artaxerxes to write to all the princes and governors from India unto
Ethiopia to destroy all the Jews, with their wives and children, without
pity, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar. Mardocheus and
Queen Esther, being in the fear of death, resorted unto the Lord, and
prayed for deliverance, and for the preservation of the children of
Israel. On the third day, Queen Esther cometh unto the king's presence;
and she was ruddy through the perfection of her beauty, but her heart
was in anguish for fear. The king looketh angrily at her as she stood
before his royal throne, and she fainteth. Then God changed the spirit
of the king, who leaped from his throne, took her in his arms, saying:
Be of good cheer, thou shalt not die, though our commandment be general.
As he was speaking, she fell a second time for faintness, and the king
was troubled and all his servants comforted her.
Artaxerxes then wrote a letter to all the princes wherein he taxed Aman,
the Macedonian, with having by manifold and cunning deceits sought the
destruction of Mardocheus, who had saved the king's life, and also of
the blameless Esther, partaker of his kingdom, with their whole nation.
The king revoked the decree procured by Aman, who, with all his family,
was hanged at the gates of Susa. And the king commanded the day of their deliverance to be kept holy.
Love righteousness, ye that be judges of the earth, for into a malicious
soul wisdom shall not enter. The spirit of the Lord filleth the world:
therefore he that speaketh unrighteous things cannot be hid. Seek not
death in the error of your life: for God made not death, and
righteousness is immortal. The ungodly reason, but not aright: life is
short and tedious, which, being extinguished, our bodies shall be turned
into ashes, and our spirit vanish as the soft air. Come, therefore, let
us enjoy the good things that are present. Their own wickedness hath
blinded them, for God created man to be immortal.
Nevertheless, through envy of the devil came death into the world. The
souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and there shall no
torments touch them. Having been a little chastised they shall be
greatly rewarded. Better to have no children and to have virtue; for
children begotten of unlawful beds are witnesses against their parents.
Honourable age is not measured by number of years. He, being made
perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time. For his soul pleased the
Lord: Therefore, hasted he to take him away from among the wicked. This
the people saw and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their
minds. That his grace and mercy are with his saints, and that he hath
respect unto his chosen. The wicked wonder at the godly, and say: What
hath pride profited us? And what good hath riches, with our vaunting,
brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow. The hope of
the ungodly is like dust that is blown away: but the righteous live for
evermore: their reward is a beautiful crown from the Lord's hand. Wisdom
is easily found of such as seek her, therefore princes must desire her;
for a wise prince is the stay of his people. He that hath Wisdom hath
every good thing. Moreover, by her means man shall obtain immortality,
and leave behind him an everlasting memorial.
There are two prologues to this book. The first is by an
uncertain author, stating that the book is the compilation of
three hands and is in imitation of the Book of Solomon. The
second prologue is by Jesus, the son of Sirach and grandchild
to Jesus of the same name, who had read the law and the
prophets and other books of the fathers, and had been drawn
himself to write something pertaining to wisdom and learning.
Coming into Egypt when Euergetes was king, Jesus, son of
Sirach, found a book of no small learning and bestowed
diligence and travail to interpret it, and to bring it to an
end. The following are among the precepts given:
All wisdom cometh from the Lord: she is with all flesh according to his
gift. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and driveth away
sins. My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for
temptation. Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure. Woe be to
fearful hearts; but they that fear the Lord shall be filled with the
law. Whoso honoureth his father maketh an atonement for his sins. He
that honoureth his mother layeth up treasure. Seek not out the things
that are too hard for thee: profess not the knowledge that thou hast
not. Defraud not the poor of his living: and be not fainthearted when
thou sittest in judgment. Set not thy heart upon thy goods, for the Lord
will surely revenge thy pride. Winnow not with every wind, and let thy
life be sincere. Do not extol thy own conceit: if thou wouldst get a
friend, prove him first. A faithful friend is a strong defence. Seek not
of the Lord preeminence: humble thy soul greatly. Fear the Lord, and
reverence his priests. Stretch thine hand unto the poor, and mourn with
them that mourn. Strive not with a mighty man: kindle not the coals of a
sinner. Lend not unto him that is mightier than thyself: be not surety
above thy power. Go not to law with a judge: consult not with a fool.
Judge none blessed before his death. He that toucheth pitch shall be
denied therewith: like will to like. Say not thou: it is through the
Lord that I fell away: He has caused me to err. The Lord made man from
the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsel. He has commanded
no man to do wickedly, neither has he given any man licence to sin. The
knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom: neither at any time the counsel
of sinners prudence. Whoso discovereth secrets loseth his credit and
shall never find friend to his mind. Health and good estate of body are
above all gold. There is no joy above the joy of the heart. Give not
over thy mind to heaviness: the joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days.
Envy and wrath shorten life: carefulness bringeth age before the time.
Baruch, the son of Nerias, wrote a book in Babylon what time the
Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burnt it with fire. Baruch read the words
of his book in the hearing of Jechonias, the son of the King of Juda,
and in the ears of all the people. The Jews wept at the reading of it,
by the river Sud, and made a collection of money to send to Jerusalem,
unto the High Priest Joachim, to buy burnt offerings and sin offerings
and incense, and to prepare manna to be offered upon the altar of the
Lord. The people at Jerusalem are asked also to pray for the life of
Nabuchodonosor, King of Babylon, and his son Balthasar, and for those
who sent the gifts and the book. The book begins with a prayer and
confession which the Jews at Babylon make, acknowledging that they are
yet this day in captivity for a reproach and a curse, and to be subject
to payments according to all the iniquities of their fathers which
departed from the Lord our God. Then beginneth the book:
Hear, Israel, the commandments of life: give ear to understand wisdom.
Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember the captivity of my
sons and daughters, which the Everlasting hath brought upon them. Be of
good cheer, O my children, crying unto the Lord, and He shall deliver
you from the power and hand of the enemies. I sent you out with mourning
and weeping: but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness for
ever. Put off, O Jerusalem, the garment of thy mourning and affliction,
and put on the comeliness of the glory that cometh from God for ever;
for behold, thy children gathereth from the west and from the east and
return out of captivity with glory.
[With this book of Baruch there is an Epistle of Jeremy, which he sent
unto them that were to be led captive into Babylon because of their
sins. The prophet describes the idols and the conduct of the priests and
those who attend the heathen temples and warns the captives not to
worship the false gods in Babylon.]
[This Song is not in the Hebrew of the Book of Daniel.]
There dwelt a man in Babylon called Joacim. And he took a wife whose
name was Susanna, a very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord. The
same year were appointed two of the ancients of the people to be judges;
and they saw Susanna walking in her husband's garden, and their lust was
inflamed towards her. Now, Susanna went into the garden to bathe, for it
was hot, and dismissed her maids. The two elders, who had hidden in the
garden, rose up and said: Consent and lie with us. If thou wilt not, we
will bear witness against thee that a young man was with thee, and
therefore thou didst send thy maids away. Then Susanna cried with a loud
voice, and the two elders cried out against her, and declared their
matter. The servants rushed in at the privy door and were greatly
ashamed, for there was never such a report made of Susanna. It came to
pass the next day when the people were assembled to her husband Joacim,
with the two elders full of mischievous imagination against Susanna,
these wicked men commanded Susanna to uncover her face that they might
be filled with her beauty, and her friends and all that saw her wept.
Then the elders made their charge which they had agreed upon against
Susanna, and the assembled people believed them: so they condemned her
to death. Then Susanna cried to the Everlasting God, saying: Thou
knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and that I never
did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me. And
the Lord heard her voice.
When she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit
of a youth named Daniel, who said: Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel,
that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a
daughter of Israel? Then Daniel put the two elders aside, one far from
the other, to examine them. To the first he said: If thou hast seen her,
under what tree sawest thou them companying together? He answered: Under a mastic tree. Daniel said: Very well; and he put him aside and
commanded the other to be brought. Tell me, he said, under what tree
didst thou take them companying together? He answered: Under an holm
tree. Then Daniel said: These men have lied against their own heads, for
even now the Angel of God waiteth with the sword that he may destroy
them. Then all the assembly arose against the two elders, for Daniel had
convicted them of false witness by their own mouth; and they put them to
death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day; and from that
time forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the
people.
When Cyrus of Persia received his kingdom, Daniel conversed with him,
and was honoured above all his friends. Now, the Babylonians had an idol
called Bel, which the king worshipped, but Daniel worshipped his own
God. The king said unto him: Why dost thou not worship Bel? Daniel
answered: Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the
living God. Then the king said: Thinkest thou not that Bel is a living
god? Seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day? Then
Daniel smiled and said: O king, be not deceived; for this is but clay
within and brass without, and it never eateth or drinketh anything. Then
trial was made by order of the king, and meat and wine were set in the
temple, the door made fast, and sealed with the king's signet. The
priests of Bel were three score and ten, besides their wives and
children, and they little regarded the trial, for under the table they
had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered the temple continually
and consumed the meat and the wine. But Daniel had commanded his
servants to strew the temple floor with ashes, before the door was shut
and sealed. Now, in the night came the priests with their wives and
children, as they were wont, and did eat and drink up all.
In the morning betimes the king arose, and Daniel with him. As soon as
the door was opened, the king looked upon the table, and cried with a
loud voice: Great art thou, O Bel, and with thee is no deceit at all.
Then laughed Daniel, and said: Behold the pavement, and mark well whose
footsteps are these. And the king saw the footsteps of men, women, and
children, and was angry when he was shown the privy doors where they
came in and consumed such things as were upon the table. Therefore the
king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel's power, who destroyed the
idol and the temple.
In the same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon
worshipped. The king said to Daniel: Lo! this dragon liveth, eateth,
drinketh; thou canst not say that he is no living god; therefore worship
him. Then said Daniel: I will worship the Lord, for he is the living
God. But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without
sword or staff.
The king gave him leave, and Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and
did seethe them together, and made lumps thereof. These he put in the
dragon's mouth, and the dragon burst in sunder. Then Daniel said: Lo,
these are the gods ye worship!
When they of Babylon heard that, they conspired against the king,
saying: The king is become a Jew. So they came to the king, and said:
Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thine house. Being
sore constrained, the king delivered Daniel unto them, and they cast him
into the lions' den, where he was six days, during which the seven lions
were given no carcases, to the intent that they might devour Daniel.
Now, there was in Jewry a prophet called Habakkuk who made pottage and
broken bread to take to the reapers in the field. An Angel of the Lord
said unto Habakkuk: Go, carry the dinner that thou hast into Babylon
unto Daniel, who is in the lions' den. And Habakkuk said: Lord, I never
saw Babylon; neither do I know where the den is. Then the Angel of the
Lord took Habakkuk by the crown, and bare him by the hair of his head,
and through the vehemency of his spirit set him in Babylon over the den.
And Habakkuk cried: O Daniel, take the dinner which God has sent thee.
And Daniel said: Thou hast remembered me, O God: neither hast thou
forsaken them that seek thee and love thee. So Daniel arose, and did
eat: And the Angel of the Lord set Habakkuk in his own place
immediately. Upon the seventh day the king went to bewail Daniel; and
when he came to the den, behold, Daniel was sitting. Then cried the king
with a loud voice, saying: Great art thou, O Lord God of Daniel, and
there is none other besides thee. And he drew Daniel out, and cast those
that were the cause of his suffering into the den; and they were
devoured by the lions in a moment before his face.
The Prayer of Manasses, King of Juda, when he was holden captive in
Babylon, is an enumeration of the attributes of the Almighty God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; a general
confession of sins; and an entreaty that God would show him great mercy
and goodness, forgive him, and condemn him not into the lower parts of
the earth. Therefore, he would praise the Lord for ever, all the days of
his life.
Antiochus, surnamed Epiphanes, reigned in the hundred and thirty-seventh
year of the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days certain wicked men of
Israel went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the
ordinances of the heathen. Whereupon, they built a place of exercise at
Jerusalem according to the custom of the heathen. Now, Antiochus made
war against Egypt, and when he had smitten the strong cities, and taken
the spoils thereof, he returned in the hundred forty and third year and
went up against Israel and Jerusalem, and captured the city with great
massacre and spoiled the Temple, and took away the vessels of gold and
silver and hidden treasures which he found therein. Therefore, there was
great mourning in Israel. Two years after, the king sent his chief
collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, and he fell suddenly upon
Jerusalem, set fire to it, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof.
And the women and children he took away captive, and defiled the
sanctuary.
But the enemy builded the city of David, with a great and strong wall
and mighty towers, and stored it with armour and victuals and the spoils
of Jerusalem, so that it became a sore snare against the sanctuary and
an evil adversary to Israel. Moreover, King Antiochus wrote to his whole
kingdom that all should be one people, and sent letters unto Jerusalem
and the cities of Juda commanding that the Israelites should abandon
their own worship, cease to circumcise their children, and adore his
idols. Then was the abomination of desolation set up in the Temple, and
idol altars were builded throughout the cities of Juda, and the books of
the law were burned. Howbeit many in Israel chose rather to die that
they might not be defiled with meats and profane the Holy Covenant. In
those days arose Mattathias, a priest of the sons of Joarib. He dwelt in
Modin, and had five sons--Joannan, Simon, Judas who was called
Maccabeus, Eleazar, and Jonathan. The king's officers came to Modin and
asked Mattathias to fulfil the king's commandment; but Mattathias said:
Though all the nations consent, yet will I and my sons walk in the
covenant of our fathers. And he slew a Jew that did sacrifice to idols
in his presence, and the king's messenger also. So he and his sons fled
into the mountains, and, being joined by a company of mighty men of
Israel, went round about, and pulled down idol altars and circumcised
the children valiantly. And the work prospered in their hands, and they
recovered the law out of the hands of the Gentiles. When Mattathias came
to die he appointed Simon as a man of counsel, and Judas Maccabeus, who
had been mighty and strong in battle even from his youth up, to be their
captain to avenge the wrongs of their people. So he died in his hundred
forty and sixth year, and was buried in the sepulchre of his fathers at
Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.
Now, Judas Maccabeus fought the battles of his people with great
valiance, captured the cities of Juda, drove Apollonius and a great host
out of Samaria, slew Apollonius, took their spoils, and Apollonius's
sword also, and therewith he fought all his life long. Judas also
overthrew Seron and the great army of Syria. Then Judas was renowned
unto the utmost parts of the earth, and an exceeding great dread fell
upon the nations round about. Now, when King Antiochus heard these
things he was full of indignation; wherefore he sent and gathered
together all the forces of his realm. And the king sent Lysias, one of
the blood royal, with a great army to go into the land of Juda and
destroy it. Judas and his brethren, when he heard this, assembled the
Israelites at Maspha, over against Jerusalem, where they fasted; and
Judas organised and armed them to battle, and camped at Emmaus. Gorgias,
the lieutenant of Lysias, attempted to surprise Judas, but Judas joined
him in battle and discomfited him, putting his host to flight and
gaining great spoil. Next year Lysias gathered another army, that he
might subdue the Israelites, and came into Idumea, and pitched tents at
Bethsura. But Judas joined him in battle, and put Lysias and his army to
flight. After this, Judas and his brethren came to Jerusalem, pulled
down the altar which the heathen had profaned, and set up a new altar.
He also builded up Mount Sion with strong towers and high walls. After
that Judas smote the children of Esau, Bean, and Ammon, and sent Simon
into Galilee, while he, with his brother Jonathan, went over Jordan, and
captured the cities of Galaad. About that time Antiochus was in Persia,
and heard of the doings of Judas. He was astonished and sore moved, and
fell sick of grief and died. Lysias set up Antiochus, his son, as king,
and called him Eupator, and brought a great army into Juda. The number
of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, twenty thousand horsemen,
and two and thirty elephants. Judas went out from Jerusalem and pitched
in Bathzacharias over against the king's camp. Then a great battle was
fought, when Judas was defeated. There being a famine in the city, he
made peace with Eupator, who, however, ordered the wall round about Sion
to be pulled down.
Demetrius came from Rome and attacked Eupator in Antioch, captured the
city, and slew Eupator and Lysias. Alsimus, who wished to be high
priest, complained to Demetrius of Judas, and the king sent Nicanor, a
man that bare deadly hate unto Israel, to destroy the people; but he was
defeated by Judas at Capharsalama with great slaughter, and in a second
battle Nicanor's host was discomfited and he himself was slain, and his
head and right hand were hanged up on the tower at Jerusalem. This was a
day of great gladness to Israel, and the victory was kept holy every
year after.
Now, Judas, being informed of the power and policy of the Romans, made a
league with them of mutual help. Notwithstanding, Demetrius sent
Bacchides and Alcimus a second time into Judea with a great host, and
camped at Berea. Now, Judas had pitched his tent at Eleasa, where,
seeing the multitude of the other army to be so great, his men began to
desert him, whereupon Judas said: God forbid that I should flee away
from the enemy; if our time be come, let us die manfully for our
brethren, and let us not stain our honour.
The armies came to battle, and the earth shook at the noise thereof, and
the fight continued from morning to night. Judas discomfited the right
wing of the enemy under Bacchides and pursued them to Mount Azotus, but
the left wing followed upon Judas and a sore battle took place, insomuch
that many were slain on both sides. Judas was killed also, and the rest
of his army fled. The body of Judas was taken to the sepulchre of his
fathers at Modin by Jonathan and Simon, his brothers, and all Israel
made lamentation for him, and mourned many days, saying: How is the
valiant man fallen that delivered Israel!
Jonathan took command of the Israelites in the room of Judas, and made
peace with Bacchides. Thereafter, Demetrius made large offers to have
peace with Jonathan, including freedom of worship and release of
tribute, together with the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the
towers thereof, and the repairs of the sanctuary; but Jonathan and the
people gave no credit to these words because they remembered the great
evil Demetrius had done in Israel. Jonathan made peace with Alexander,
and joined him in battle against Demetrius, whose host fled, and he
himself was slain.
After that Demetrius the younger came out of Crete, and sent a great
host to Azotus. Here Jonathan attacked him, and with the help of Simon,
his brother, defeated the enemy and set fire to Azotus, and the temple
of Dagon therein. There were burned and slain with the sword eight
thousand men. Now, King Alexander honoured Jonathan and sent him a
buckle of gold such as is given to those of the king's blood. After
these days, Jonathan did many wonderful exploits in Galilee and
Damascus, and then returned to Jerusalem. Now, when Jonathan saw that
the time served him, he renewed his league with the Romans and
Lacedemonians, and pursued the Arabians unto Damascus. He strengthened
the cities of Juda, but he was captured by fraud by Tryphon at
Ptolemais. Simon was made captain in his brother Jonathan's room, and
prepared to attack Tryphon and, rescue his brother, but Tryphon slew
Jonathan, and returned into his own country.
The land of Juda was quiet all the days of Simon, and every man sat
under his own vine and fig-tree. When Simon was visiting the cities that
were in the country, Ptolemeus, son of Abubus, the captain of Jerico,
invited Simon and his two sons into his castle, called Docus. There a
great banquet was given, at which Simon and his sons drank largely, and
Ptolemeus and his men came into the banqueting place and slew them.
The brethren, the Jews that were at Jerusalem and in the land of Judea,
wrote a letter to the Jews that were throughout Egypt to thank God for
the death of Antiochus. In his letter are recounted all the sayings of
Jeremy, and the great deeds of Judas Maccabeus and his brother Simon, as
recorded in the books of Jason, until Nicanor the blasphemer was killed,
and his head hanged upon the tower at Jerusalem, from which time forth
the Hebrews had the city in their power.
Return to Index