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1 At that time Antiochus returned with dishonour out of Persia.
2 For he had entered into the city called
Persepolis, and attempted to rob the temple, and to oppress the city: but the
multitude running together to arms, put them to flight: and so it fell out
that Antiochus being put to flight returned with disgrace.
3 Now when he was come about Ecbatana, he
received the news of what had happened to Nicanor
and Timotheus.
4 And swelling with anger he thought to
revenge upon the Jews the injury done by them that had put him to flight. And
therefore he commanded his chariot to be driven, without stopping in his
journey, the judgment of heaven urging him forward, because he had spoken so
proudly, that he would come to Jerusalem, and make it a common burying place
of the Jews.
5 But the Lord the God of Israel, that seeth all things, struck him with an in- curable and an
invisible plague. For as soon as he had ended these words, a dreadful pain in
his bowels came upon him, and bitter torments of the inner parts.
6 And indeed very justly, seeing he had
tormented the bowels of others with many and new torments, albeit he by no
means ceased from his malice.
7 Moreover being filled with pride, breathing out
fire in his rage against the Jews, and commanding the matter to be hastened,
it happened as he was going with violence that he fell from the chariot, so
that his limbs were much pained by a grievous bruising of the body.
8 Thus he that seemed to himself to
command even the waves of the sea, being proud above the condition of man,
and to weigh the heights of the mountains in a balance, now being cast down
to the ground, was carried in a litter, bearing witness to the manifest power
of God in himself:
9 So that worms swarmed out of the body of
this man, and whilst he lived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell off, and the
filthiness of his smell was noisome to the army.
10 And the man that thought a little to before he could reach the stars of heaven, no man
could endure to carry, for the intolerable stench.
11 And by this means, being brought from his
great pride, he began to come to the knowledge of himself, being admonished
by the scourge of God, his pains increasing every moment
12 And when he himself could not now abide
his own stench, he spoke thus: It is just to be subject to God, and that a
mortal man should not equal himself to God.
13 Then this wicked man prayed to the Lord, of
whom he was not like to obtain mercy.
14 And the city to which he was going in haste
to lay it even with the ground, and to make it a, common buryingplace,
he now desireth to make free.
15 And the Jews whom he said he would not
account worthy to be so much as buried, but would give them up to be devoured
by the birds and wild beasts, and would utterly destroy them with their
children, he now promiseth to make equal with the
Athenians.
16 The holy temple also which before he had
spoiled, he promiseth to adorn with goodly gifts,
and to multiply the holy vessels, and to allow out of his revenues the
charges pertaining to the sacrifices.
17 Yea also, that he would become a Jew
himself, and would go through every place of the earth, and declare the power
of God.
18 But his pains not ceasing (for the just
judgment of God was come upon him) despairing of life he wrote to the Jews in
the manner of a supplication, a letter in these words:
19 To his very good subjects the Jews,
Antiochus king and ruler wisheth much health and
welfare, and happiness.
20 If you and your children are well, and if
all matters go with you to your mind, we give very great thanks.
21 As for me, being infirm, but yet kindly
remembering you, returning out of the places of Persia, and being taken with
a grievous disease, I thought it necessary to take care for the common good:
22 Not distrusting my life, but having
great hope to escape the sickness.
23 But considering that my father also, at
what time she led an army into the higher countries, appointed who should reign after him:
24 To the end that if any
thing contrary to expectation should fall out, or ally bad tidings
should be brought, they that were in the countries, knowing to whom the whole
government was left, might not be troubled.
25 Moreover, considering that neighbouring
princes and borderers wait for opportunities, and expect what shall be the
event, I have appointed my son Antiochus king, whom I often recommended to
many of you, when I went into the higher provinces: and I have written to him
what I have joined here below.
26 I pray you therefore, and request of you,
that remembering favours both public and private,
you will every man of you continue to be faithful to me and to my son.
27 For I trust that he will behave with I
moderation and humanity, and following my intentions, will be gracious unto
you.
28 Thus the murderer and blasphemer, being
grievously struck, as himself had treated others, died a miserable death in a
strange country among the mountains.
29 But Philip that was brought up with him,
carried away his body: and out of fear of the son of Antiochus, went into
Egypt to Ptolemee Philometor.
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1- و اتفق في ذلك الزمان ان
انطيوكس كان منصرفا عن بلاد فارس بالخزي.
2- و كان قد زحف على مدينة اسمها
برسابوليس و شرع يسلب الهياكل و يعسف المدينة فثار الجموع الى السلاح و دفعوه
فانهزم انطيوكس منقلبا بالعار.
3- و لما كان عند احمتا بلغه ما وقع لنكانور و
اصحاب تيموتاوس.
4- فاستشاط غضبا و ازمع ان يحيل على اليهود ما
الحقه به الذين هزموه من الشر فامر سائق عجلته بان يجد في السير بغير انقطاع و
قد حل به القضاء من السماء فانه قال في تجبره لاتين اورشليم و لاجعلنها مدفنا
لليهود.
5- لكن الرب اله اسرائيل البصير بكل شيء ضربه
ضربة معضلة غير منظورة فانه لم يفرغ من كلامه ذاك حتى اخذه داء في احشائه لا
دواء له و مغص اليم في جوفه.
6- و كان ذلك عين العدل في حقه لانه عذب احشاء
كثيرين بالالام المتنوعة الغريبة لكنه لم يكن ليكف عن عتيه.
7- و انما بقي صدره ممتلئا من الكبرياء ينفث
نار الحنق على اليهود و يحث على الاسراع في السير حتى انه من شدة الجري سقط من
عجلته فترضضت بتلك السقطة الهائلة جميع اعضاء جسمه.
8- فاصبح بعدما خيل له بزهوه الذي لم يبلغ
اليه انسان انه يحكم على امواج البحر و يجعل قمم الجبال في كفة الميزان مصروعا
على الارض محمولا في محفة شهادة للجميع بقدرة الله الجليلة.
9- حتى كانت الديدان تنبع من جسد ذلك المنافق
و لحمه يتساقط و هو حي بالالام و الاوجاع و صار الجيش كله يتكره نتن رائحته.
10- حتى انه بعدما كان قبيل ذلك يزين له انه
يمس كواكب السماء لم يكن احد يطيق حمله لشدة رائحته التي لا تحتمل.
11- فلما راى نفسه في تلك الحال من تمزق جسمه
اخذ ينزل عن كبريائه المفرطة و يتعقل الحق اذ كانت الاوجاع تزداد فيه على
الساعات بالضربة الالهية.
12- حتى انه هو نفسه امسى لا يطيق نتنه فقال
حق على الانسان ان يخضع لله و ان لا يحمله الكبر و هو فان على ان يحسب نفسه
معادلا لله.
13- و كان ذلك الفاجر يتضرع الى الرب لكن الرب
لم يكن ليرحمه من بعد و نذر.
14- ان المدينة المقدسة التي كان يقصدها حثيثا
ليمحو اثارها و يجعلها مدفنا سيجعلها حرة.
15- و ان اليهود الذين كان قد قضى عليهم بان
لا يدفنوا بل يلقوا مع اطفالهم ماكلا للطيور و الوحوش سيسويهم جميعا بالاثينيين.
16- و ان الهيكل المقدس الذي كان قد انتهبه
سيزينه بافخر التحف و يرد الانية المقدسة اضعافا و يؤدي النفقات المفروضة
للذبائح من دخله الخاص.
17- بل انه هو نفسه يتهود و يطوف كل معمور في
الارض ينادي بقدرة الله.
18
- و اذ لم تسكن الامه لان قضاء
الله العادل كان قد حل عليه قنط من نفسه و كتب الى اليهود رسالة في معنى التوسل
و هذه صورتها.
19- من انطيوكس الملك القائد الى رعايا اليهود
الافاضل السلام الكثير و العافية و الغبطة.
20- اذا كنتم في سلامة و كان اولادكم و كل شيء
لكم على ما تحبون فاني اشكر الله شكرا جزيلا اما انا فرجائي منوط بالسماء.
21- و بعد فاني منذ اعتللت لم
ازل اذكركم بالمودة ناويا لكم الكرامة و الخير فاني في ايابي من نواحي فارس
اصابني داء شديد فرايت من الواجب ان اصرف العناية الى مصلحة الجميع.
22- ليس لاني قانط من نفسي فان لي رجاء وثيقا
ان اتخلص من علتي.
23- ثم اني تذكرت ان ابي حين سار بجيشه الى
الاقاليم العليا عين الولي لعهده.
24- و انا اخاف ان يقع امر غير منتظر او يذيع
خبر مشؤوم فيضطرب مقلدوا الامور في البلاد عند بلوغه اليهم.
25- و قد تبين لي ان من حولنا من ذوي السلطان
و مجاوري المملكة يترصدون الفرص و يتوقعون حادثا يحدث فلذلك عينت للملك ابني
انطيوكس الذي سلمته غير مرة الى كثيرين منكم و اوصيتهم به عند مسيري الى
الاقاليم العليا و قد كتبت اليه في هذا المعنى.
26- فانشدكم و ارغب اليكم ان تذكروا ما
اوليتكم من النعم العامة و الخاصة و ان يبقى كل منكم على ما كان له من الولاء لي
و لابني.
27- و لي الثقة بانه سياتم بقصدي فيعاملكم
بالرفق و المروءة.
28- ثم قضى هذا السفاك الدماء المجدف بعد الام
مبرحة كما كان يفعل بالناس و مات ميتة شقاء على الجبال في ارض غربة.
29- فنقل جثته فيلبس رضيعه ثم انصرف الى مصر
الى بطلماوس فيلوماتور خوفا من ابن انطيوكس
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