Biblia Platense (Straubinger) · Catholic Public Domain Version
1 Macabeos 3
1Y le sucedió su hijo Judas, que tenía el sobrenombre de Macabeo. And his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, rose up in his place.2Le ayudaban todos sus hermanos, y todos cuantos se habían unido con su padre, y peleaban con alegría por la defensa de Israel. And all his brothers assisted him, along with all those who had joined themselves to his father. And they fought the battle of Israel with rejoicing.3Y dio Judas de nuevo lustre a la gloria de su pueblo; se revistió cual gigante la coraza, se ciñó sus armas para combatir, y protegía con su espada todo el campamento. And he expanded the glory of his people, and he clothed himself with a breastplate like a giant, and he surrounded himself his weapons of war in battles, and he protected the camp with his sword.4Parecía un león en sus acciones, y se asemejaba a un cachorro cuando ruge sobre la presa. In his actions, he became like a lion, and like a young lion roaring in the hunt.5Persiguió a los malvados, buscándolos por todas partes; y abrasó en las llamas a los que turbaban el reposo de su pueblo. And he pursued the wicked and tracked them down. And those who disturbed his people, he burned with fire.6El temor que infundía su nombre hizo desaparecer a sus enemigos, todos los malvados se llenaron de turbación; y con su brazo obró la salud. And his enemies were repelled by the fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled. And salvation was well-directed in his hand.7Preparaba gran amargura a muchos reyes; sus acciones eran la alegría de Jacob, y será eternamente bendita su memoria. And he provoked many kings, and he gave joy to Jacob by his works, and his memory will be a blessing for all generations.8Recorrió las ciudades de Judá, exterminando de ellas a los impíos y apartó el azote de sobre Israel. And he traveled through the cities of Judah, and he destroyed the impious out of them, and he turned wrath away from Israel.9Su nombradía llegó hasta el cabo del mundo, y reunió alrededor de sí a los que estaban a punto de perecer. And he was renowned, even to the utmost part of the earth, and he gathered together those who were perishing.10Apolonio, empero, juntó las naciones, y sacó de Samaria un grande y poderoso ejército para pelear contra Israel. And so Apollonius gathered together the Gentiles, with a numerous and great army from Samaria, to make war against Israel.11Informado de ello Judas, le salió al encuentro, y le derrotó, y le quitó la vida; quedando en el campo de batalla un gran número de enemigos, y echando a huir los restantes. And Judas knew about it, and he went forth to meet him. And he struck him and killed him. And many fell down wounded, and the rest fled away.12Se apoderó en seguida de sus despojos, reservándose Judas para sí la espada de Apolonio; de la cual se servía siempre en los combates. And he took away their spoils. And Judas took possession of the sword of Apollonius, and he fought with it during all his days.13En esto llegó a noticia de Serón, general del ejército de Siria, que Judas había congregado una multitud y congregación del pueblo fiel; And Seron, the leader of the army of Syria, heard that Judas had gathered together a company of the faithful and an assembly with him.14y dijo: “Yo voy a ganarme gran reputación y gloria en todo el reino, derrotando a Judas y a los que le siguen; los cuales no hacen caso de las órdenes del rey”. And he said, “I will make a name for myself, and I will be glorified in the kingdom, and I will defeat Judas in warfare, and those who are with him, who have spurned the word of the king.”15Con esto se preparó; y se le unió un considerable refuerzo de tropas de impíos, para vengarse de los hijos de Israel. And he prepared himself. And the camp of the impious went up with him, with strong auxiliaries, so as to act with vengeance upon the sons of Israel.16Y avanzaron hasta Bethorón, y Judas le salió al encuentro con pocas tropas. And they approached even as far as Bethhoron. And Judas went forth to meet him, with a few men.17Así que estas vieron al ejército que venía contra ellas, dijeron a Judas: “¿Cómo podremos nosotros pelear contra un ejército tan grande y valeroso, siendo, como somos, tan pocos, y estando debilitados por el ayuno de hoy?” But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas, “How will we few be able to fight against so great and so strong a multitude, even though we are weakened by fasting today?”18Respondió Judas: “Fácil cosa es que muchos sean presa de pocos; pues cuando el Dios del cielo quiere dar la victoria lo mismo es para Él que haya poca o que haya mucha gente; And Judas said: “It is easy for many to be enclosed in the hands of a few, for there is no difference in the sight of the God of heaven to liberate by means of many, or by means of few.19porque el triunfo en los combates no depende de la multitud de las tropas, sino del cielo, que es de donde dimana la fortaleza. For victory in warfare is not in the multitude of the army, but in the strength from heaven.20Ellos vienen contra nosotros con una turba de gente insolente y orgullosa, con el fin de aniquilarnos a nosotros, y a nuestras mujeres, y a nuestros hijos, y despojarnos; They come to us with a contemptuous multitude and with arrogance, in order to destroy us, with our wives and our sons, and to despoil us.21mas nosotros vamos a combatir por nuestras vidas y por nuestra Ley. In truth, we will fight on behalf of our souls and our laws.22El Señor mismo los hará pedazos en nuestra presencia; y así no los temáis.” And the Lord himself will crush them before our face. But as for you, do not fear them.”23Luego que acabó de pronunciar estas palabras, se arrojó de improviso sobre los enemigos, y derrotó a Serón con todo su ejército. And as soon as he had ceased speaking, he attacked them suddenly. And Seron and his army were crushed in his sight.24Y les persiguió desde la bajada de Bethorón hasta el llano y habiendo quedado ochocientos hombres tendidos en el campo de batalla, huyeron los demás al país de los filisteos. And he pursued him from the descent of Bethhoron, even to the plains. And eight hundred of their men were cut down, but the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.25Con esto Judas y sus hermanos eran el terror de todas las naciones circunvecinas; And the fear and dread of Judas, as well as his brothers, fell upon all the nations around them.26y su fama llegó hasta los oídos del rey, y en todas partes se hablaba de las batallas de Judas. And his name reached even to the king, and all the nations told stories of the battles of Judas.27Luego que el rey Antíoco recibió estas noticias, se embraveció sobremanera, y mandó que se reunieran las tropas de todo su reino, y se formase un poderosísimo ejército. But when king Antiochus heard these accounts, he was angry to his very soul. And he sent and gathered together forces from his entire kingdom, a very strong army.28Y abrió su erario, y habiendo dado a las tropas la paga de un año, les mandó que estuviesen apercibidas para todo. And he opened his treasury, and he gave out stipends to the army for a year. And he commanded them to make ready for all things.29Mas observó que se iba acabando el dinero de sus tesoros, y que sacaba pocos tributos de aquel país, por causa de las disensiones y de la miseria, que él mismo había ocasionado queriendo abolir los fueros que allí regían desde tiempos antiguos; And he saw that the money from his treasures had failed, and that the tributes of the country were small, because of the dissension and the scourging that he had caused on earth in order to take away the legitimate laws, which had been since the first days.30y temió que no podría ya gastar ni dar, como antes hacía con largueza y con una munificencia superior a la de todos los reyes sus predecesores. And he feared, lest he not have enough the second time as the first, for expenses and gifts, which he had given before with a liberal hand. For his excesses were more than the kings who had been before him.31Hallándose en gran consternación resolvió pasar a Persia, con el fin de recoger los tributos de aquellos países, y juntar gran cantidad de dinero. And he was alarmed to his very soul, and he intended to go into Persia, and to take tributes from the regions, and to gather together much money.32Dejó a Lisias, príncipe de sangre real, por lugarteniente del reino desde el Éufrates hasta el río de Egipto, And he left behind Lysias, a nobleman of royal family, to preside over the kingdom from the river Euphrates, even to the river of Egypt,33y para que tuviese cuidado de la educación de su hijo Antíoco hasta que él volviese. and to raise his son, Antiochus, until he would return.34Le dejó la mitad del ejército y los elefantes, y le comunicó órdenes sobre todo aquello que él quería que se hiciese; y también por lo respectivo a los habitantes de la Judea, y de Jerusalén. And he handed over to him half of the army, and the elephants. And he commanded him concerning all that he wanted, and concerning the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem:35mandándole que enviase contra ellos un ejército para destruir y exterminar el poder de Israel; y los restos que quedaban en Jerusalén, y borrar de aquel país hasta la memoria de ellos; so that he would send an army against them to crush and to root out the virtue of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place,36y que estableciese en toda aquella región habitantes de otras naciones, distribuyéndoles por suerte sus tierras. and so that he would establish dwelling places for the sons of foreigners in all their parts, and would distribute their land by lot.37Tomó el rey la otra mitad del ejército, y partiendo de Antioquía, capital de su reino, el año ciento cuarenta y siete, y pasado el río Éufrates, recorrió las provincias superiores. And so, the king took the remaining part of the army, and he went forth from Antioch, the city of his kingdom, in the one hundred and forty-seventh year. And he crossed over the river Euphrates, and he traveled through the upper regions.38En esto eligió Lisias a Ptolomeo, hijo de Dorimino, a Nicanor, y a Gorgias, que eran personas de gran valimiento entre los amigos del rey; Then Lysias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor and Gorgias, powerful men from among the king’s friends.39y envió con ellos cuarenta mil hombres de a pie y siete mil de a caballo, para que pasasen a asolar la tierra de Judá, según lo había dejado dispuesto el rey. And he sent them with forty thousand men, and seven thousand horsemen, to enter into the land of Judah, and to destroy it, according to the word of the king.40Avanzaron con todas sus tropas, y vinieron a acampar en la llanura de Emaús. And so, they proceeded with all their power, and they arrived and took a position near Emmaus, in the land of the plains.41Y oyendo la noticia de su llegada los mercaderes de aquellas regiones tomaron consigo gran cantidad de oro y plata; y con criados vinieron a los reales con el fin de comprar por esclavos a los hijos de Israel; y con ellos se unieron las tropas de Siria y las de otras naciones. And the merchants of the regions heard of their name. And they took very much silver, and gold, and servants, and they came into the camp to take the sons of Israel into servitude. And armies from Syria and from the lands of foreigners were added to them.42Judas, empero, y sus hermanos, viendo que se aumentaban las calamidades, y que los ejércitos se iban acercando a sus confines, y habiendo sabido la orden que había dado el rey de exterminar y acabar con el pueblo, And Judas and his brothers saw that evils were being multiplied, and that armies had been positioned near their borders. And they knew the words of the king, which ordered the people to be put to death and to be utterly consumed.43se dijeron unos a otros: “Reanimemos nuestro abatido pueblo, y peleemos en defensa de nuestra patria, y de nuestra santa religión”. And they said, each one to his neighbor, “Let us relieve the dejection of our people, and let us fight on behalf of our people and our sacred places.”44Se reunieron en un cuerpo para estar prontos a la batalla, y para hacer oración e implorar misericordia y gracia. And an assembly was gathered together, so that they would be prepared for battle, and so that they could pray and ask for mercy and compassion.45Se hallaba a esta sazón Jerusalén sin habitantes; de modo que parecía un desierto. No se veían ya entrar ni salir los naturales de ella, era hollado el Santuario, los extranjeros eran dueños del alcázar, el cual servía de habitación a los gentiles. Desterrada estaba de Jacob toda alegría; no se oía ya en ella flauta ni cítara. Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was like a desert. There was no one who entered or exited from among her children. And the sanctuary was trampled upon, and the sons of foreigners were in the stronghold. This place was the habitation of the Gentiles. And delight was taken away from Jacob, and the music of flute and harp ceased in that place.46Habiéndose reunido, se fueron a Masfá, que está enfrente de Jerusalén; por haber sido Masfá en otro tiempo el lugar de la oración para Israel. And they gathered together and came to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem. For a place of prayer was in Mizpah, in the former Israel.47Ayunaron aquel día, y se vistieron de cilicio, y se echaron ceniza sobre la cabeza, y rasgaron sus vestidos. And they fasted on that day, and they clothed themselves with haircloth, and they placed ashes on their heads, and they tore their garments.48Y abrieron los libros de la Ley, en donde los gentiles buscaban semejanzas para sus simulacros; And they laid open the books of the law, in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols.49y trajeron los ornamentos sacerdotales, y las primicias y diezmos; e hicieron venir a los nazareos que habían cumplido los días de su voto; And they brought the priestly ornaments, and the first fruits and tithes, and they roused the Nazirites, who had fulfilled their days.50y levantando su clamor hasta el cielo, dijeron: “¿Qué haremos de estos, y adonde los conduciremos? And they cried out with a loud voice toward heaven, saying: “What shall we do with these, and where shall we take them?51Tu Santuario está hollado y profanado, y cubiertos de lágrimas y de abatimiento tus sacerdotes; For your holy things have been trampled and defiled, and your priests have been in mourning and in humiliation.52y he aquí que las naciones se han coligado contra nosotros para destruirnos. Tú sabes sus designios contra nosotros. And behold, the Nations gather together against us, to destroy us. You know what they intend against us.53¿Cómo podremos sostenernos delante de ellos, si Tú, oh Dios, no nos ayudas?” How shall we be able to stand before their face, unless you, O God, assist us?”54En seguida hicieron resonar las trompetas con grande estruendo. Then they sounded the trumpets with a loud call.55Nombró después Judas los caudillos del ejército, los tribunos, los centuriones, y los cabos de cincuenta hombres, y los de diez. And after this, Judas appointed commanders over the people: over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and over tens.56Y a aquellos que estaban construyendo casa, o acababan de casarse, o de plantar viñas, como también a los que tenían poco valor, les dijo que se volviesen cada uno a su casa, conforme a lo prevenido por la Ley. And he said to those who were building houses, or who had betrothed wives, who were planting vineyards, or who were terribly afraid, that they should return, each one to his own house, according to the law.57Levantaron luego los reales, y fueron a acamparse al mediodía de Emaús. So they moved the camp, and relocated to the south of Emmaus.58Y Judas les habló de esta manera: “Tomad las armas, y tened buen ánimo; y estad prevenidos para mañana, a fin de pelear contra estas naciones, que se han unido contra nosotros para aniquilarnos, y echar por tierra nuestra santa religión; And Judas said: “Gird yourselves, and be sons of power, and be ready in the morning, so that you may fight against these nations that have assembled against us, so as to destroy us and our sacred things.59porque más nos vale morir en el combate, que ver el exterminio de nuestra nación y del Santuario. For it is better for us to die in battle, than to see evils come to our nation and to the sacred places.60Y venga lo que fuere la voluntad del cielo.” Nevertheless, as it shall be willed in heaven, so let it be.”