2 Maccabees 2 — WBMSE
2Verse 1Forsooth it is found in (the) writings [or (the) describings] of Jeremy (or Jere-miah), the prophet, that he commanded them that passed over (or who were carried away), for to take (of the) fire, as it is signified, and as he bade to men passing over, or (taken) captive.Verse 2And he gave to them the law, lest they forgot the behests of the Lord; and that they should not err in (their) souls, [or understandings], seeing gold-en and silvern simulacra, and (the) ornaments or adornments of them.Verse 3And he said other such things, and admonished, that they should not remove the law from their hearts.Verse 4Soothly it was in that writing, how the prophet bade, by God’s answer made to him, that the tabernacle and the ark follow with them (or with him), till he went out into the hill in which Moses ascended, and saw the heritage of God.Verse 5And Jeremy came, and found there a place of [a] den (or a cave), and brought in thither the tabernacle, and the ark, and (the) altar of incense, and stopped the door.Verse 6And some men came together that followed, for to mark the place to (or for) them, and [they] might not find (it).Verse 7Forsooth as Jeremy knew, he blamed them, and said, that the place shall be unknown, till God gather the congregation [together] of people, and be made helpful, or merciful.Verse 8And then the Lord shall show these things, and the majesty of the Lord shall appear; and a cloud shall be, as to Moses it was showed, and as when Solomon asked, that the place should be hallowed to the great God, this cloud showed;Verse 9and as having wisdom, he offered (the) sacrifice of (the) hallowing, and of (the) performing (or the completion) of the temple.Verse 10As and Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven, and wasted the burnt sacrifice(s); as and Solomon prayed, and fire came down from heaven, and wasted the burnt sacrifice[s].Verse 11And Moses said, For that it is not cleansed, that was for sin, and (so) it was wasted.Verse 12Also and Solomon in eight days made solemn the hallowing (or celebrated the feast).Verse 13Forsooth and these same things were put in descriptions, and expo-sitions, [or the almeries, (or aumbries)] of Nehemiah; and as he made a little bible (or a library), and gathered books of countries, and of prophets, and of David, and epistles of kings, and gifts.Verse 14Also soothly and Judas gathered all those things which he learned by battle, that befell to us, and they be with us.Verse 15Therefore if ye desire these, send ye (someone) which shall bear (them) to you.Verse 16Therefore we doing purifying, have written to you; therefore ye shall do well, if ye shall do these days.Verse 17Forsooth it is God that delivered his people, and yielded his heritage to all, and realm, and priesthood, and (the) hallowing (or the Temple),Verse 18as he promised in the law, we hope that soon he shall have mercy on us, and shall gather (us together) from under heaven into the holy place; for he delivered us from great perils, and purged the place.Verse 19Soothly of Judas Maccabeus, and his brethren, and of (the) purifying of the great temple, and of (the) hallow-ing of the altar;Verse 20but and of the battles, that pertain to Antiochus the noble, (or Antiochus Epiphanes), and his son Eupator;Verse 21and of lightnings that were made from heaven, to them that strongly did for (the) Jews, so that, when they were few, they avenged all the country, and drove (out) an heathen multitude,Verse 22and recovered the most famous temple in all the world; and delivered the city, (so) that the laws that were done away were restored; for the Lord was made helpful to them, with all peaceability.Verse 23And also we attempted or assayed for to abridge in one book, (all the) things comprehended of (or by) Jason of Cyrene in five books.Verse 24Forsooth we beheld the multitude and (the) hardness (or the difficulty) of books, to men willing (or desiring) for to begin the tellings of stories, for (the) multitude of things;Verse 25and soothly we had busyness, (or concern), [or we cared], that it were delectation, or liking, of soul to men willing (or desiring) for to read; forsooth to studious men, that they might lightlier (or easier) betake to mind; forsooth that to all men reading profit be given.Verse 26And soothly we took to us-selves [or ourselves] that received this work, by cause (or because) of abridging, not (an) easy travail, but soothly a work full of wakings (or watching) and [of] sweat.Verse 27As these that make ready a feast, and seek for to please to the will of other men, for (the) grace of many men, we suffer willfully travail (or willingly we suffer this travail);Verse 28forsooth we grant the truth of all authors, but we us-self [or we our-selves] study to shortness, by the form given.Verse 29Forsooth as it is to the chief carpenter [or the wright] of a new house, to be busy of [or to care (for)] all the building; to him soothly that busyeth for to paint, those things be to be sought out, that be covenable to (or suitable for) adorning; so it is to be guessed also in (or with) us.Verse 30Forsooth for to gather understand-ing, and ordain a word, and full busily for to inquire all parts of the story, each by themselves, accordeth to an author;Verse 31forsooth for to pursue (or to follow) shortness of saying, and for to eschew out pursuings of things, is to be granted to the abridger.Verse 32Therefore from henceforth we shall begin the telling; be it enough for to have said so much of prefaction (or of prefacing), or before speaking; for it is folly for to float out, either be long, before the story, but in that story for to be made short.