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| [1]Nowe when Nicanor knew that Iudas and his company were in the countrey of Samaria, he thought with al his power to strike a fielde with him vpon a Sabbath day. |
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| [2]Neuerthelesse the Iewes that were compelled to go with him, saide: O do not so cruelly and vnkindly, but halowe the Sabbath day, and worshippe him that seeth all thinges: |
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| [3][For all this,] yet saide the vngratious person, Is there a mightie one in heauen that commaunded the Sabbath day to be kept? |
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| [4]And when they saide: yea the lyuing God, the mightie Lord in heauen commaunded the seuenth day to be kept, |
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| [5]He saide: And I am mightie vpon earth, to commaunde them for to arme them selues, & to perfourme the kinges busynesse. Notwithstanding, he might not haue his purpose. |
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| [6]Nicanor had deuised with great pride to ouercome Iudas, and to bring away the victory: |
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| [7]But Machabeus had euer a fast confidence and a perfect hope in God, that he would helpe him: |
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| [8]And exhorted his people not to be afrayde at the comming of the heathen: but alway to remember the helpe that had ben shewed vnto them from heauen, yea and to be sure now also that almightie God would geue them the victorie. |
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| [9]He spake vnto them out of the lawe and prophetes, putting them in remembraunce of the battailes that they had striken afore, and made them to be of good courage. |
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| [10]So when their heartes were pluckt vp, he shewed them also the deceitefulnesse of the heathen, and how they woulde kepe no couenaunt nor oth. |
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| [11]Thus he weaponed them not with the armour of shielde and speare, but with wholsome wordes and exhortations: he shewed them a dreame also, wherethrough he made them all glad, |
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| [12]Which was this: He thought that he saw Onias, which had ben hie priest, a vertuous and louing man, sad and of honest conuersation, well spoken, and one that had ben exercised in godlines from a childe, holding vp his handes toward heauen, and praying for his people. |
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| [13]After this, there appeared vnto him another man, which was aged, honorable, and glorious. |
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| [14]And Onias saide: This is a louer of the brethren, and of the people of Israel: this is he that prayeth much for the people and for all the holy citie, Ieremie the prophete of God. |
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| [15]He thought also that Ieremie helde out his right hande, and gaue vnto Iudas a sword of golde, saying: |
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| [16]Take this holy sworde, a gift from God, wherwith thou shalt smite downe the enemies of the people of Israel. |
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| [17]And so they were well comforted through the wordes of Iudas, whiche were very sweete and able to stirre vp their courage: and toke courage vnto them, so that the young men were determined in their mindes to fight, and to abide stifly at it: insomuch that in the thinges which they toke in hande their boldnesse shewed the same, because the holy citie, the sanctuary, and the temple were in perill, |
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| [18]For the which they toke more care, then for their wyues, children, brethren, and kinsfolkes. |
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| [19]Againe, they that were in the citie, were most carefull for those which were to fight. |
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| [20]Now, when they were all in a hope that the iudgement of the matter was at hande, and the enemies drue nye, the hoast being set in aray, the Elephantes and horsemen euery one standing in his place: |
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| [21]Machabeus considering the coming of the multitude, the ordinaunce of diuers weapons, the cruelnes of the beastes, helde vp his handes towarde heauen, calling vpon the Lorde that doth wonders, which geueth not the victory after the multitude of weapons and power of the hoaste, but to them that please him, according to his owne wyll. |
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| [22]Therefore in his prayer he saide these wordes, O Lorde, thou that diddest send thyne angell in the time of Ezekiah king of Iuda, and in the hoast of Sennacherib sluest an hundred fourscore and fiue thousand: |
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| [23]Send now also thy good angel before vs O Lorde of heauens, in the fearefulnesse and dreade of thy mightie arme, |
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| [24]That they which come against thy holy people to blaspheme them, may be afrayd. And so he made an ende of his wordes. |
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| [25]Then Nicanor & they that were with him, drue nye with trumpettes & showtinges for ioy: |
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| [26]But Iudas and his company, with prayer and calling vpon God, encountred with the enemies. |
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| [27]With their handes they smote, but with their heartes they prayed vnto the Lorde, and slue no lesse then thirtie and fiue thousand men: For through the present helpe of God, they were gloriously comforted. |
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| [28]Now when they left of, and were turning againe with ioy, they vnderstoode that Nicanor him selfe was slaine with the other, for all his armour. |
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| [29]Then they gaue a great shout and a crye, praysing the almightie Lorde in their owne language. |
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| [30]And Iudas which was euer redie to spend his body and lyfe for his citezins, comaunded to smite of Nicanors head, with his arme and hande, and to be brought to Hierusalem. |
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| [31]When he came there, he called all the people & the priestes to the aulter, with those that were in the castle, |
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| [32]And shewed them Nicanors head, and his wicked hande which he had presumptuously holden vp against the temple of God. |
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| [33]He caused the tongue also of that vngodly Nicanor to be cut in litle peeces, and to be cast to the foules, and that cruel mans hande to be hanged vp before the temple. |
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| [34]So euery man gaue thankes vnto the Lorde, saying: Blessed be he that hath kept his place vndefiled. |
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| [35]As for Nicanors head he hanged it vp vpon the hie castle for an euident and playne token of the helpe of God. |
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| [36]And so they agreed al together to kepe that day holy, [namely] the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar, |
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| [37]Which in the Syrians language is called the next day before Mardocheus day. |
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| [38]Thus was Nicanor slaine, and from that time foorth the Iewes had the citie in possession: and here wyll I nowe make an ende. |
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| [39]If I haue done well and as the storie required, it is the thing that I desired: but if I haue spoken sclenderly & barely, I haue done that I coulde. |
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| [40]For as it is hurtfull to drinke wine alone, and then againe water, & as wine tempred with water is pleasaunt & deliteth the taste: so the setting out of the matter delighteth the eare of them that reade the story: And here shalbe the ende. |
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