The Lord Punishes Antiochus
(1 Maccabees 6.1-72 Maccabees 1.11-17)1 About this time Antiochus was retreating in disorder from Persia, 2 where he had entered the city of Persepolis and had attempted to rob a temple and take control of the city. The people took up arms and attacked Antiochus, forcing his army to retreat in disgrace. 3 When he reached Ecbatana, he was told what had happened to the forces of Nicanor and Timothy. 4 He became furious and decided to make the Jews pay for the defeat he had suffered. So he ordered his chariot driver not to stop until they reached Jerusalem. With great arrogance he said, “I will turn Jerusalem into a graveyard full of Jews.”
But he did not know that he was heading straight for God's judgment. 5 In fact, as soon as he had said these words, the all-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him down with an invisible but fatal blow. He was seized with sharp intestinal pains for which there was no relief— 6 a fitting punishment for the man who had tortured others in so many terrible ways! 7 But this in no way caused him to give up his pride. Instead he became more arrogant than ever, and breathing out fiery threats against the Jews, he gave orders to drive even faster. As a result he fell out of his chariot with such a thud that it made every bone in his body ache. 8 His arrogant pride made him think he had the superhuman strength to make ocean waves obey him and to weigh high mountains on a pair of scales. But suddenly he fell flat on the ground and had to be carried off on a stretcher, a clear sign to everyone of God's power. 9 Even the eyes of this godless man were crawling with worms and he lived in terrible pain and agony. The stink was so bad that his entire army was sickened, 10 and no one was able to come close enough to carry him around. Yet only a short while before, he thought he could take hold of the stars.
Antiochus Makes a Promise to God
(1 Maccabees 6.8-17)11 Antiochus was deeply depressed and suffered constant pain because of the punishment that God had brought on him, so he finally came to his senses and gave up his arrogant pride. 12 Then, when he could no longer endure his own stink, he said, “It is right that all mortals should be subject to God and not think that they are his equal.” 13 The time of the Lord's mercy had come to an end for Antiochus, but this worthless man made the Lord a promise: 14 “I once intended to level Jerusalem to the ground and make that holy city a graveyard full of Jews,” he said, “but now I declare it a free city. 15 I had planned to throw out the dead bodies of the Jews and their children for the wild animals and the birds to eat, for I did not consider them worth burying. But now I intend to grant them the same privileges as the citizens of Athens enjoy. 16 I once looted the Temple and took its sacred utensils, but I will fill it with splendid gifts and with better utensils than before, and I will pay the cost of the sacrifices from my own resources. 17 Besides all this, I will become a Jew myself and go wherever people live, telling them of God's power.”
Antiochus' Letter to the Jews
18 Antiochus was in despair and could find no relief from his pain, because God was punishing him as he deserved, so he wrote the following letter to the Jews:
19 “King Antiochus to the Jews, my most distinguished subjects. Warm greetings and best wishes for your health and prosperity.
20 “I hope that you and your families are in good health and that all goes well with you. My hope is in God, 21 and I remember with a deep sense of joy the respect and kindness that you have shown me.
“On my way home from Persia I fell violently ill, and so I thought it best to begin making plans for the general welfare of the people. 22 I have not given up hopes of getting well; in fact I am fully confident that I will recover. 23 But I recall that my father used to appoint a successor whenever he went on a military campaign east of the Euphrates. 24 He did this so that if something unexpected happened, or if some bad news came back, then his subjects would not be afraid, for they knew who had been left in command. 25 Also, I know how the rulers along the frontiers of my kingdom are constantly on the lookout for any opportunity that may come along. That is why I have appointed my son Antiochus to succeed me as king. I have frequently entrusted him to your care and recommended him to you when I went on my regular visits to the provinces east of the Euphrates. (He is receiving a copy of the letter which follows.) 26 Now I strongly urge each of you to keep in mind the good things that I have done for you, both individually and as a nation, and to continue in your good will toward me and my son. 27 I am confident that he will treat you with fairness and kindness, just as I have always done.”
28 And so, this murderer, who had cursed God, suffered the same terrible agonies he had brought on others, and then died a miserable death in the mountains of a foreign land. 29 One of his close friends, Philip, took his body home; but, because he was afraid of Antiochus' son, he went on to King Ptolemy Philometor of Egypt.
ǃKhūb ge Antioxuba ra ǁkhara
(1 Makabergu 6:1-72 Makabergu 1:11-17)1 ǁNā ǁaeb ǃnâb ge Antioxuba Persiaba xu ge ǁnā-oa 2 tsî Persepolis ǃnâ sī ǂgâ tsî Tempela ǁkhâuǁnâs tsî ǃāsa ǁîb ǀgaib ǃnaka ūsa ge dītsâ. Khoen ge ǁâtanin âna ū tsî Antioxuba ge ǁnāǂam tsî ǁîb di toroǂnubisa taotaosasib ǃnâs nî ǁnā-oa ǃkhaisa ge ǁgari. 3 Ekbatanas ǃnâb ge sī, ob ge taren ge Nikanori tsî Timoteub hâkha di toroǃkhamaogu ǀkha ī ǃkhaisa ge mîbahe. 4 ǁÎb ge ǁaixa tsî Jodeǁîn ge ǁîb ǃoagu hō dansab nî ǀkhao ǃkhaisa ge mîǁgui. ǁNā-amagab ge ǁîb di hākuniǃnari-aoba Jerusalems tawa kha sī tama hîab mâ tide ǃkhaisa ge mîmā. Kai ǀgapiǂâixasib ǀkhab ge “Tita ge Jerusalemsa, Jodeǁîn di ǁkhōǃkhaib ǃnâ nî dabaǃkhuni” ti ge mî.
Xaweb ge Elob di ǁkharab ǃoab ra ǀgū ǃkhaisa ge ǀū i. 5 Nē mîdeb ra mî ǃkhais ǃaromab ge hoana a mû ǁkhā ǃKhūb, Israelǁaes di Eloba ǂuruǂuruhe ǁoa tsî ǀūhe ǀaeba ge mā bi. ǃHoaǀûb ra hîab ge ǂuruǂuruhe ǁoase ǃnāb ǃnâ ge tsû. 6 Nē ǁkharab ge ǁnāti ī khoeb, hîa ge nauna ǂgui ǀgaugu ai tsûtsûb ǃaroma a ǂhanu. 7 Xaweb ge ǁîba ǁîb di ǁēsiba ge ǀû tama hâ i. ǁÎb ge ǃaruǀîǀgui ge ǀgapiǂâixa tsî Jodeǁîna gere ǁēba tsî ǃhaesen nî ǁgariǂuihe ǃkhaisa ge mîmā. Xawe ǃgariseb hākunis âb ǀkha ǃnarigaru hîa torokunisa xu ǁnā tsî uniǁaedi ǃnâ ge tsû. 8 ǁÎb ge ǁîb di ǀgapiǂâixasib ǀkha ǁîb di ǀgaisakhoesi ǀgaib ǀkhab nî hurib di ǃgabiga ǁîba ǁnâuǀnam kai tsî ǀgapi ǃhomga ǀnō-ūdas ai ǀnō ti ge ǂâi hâ i. Xaweb ge ǀāses timîsi ǃhūb ai ǁnā tsî tani-ūxūb ǀkha ge tanibēhe. Nēs ge Elob di ǁkhāsib di ǃgāsa ǁgauǁgausa. 9 Nē eloxoresa khoeb di sorosa xun ge ǂunina gere ǂoaxa tsîb ge kai tsûb tsî tsâb ǃnâ ge ûi hâ i. Nē hammi ge kaise ge ǁgaora i tsî gu ge hoaraga toroǃkhamaoga ge ǀaesen 10 tsî i ge ǀgui-i tsîna ǁîba nî ūkhâise ge ǀgū ǁoa i. ǂKhari ǁaero-e nēn hoan aiǃâb ge ǀgamirodeb nî ǃkhō ti ge ǂâi hâ i.
Antioxub ge Eloba ra mîmâiba
(1 Makabergu 6:8-17)11 Antioxub ge Elob di ǁkharab ge ǁîb ai hā xui-ao ǃgamse ge ǃoa hâ i tsî kai tsûba gere tsâ. Egab ge ǂâiǃgâ tsî ǁîb di ǀgapiǂâixasiba ge ǀû. 12 ǁÎb di ǀō hammab ge aitsama ǁkhā ǁoa, ob ge ge mî: “ǃGâi i ge a hoa khoen di ôan nî Elob ǃnaka mâisen ǃkhaisa tsîn ǁîb ǀkhan nî ǀguitikō ti ǂâi tidesa.” 13 Elob di ǀkhommi ge Antioxub ǃaroma ge ǀam, xaweb ge nē ama tama khoeba Eloba ge mîmâiba: 14 “Tita ge Jerusalemsa ǃhūb kōse khôaǂkhū tsî nē ǃanu ǃāsa Jodeǁîn di ǁkhōǃkhaise nî dī ti ge ǂâi hâ i, xawe ta ge nēsi ǃnorasa ǃās ase ra ǂgaiǂui si. 15 Tita ge ǁō hâ sorodi Jodeǁîn tsî ǁîn ôan dide ta ǁîde ta nî ǁkhōs ǃās ǃnâ ǀgurun tsî xamarin tsî ǀhomanin tsîn xa nî ǂûhese nî aoǂui ti ge ǂâi. Xawe ta ge nēsi ǁîna Atenes di ǁanǂgāsaben ǀkha ǁkhā aiǂhanuga ra mā ǂgao. 16 Tita ge Tempela ǁkhâuǁnâ tsî ǁîb di ǃanu xapana ge ū, xawe ta ge ǁîba ǃgomǀgausa ǀkhaexūn tsî aiǃâkamn xa ǃnāsase ǃgâi xapan ǀkha nî ǀoaǀoa, tsî ǁguibade ti ǂhunuma hōǂgāde xu nî matare. 17 Nēn hoan xōǀkhā ta ge tita tsîna nî Jodeǁî kai tsî khoen ǁan hâ ǃkhain hoan ai ǃgûma tsî Elob di ǁkhāsib xa ǁîna nî ǃhoaba.”
Antioxub di sîǂkhanis Jodeǁîn ǃoa
18 Antioxub ge Elob ge ǁîba anu hâ khami ǁkhara tsî gu tsûga toa tama ǃkhais xa ǃan tsî sao ra sîǂkhanisa Jodeǁîn ǃoa ge xoa:
19 “Ti ama-ai Jodeǁîna ta ge tita ǁîn di gao-ao tsî ǂgaeǂgui-aota, Antioxuta kai tawedesa mā tsî ǂurusib tsî ǃgâiǃgâb ǀguiba ǁîna ra ǁkhoreba.
20 “Tita ra ǃâubasens ge sadu tsî sadu omaridi ǃgâi ǂurusib ǃnâ hâ tsîn hoa xūna ǃgâise ra ǃgû ǃkhaisa. Ti ǃâubasens ge Elob ǃnâ hâ, 21 tsî ta ge sadu xa ta ge ǁgauhe ǃgôasib tsî khoexaǃnâsib tsîna ǃgâiaǂgaob ǀkha ra ǂâihō.
“Persiaba xu ta ge ǁaru-oa, o ta ge kaise ge ǀaesen tsî ta ge hoaǃnā-aixa mâsib ti khoen dib ǃoa ta nî kōtsoatsoa ǃkhaisa ge ǀape. 22 Ti ǂurusib xa ta îganǀgē tama hâ tsî ta ge ǀoasase ta nî ǂuru ǃkhaisa ra ǂgomǃgâ. 23 Xawe ta ge ti îb ge ǀapas ǀkharigu ǃnâ, ǃgûb gere ǃkhai-i hoa-i ai saoǃgon-ao-e ǁgaumâi ǃkhaisa ra ǂâihō. 24 ǁÎb ge xū-i ga ǀūǂamse ī tamas ka io ǁgai ǂhôa-i ga hā, on khoena ǃao tide tsî tari-i ǂgaeǂguis ǃnakan hâ ǃkhaisa nî ǂanga ge dī. 25 ǁKhāti ta ge ti gaosib di ǃhūǀgoradi tawa hâ ǂgaeǂgui-aogu ge īǁkhāsiba ǃâu hâ i xui-ao Antioxuba gao-aose ge ǁgaumâi. ǁÎba ta ge ǀnai ǀapas ǀkharigu ǃnâ ta gere ǃgûma, o ǃnāsan sadu din ai ge ǂgomǃgâ. ǁÎb ge xoaǁnâb nē sîǂkhanis diba nî ǃkhōǃoa. 26 Tita ge hōhōǃnâ tsî ra ǀkhoma du, î du tita ge ǀgui khoe-i kas, ǁaes kas hoasa dība ǃgâi xūna ǂâis ǃnâ ūhâ tsî tita tsî ti ôab hâkhom ǃoagu ǃgâiǂâixa. 27 Tita ge ǁîb nî ǂhanu-aisib tsî khoexaǃnâsib ǀkha, tita gere sado ǂgaeǂguis ǁkhās khami ǂgaeǂgui du ǃkhaisa ra ǂgomǃgâ.”
28 ǁNātib ge nē ǃgamaob, hîa gere Eloba ǃkhāǃkhāba, ǁkhā tsûb nau khoen aib ge hā-ūba ge tsâ tsî ǀkhomǀkhomsase ǃhao ǃhūb di ǃhomgu ǃnâ ǃoaxa ǁōba ge ǁō. 29 ǁÎb di ǀgūǀhōsagu di ǀguib, Filipub ge ǁîb sorosa oms ǁga ge ū, xaweb ge Antioxub ôabab gere ǃao xui-ao, Egipteb gao-aob Ptolemib Filometori ǃoa ge ǃgû.
