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1 But Simon, of whom we spoke before, and of
his country, spoke ill of Onias, as though he had
incited Heliodorus to do these things, and had been
the promoter of evils:
2 And he presumed to call him a traitor to
the kingdom, who provided for the city, and defended his nation, and wed
zealous for the law of God.
3 But when the enmities proceeded so far,
that murders also were committed by some of Simon's friends:
4 Onias considering the danger of this
contention, and that Apollonius, who was the governor of Celesyria
and Phenicia, was outrageous, which increased the
malice of Simon, went to the king,
5 Not to be an accuser of his countrymen,
but with a view to the common good of all the people.
6 For he saw that, except the king took care,
it was impossible that matters should be settled in peace, or that Simon
would cease from his folly.
7 But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus, who was called the Illustrious,
had taken possession of the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias
ambitiously sought the high priesthood:
8 And went to the king, promising him
three hundred and sixty talents of silver, and out of other revenues four-
score talents.
9 Besides this he promised also a hundred and
fifty more, if he might have license to set him up a place for exercise, and
a place for youth, and to entitle them, that were at Jerusalem, Antiochians.
10 Which when the king had granted, and he had
gotten the rule into his hands, forthwith he began to bring over his
countrymen to the fashion of the heathens.
11 And abolishing those things, which had been
decreed of special favour by the kings in behalf of
the Jews, by the means of John the father of that Eupolemus,
who went ambassador to Rome to make amity and alliance, he disannulled the
lawful ordinances of the citizens, and brought in fashions that were
perverse.
12 For he had the boldness to set up, U under
the very castle, a place of exercise, and to put all the choicest youths in
brothel houses.
13 Now this was not the beginning, but an
increase, and progress of heathenish and foreign manners, through the
abominable and unheard of wickedness of Jason, that impious wretch and no
priest.
14 Insomuch that the priests were not now
occupied about the offices of the altar, but despising the temple and
neglecting the sacrifices, hastened to be partakers of the games, and of the
unlawful allowance thereof, and of the exercise of the discus.
15 And setting nought
by the honours of their fathers, they esteemed the
Grecian glories for the best:
16 For the sake of which they incurred a
dangerous contention, and followed earnestly their ordinances, and in all
things they coveted to be like them, who were their enemies and murderers.
17 For acting wickedly against the laws of God
doth not pass unpunished: but this the time following will declare.
18 Now when the game that was used every fifth
year was kept at Tyre, the king being present,
19 The wicked Jason sent from Jerusalem
sinful men to carry three hundred didrachmas of
silver for the sacrifice of Hercules; but the bearers thereof de- sired it
might not be bestowed on the sacrifices, because it was not necessary, but
might be deputed for other charges.
20 So the money was appointed by him that
sent it to the sacrifice of Hercules: but because of them that carried it was
employed for the making of galleys.
21 Now when Apollonius the son of Mnestheus was sent into Egypt to treat with the nobles of
king Philometor, and Antiochus understood that he
was wholly excluded from the affairs of the kingdom, consulting his own
interest, he departed thence and came to Joppe, and
from thence to Jerusalem:
22 Where he was received in a, magnificent
manner by Jason, and the city, and came in with torch lights, and with
praises, end from thence he returned with his army into Phenicia.
23 Three years afterwards Jason sent Menelaus,
brother of the aforesaid Simon, to carry money to the king, and to bring answers
from him concerning certain necessary affairs.
24 But he being recommended to the king, when
he had magnified the appearance of his power, got the high priesthood for
himself, by offering more than Jason by three hundred talents of silver.
25 So having received the king's man- date,
he returned bringing nothing worthy of the high priesthood: but having the
mind of a cruel tyrant, and the rage of a savage beast.
26 Then Jason, who had undermined his own
brother, being himself undermined, was driven out a fugitive into the country
of the Ammonites
27 So Menelaus got the principality: but as
for the money he had promised to the king he took no care, when Sostratus the governor of the castle called for
28 For to him appertained the gathering of
the taxes: wherefore they were both called before the king.
29 And Menelaus was removed from the
priesthood, Lysimachus his brother succeeding: and Sostratus
was made governor of the Cyprians.
30 When these things were in doing, it fell out
that they of Tharsus and Mallos
raised a sedition, because they were given for a gift to Antiochis,
the king's concubine.
31 The king therefore went in all haste to
appease them, leaving Andronicus, one of his nobles, for his deputy.
32 Then Menelaus supposing that he had found a
convenient time, having stolen certain vessels of gold out of the temple,
gave them to Andronicus, and others he had sold at Tyre,
and in the neighbouring cities.
33 Which when Onias
understood most certainly, he reproved him, keeping him- self in a safe place
at Antioch beside Daphne.
34 Whereupon Menelaus coming to Andronicus, desired
him to kill Onias. And he went to Onias, and gave him his right hand with an oath, and
(though he were suspected by him) persuaded him to come
forth out of the sanctuary, and immediately slew him, without any regard to
justice.
35 For which cause not only the Jews, but also
the other nations, conceived indignation, and were much grieved for the
unjust murder of so great a man.
36 And when the king was come back from the
places of Cilicia, the Jews that were at Antioch, and also the Creaks went to
him: complaining of the unjust murder of Onias.
37 Antiochus therefore was grieved in his mind for Onias, and being moved to pity, shed tears, remembering
the sobriety and modesty of the deceased.
38 And being inflamed to anger, he
commanded Andronicus to be stripped of his purple, and to be led about
through all the city: and that in the same place wherein he had committed the
impiety against Onias, the sacrilegious wretch
should be put to death, the Lord repaying him his deserved punishment.
39 Now when many sacrileges had been committed
by Lysimachus in the temple by the counsel of Menelaus, and the rumour of it was spread abroad, the multitude gathered
themselves together against Lysimachus, a great quantity of gold being
already carried away.
40 Wherefore the multitude making an
insurrection, and their minds being filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about
three thousand men, and began to use violence, one Tyrannus
being captain, a man far gone both in age, and in madness.
41 But when they perceived the attempt of
Lysimachus, some caught up stones, some strong clubs: and some threw ashes
upon Lysimachus,
42 And many of them were wounded, and some
struck down to the ground, but all were put to flight: and as for the
sacrilegious fellow himself, they slew him beside the treasury.
43 Now concerning these matters, an accusation
was laid against Menelaus.
44 And when the king was come to Tyre, three men were sent from the ancients to plead the
cause before him.
45 But Menelaus being convicted, promised Ptolemee to give him much money to persuade the king to favour him.
46 So Ptolemee went
to the king in a certain court where he was, as it were to cool himself, and
brought him to be of another mind:
47 So Menelaus who was guilty of all the
evil, was acquitted by him of the accusations: and those poor men, who, if
they had pleaded their cause even before Scythians, should have been judged
innocent, were condemned to death.
48 Thus they that prosecuted the cause for the city, and for the people, and the sacred
vessels, did soon suffer unjust punishment.
49 Wherefore even the Tyrians
being moved with indignation, were liberal towards their burial.
50 And so through the covetousness of them
that were in power, Menelaus continued in authority, increasing in malice to
the betraying of the citizens.
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1- و كان سمعان المذكور الذي وشى
في امر الاموال و الوطن يقذف اونيا كانه هو اغرى هليودورس بذلك و جلب عليه ذلك
الشر.
2- و بلغ من وقاحته انه وصف
المحسن الى المدينة و القائم بمصلحة اهل وطنه و الغيور على الشريعة بانه صاحب
دسيسة.
3- فاشتدت العداوة حتى ان احد
خواص سمعان شرع في القتل.
4- فلما تبين اونيا ما في ذلك
الخصام من الخطر مع حماقة ابلونيوس قائد بقاع سورية و فينيقية الذي كان يمد
سمعان في خبثه قصد الملك.
5- لا واشيا باهل وطنه و لكن
ابتغاء لمصالح تعم الشعب برمته.
6- لانه راى انه بغير عناية
الملك لا يمكن ان تكون الاحوال في سلام و لا ان يقلع سمعان عن رعونته.
7- و كان انه بعد وفاة سلوقس و استيلاء انطيوكس الملقب بالشهير على الملك
طمع ياسون اخو اونيا في الكهنوت الاعظم.
8- فوفد على الملك و وعده بثلاث مئة و ستين قنطار فضة و بثمانين قنطارا
من دخل اخر.
9- و ما عدا ذلك ضمن له مئة و خمسين قنطارا غيرها ان رخص له بسلطة الملك
في اقامة مدرسة للتروض و موضع للغلمان و ان يكتتب اهل اورشليم في رعوية انطاكية.
10- فاجابه الملك الى ذلك فتقلد الرئاسة و ما
لبث ان صرف شعبه الى عادات الامم.
11- و الغى الاختصاصات التي انعم
بها الملوك على اليهود على يد يوحنا ابي اوبولمس الذي قلد السفارة الى
الرومانيين في عقد الموالاة و المناصرة و ابطل رسوم الشريعة و ادخل سننا تخالف
الشريعة.
12- و بادر فاقام مدرسة
للتروض تحت القلعة و ساق نخبة الغلمان فجعلهم تحت القبعة.
13- فتمكن الميل الى عادات
اليونان و التخلق باخلاق الاجانب بشدة فجور ياسون الذي هو كافر لا كاهن اعظم.
14- حتى ان الكهنة لم يعودوا
يحرصون على خدمة المذبح و استهانوا بالهيكل و اهملوا الذبائح لينالوا حظا في
جوائز الملعب المحرمة بعد المباراة في رمي المطاث.
15- و كانوا يستخفون بماثر ابائهم و يتنافسون
بمفاخر اليونان.
16- فلذلك احاقت بهم رزيئة شديدة
فان الذين اولعوا برسومهم و حرصوا على التشبه بهم هم صاروا اعداء لهم و منتقمين.
17- لان النفاق في الشريعة
الالهية لا يذهب سدى كما يشهد بذلك ما سيجيء.
18- و لما جرت في صور المصارعة
التي تجري كل سنة خامسة و الملك حاضر.
19- انفذ ياسون الخبيث رسلا من
اورشليم انطاكيي الرعوية و معهم ثلاث مئة درهم فضة لذبيحة هركليس لكن هؤلاء
طلبوا ان لا تنفق على الذبيحة لان ذلك كان غير لائق بل تنفق في شيء اخر.
20- فكان هذا المال في قصد مرسله
لذبيحة هركليس لكنه بسعي الذين حملوه انفق في بناء سفن ثلاثية.
21- و ارسل ابولنيوس بن منستاوس
الى مصر لمبايعة بطلماوس فيلوماتور الملك فعلم انطيوكس انه قد نحي عن تدبير
الامور فوجه اهتمامه الى تحصين نفسه و رجع الى يافا ثم سار الى اورشليم.
22- فاستقبله ياسون و اهل المدينة استقبالا
جليلا و دخل بين المشاعل و الهتاف ثم انصرف من هناك بالجيش الى فينيقية.
23- و بعد مدة ثلاث سنين وجه
ياسون منلاوس اخا سمعان المذكور ليحمل اموالا للملك و يفاوضه في امور مهمة.
24- فتزلف الى الملك و اطرا عظمة
سلطانه و احال الكهنوت الاعظم الى نفسه بان زاد ثلاث مئة قنطار فضة على ما اعطى
ياسون.
25- ثم رجع و معه اوامر الملك و
لم يكن على شيء مما يليق بالكهنوت الاعظم و انما كانت له اخلاق غاشم عنيف و
احقاد وحش ضار.
26- و هكذا فان ياسون الذي ختل
اخاه ختله اخر فطرد و فر الى ارض بني عمون.
27- و استولى منلاوس على الرئاسة الا انه لم
يوف شيئا من الاموال التي كان وعد بها الملك.
28- فكان سستراتس رئيس القلعة يطالبه لانه كان
مولي امر الجباية و لهذا السبب استدعيا كلاهما الى الملك.
29- فاستخلف منلاوس ليسيماكس اخاه على الكهنوت
الاعظم و استخلف سستراتس كراتيس والي القبرسيين.
30- و حدث بعد ذلك ان اهل طرسوس
و ملو تمردوا لانهم جعلوا هبة لانطيوكيس سرية الملك.
31- فبادر الملك لاطفاء الفتنة و استخلف مكانه
اندرونكس احد ذوي المناصب.
32- فراى منلاوس انه قد اصاب
فرصة فسرق من الهيكل انية من الذهب اهدى بعضها الى اندرونكس و باع بعضها في صور
و المدن التي بجوارها.
33- و لما تيقن اونيا ذلك حجه به و كان قد
انصرف الى حمى بدفنة بالقرب من انطاكية.
34- فخلا منلاوس باندرونكس و
اغراه ان يقبض على اونيا فصار الى اونيا و خدعه بمكره و عاقده بقسم حتى حمله على
الخروج من الحمى و ان كان غير واثق به ثم اغتاله من ساعته و لم يرع للعدل حرمة.
35- فوقع ذلك موقع المقت عند اليهود بل عند
كثير من سائر الامم و شق عليهم قتل الرجل بغيا.
36- فلما رجع الملك من نواحي
قيلقية رفع اليه يهود المدينة مع ساءته هذه الجناية من اليونانيين مقتل اونيا
عدوانا.
37- فتاسف انطيوكس و رق رحمة و
بكى على حكمة ذلك المفقود و كثرة ادبه.
38- و اضطرم غضبا و لساعته نزع الارجوان عن
اندرونكس و مزق حلله و اطافه في المدينة كلها ثم اباد ذلك القاتل في الموضع الذي
فتك فيه باونيا فانزل به الرب العقوبة التي استحقها.
39- و كان ليسيماكس في المدينة قد سلب باغراء
منلاوس كثيرا من مال الاقداس فذاع الخبر في الخارج بان قد اخذ كثير من الذهب
فاجتمع الجمهور على ليسيماكس.
40- فلما راى ليسيماكس هيجان
الجموع و شدة غضبهم سلح ثلاثة الاف رجل و اعمل ايدي الظلم تحت قيادة رجل عات قد
تناهى في السن و الحماقة جميعا.
41- فلما راوا ما عزم عليه ليسيماكس تناول
بعضهم حجارة و بعضهم هراوى و بعضهم رمادا حثوه من كل جانب على اصحاب ليسيماكس.
42- فجرحوا كثيرين منهم و صرعوا
بعضا و هزموهم باجمعهم و قتلوا سالب الاقداس عند الخزانة.
43- و اقيم الحكم في هذه الامور
على منلاوس.
44- فلما قدم الملك الى صور
ارسلت المشيخة ثلاثة رجال فرفعوا عليه الدعوى.
45- و اذ راى منلاوس انه مغلوب
وعد بطلماوس بن دوريمانس بمال جزيل ليستميل الملك.
46- فدخل بطلماوس على الملك و هو
في بعض الاروقة يتنسم الهواء و صرفه عن رايه.
47- فحكم لمنلاوس الذي هو علة
الشر كله بالبراءة مما شكى به و قضى بالموت على اولئك المساكين الذين لو رفعوا
دعواهم الى الاسكوتيين لحكم لهم بالبراءة.
48- و لم يلبث اولئك المحاجون عن المدينة و
الشعب و الاقداس ان حل بهم العقاب الجائر.
49- فشق هذا التعدى حتى على
الصوريين و بذلوا نفقات دفنهم بسخاء.
50- و استقر منلاوس في الرئاسة
بشره ذوي الاحكام و كان لا يزداد الا خبثا و لم يزل لاهل وطنه كمينا مهلكا
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