1 And it is found in the descriptions of Jeremie the Prophet, that he commanded them that went in transmigration, to take the fire, as it was signified, and as he commanded them that were carried away in transmigration.
1 Now it is found in the descriptions of Jeremias, the prophet, that he commanded them that went into captivity, to take the fire, as it hath been signified, and how he gave charge to them that were carried away into captivity.
2 And he gave them a law that they should not forget the precepts of our Lord, and that they should not err in their minds, seeing the idols of gold, & silver, & the ornaments of them.
2 And how he gave them the law, that they should not forget the commandments of the Lord, and that they should not err in their minds, seeing the idols of gold, and silver, and the ornaments of them.
3 And saying other like things, he exhorted them that they would not remove the law from their heart.
3 And with other such like speeches, he exhorted them that they would not remove the law from their heart.
4 And it was in the same writing, how the Prophet commanded by the divine answer made to him, that the tabernacle, and the ark should follow in company with him, till he came forth into the mount in which Moyses ascended, and saw the inheritance of God.
4 It was also contained in the same writing, how the prophet, being warned by God, commanded that the tabernacle and the ark should accompany him, till he came forth to the mountain ¹where Moses went up, and saw the inheritance of God.
5 And Jeremie coming thither found a place of a cave: and he brought the tabernacle, and the ark, & the altar of incense in thither and stopped the door.
5 And when Jeremias came thither he found a hollow cave: and he carried in thither the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door.
6 And there came certain withal, that followed, to mark the place for themselves: and they could not find it.
6 Then some of them that followed him, came up to mark the place: but they could not find it.
7 And as Jeremy understood it, blaming them he said: that the place shall be unknown, till God gather together the congregation of the people, and become propitious:
7 And when Jeremias perceived it, he blamed them, saying: The place shall be unknown, till God gather together the congregation of the people, and receive them to mercy.
8 and then our Lord will shew these things, and the majesty of our Lord shall appear, and there shall be a cloud as it was also made manifest to Moyses, and as when Salomon prayed that the place might be sanctified to the great God, he did manifest these things.
8 And then the Lord will show these things, and the majesty of the Lord shall appear, and there shall be a cloud as it was also showed to Moses, ²and he showed it when Solomon prayed that the place might be sanctified to the great God.
9 For he handled wisdom magnifically: as having wisdom, did he offer the sacrifice of the dedication, and of the consummation of the temple.
9 For he treated wisdom in a magnificent manner: and like a wise man, he offered the sacrifice of the dedication, and of the finishing of the temple.
10 As Moyses also prayed to our Lord, and as Salomon prayed, and fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocaust.
10 ³And as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocaust: ⁴so Solomon also prayed, and fire came down from heaven and consumed the holocaust.
11 And Moyses said: Because that which was for sin, was not eaten, it was consumed.
11 And Moses said: ⁵Because the sin offering was not eaten, it was consumed.
12 In like manner Salomon also eight days celebrated the dedication.
12 So Solomon also celebrated the dedication eight days.
13 And these self same things were put in the descriptions and commentaries of Nehemias: & after what sort he making a library gathered together Books of the Prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings, and concerning the donaries.
13 And these same things were set down in the memoirs, and commentaries of Nehemias: and how he made a library, and gathered together out of the countries, the books both of the prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings, and concerning the holy gifts.
14 And in like manner Judas also such things as were fallen away by the war that happened to us, gathered them all together, and they are with us.
14 And in like manner Judas also gathered together all such things as were lost by the war we had, and they are in our possession.
15 If therefore you desire these things, send some that may fetch them unto you.
15 Wherefore, if you want these things, send some that may fetch them to you.
16 We therefore meaning to keep the purification have written unto you: You shall do well then, if you keep these days.
16 As we are then about to celebrate the purification, we have written unto you: and you shall do well, if you keep the same days.
17 And God that hath delivered his people, and rendered the inheritance to all, the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the sanctification,
17 And we hope that God, who hath delivered his people, and hath rendered to all the inheritance, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the sanctuary,
18 as he promised in the law, we hope that he will quickly have mercy upon us, and will gather us together from under heaven into the holy place.
18 ⁶As he promised in the law, will shortly have mercy upon us, and will gather us together from every land under heaven into the holy place.
19 For he hath delivered us out of great perils, and hath purged the place.
19 For he hath delivered us out of great perils, and hath cleansed the place.
20 Concerning Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and of the purification of the great temple, and of the dedication of the altar,
20 Now as concerning Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar:
21 Yea and of the battles that pertain to Antiochus the Noble, and his son Eupator:
21 As also the wars against Antiochus, the Illustrious, and his son, Eupator:
22 and of the apparitions, that were made from heaven to them, that did manfully for the Jews, so that being few they revenged the whole country, and put to flight the barbarous multitude:
22 And the manifestations that came from heaven to them, that behaved themselves manfully on the behalf of the Jews, so that, being but a few they made themselves masters of the whole country, and put to flight the barbarous multitude:
23 and repaired the most famous temple in all the world, and delivered the city, and the laws that were abolished, were restored, our Lord with all clemency being made propitious unto them.
23 And recovered again the most renowned temple in all the world, and delivered the city, and restored the laws that were abolished, the Lord with all clemency showing mercy to them.
24 Also the things which by Jason the Cyrenean are comprised in five Books, we have attempted to abridge in one volume.
24 And all such things as have been comprised in five books by Jason, of Cyrene, we have attempted to abridge in one book.
25 For considering the multitude of Books, & the difficulty to them, that will attempt the narrations of histories, because of the multitude of matters:
25 For considering the multitude of books, and the difficulty that they find that desire to undertake the narrations of histories, because of the multitude of the matter,
26 We have been careful for them that are willing to read, that there might be delectation of the mind: and for the studious, that they may more easily commit it to memory: and that profit might ensue to all that read it.
26 We have taken care for those indeed that are willing to read, that it might be a pleasure of mind: and for the studious, that they may more easily commit to memory: and that all that read might receive profit.
27 And to our own selves indeed, which have taken upon us this work, to make an abridgment, we have taken in hand no easy labour, yea rather a business full of watching and sweat.
27 And as to ourselves indeed, in undertaking this work of abridging, we have taken in hand no easy task; yea, rather a business full of watching and sweat.
28 As they that prepare a feast, & seek to condescend to other men's will: for many men's sakes we do willingly sustain the labour.
28 But as they that prepare a feast, and seek to satisfy the will of others: for the sake of many, we willingly undergo the labor.
29 The verity certes concerning every particular leaving to the authors, & ourselves according to the form that is given, studying to be brief.
29 Leaving to the authors the exact handling of every particular, and as for ourselves, according to the plan proposed, studying to be brief.
30 For as the builder of a new house must have care of the whole building: but he that hath the care to paint must seek out the things that are apt for garnishing: so must it be esteemed also in us.
30 For as the master builder of a new house must have care of the whole building: but he that taketh care to paint it, must seek out fit things for the adorning of it: so must it be judged of us.
31 For to gather together the understanding, to order the speech, and curiously to discuss every particular part, agreeth to the author of an history:
31 For to collect all that is to be known, to put the discourse in order, and curiously to discuss every particular point, is the duty of the author of a history:
32 but to pursue the brevity of speech, and to avoid the exact declarations of things, is to be granted to him that abridgeth.
32 But to pursue brevity of speech, and to avoid nice declarations of things, is to be granted to him that maketh an abridgment.
33 From hence then will we begin the narration: of the preface let it be sufficient to have said thus much: for it is a foolish thing before the history to flow over, and in the history to be short.
33 Here then we will begin the narration: let this be enough by way of a preface: for it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue, and to be short in the story itself.