1 It is also found in the records, that Jeremy the prophet commanded them that were carried away to take of the fire, as it hath been signified:
2 And how that the prophet, having given them the law, charged them not to forget the commandments of the Lord, and that they should not err in their minds, when they see images of silver and gold, with their ornaments.
3 And with other such speeches exhorted he them, that the law should not depart from their hearts.
4 It was also contained in the same writing, that the prophet, being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God.
5 And when Jeremy came thither, he found an hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door.
6 And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it.
7 Which when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them, saying, As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy.
8 Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also, as it was shewed under Moses, and as when Solomon desired that the place might be honourably sanctified.
9 It was also declared, that he being wise offered the sacrifice of dedication, and of the finishing of the temple.
10 And as when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the sacrifices: even so prayed Solomon also, and the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offerings.
11 And Moses said, Because the sin offering was not to be eaten, it was consumed.
12 So Solomon kept those eight days.
13 The same things also were reported in the writings and commentaries of Neemias; and how he founding a library gathered together the acts of the kings, and the prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings concerning the holy gifts.
14 In like manner also Judas gathered together all those things that were lost by reason of the war we had, and they remain with us,
15 Wherefore if ye have need thereof, send some to fetch them unto you.
16 Whereas we then are about to celebrate the purification, we have written unto you, and ye shall do well, if ye keep the same days.
17 We hope also, that the God, that delivered all his people, and gave them all an heritage, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the sanctuary,
18 As he promised in the law, will shortly have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of every land under heaven into the holy place: for he hath delivered us out of great troubles, and hath purified the place.
19 Now as concerning Judas Maccabeus, and his brethren, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,
20 And the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his son,
21 And the manifest signs that came from heaven unto those that behaved themselves manfully to their honour for Judaism: so that, being but a few, they overcame the whole country, and chased barbarous multitudes,
22 And recovered again the temple renowned all the world over, and freed the city, and upheld the laws which were going down, the Lord being gracious unto them with all favour:
23 All these things, I say, being declared by Jason of Cyrene in five books, we will assay to abridge in one volume.
24 For considering the infinite number, and the difficulty which they find that desire to look into the narrations of the story, for the variety of the matter,
25 We have been careful, that they that will read may have delight, and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might have ease, and that all into whose hands it comes might have profit.
26 Therefore to us, that have taken upon us this painful labour of abridging, it was not easy, but a matter of sweat and watching;
27 Even as it is no ease unto him that prepareth a banquet, and seeketh the benefit of others: yet for the pleasuring of many we will undertake gladly this great pains;
28 Leaving to the author the exact handling of every particular, and labouring to follow the rules of an abridgement.
29 For as the master builder of a new house must care for the whole building; but he that undertaketh to set it out, and paint it, must seek out fit things for the adorning thereof: even so I think it is with us.
30 To stand upon every point, and go over things at large, and to be curious in particulars, belongeth to the first author of the story:
31 But to use brevity, and avoid much labouring of the work, is to be granted to him that will make an abridgment.
32 Here then will we begin the story: only adding thus much to that which hath been said, that it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue, and to be short in the story itself.
1 invenitur autem in descriptionibus Hieremiae prophetae
quod iussit accipere ignem eos qui transmigrabantur
ut significatum est et ut mandavit transmigratis
2 et dedit illis legem ne obliviscerentur praecepta Domini
et ut non exerrarent mentibus
videntes simulacra aurea et argentea et ornamenta eorum
3 et alia huiuscemodi dicens hortabatur
ne legem amoverent a corde suo
4 erat autem in ipsa scriptura
quomodo tabernaculum et arcam iussit propheta
divino responso ad se facto comitari secum
usquequo exiit in montem
in quo Moses ascendit et vidit Dei hereditatem
5 et veniens ibi Hieremias invenit locum speluncae
et tabernaculum et arcam et altare incensi intulit illuc
et ostium obstruxit
6 et accesserunt quidam simul qui sequebantur ut notarent sibi locum
et non potuerunt invenire
7 ut autem cognovit Hieremias culpans illos dixit
quod ignotus erit locus
donec congreget Deus congregationem populi et propitius fiat
8 et tunc Dominus ostendet haec et apparebit maiestas Domini
et nubes erit sicut et Mosi manifestabatur
et sicut cum Salomon petiit ut locus sanctificaretur magno
Deo manifestabat haec
9 et ut sapientiam habens
obtulit sacrificium dedicationis et consummationis templi
10 sicut et Moses orabat ad Dominum
et descendit ignis de caelo et consumpsit holocaustum
11 et dixit Moses eo quod non sit mundatum quod
erat pro peccato et consumptum est
12 similiter et Salomon octo diebus celebravit dedicationem
13 inferebantur autem in descriptionibus et commentariis Neemiae haec eadem
et ut construens bibliothecam
congregavit de regibus libros et prophetarum
et David et epistulas regum et de donariis
14 similiter autem et Iudas ea quae didicerat per bellum
quod nobis acciderat
congregavit omnia et sunt apud nos
15 si ergo desiderastis haec
mittite qui perferant vobis
16 acturi itaque purificationem scripsimus vobis
bene igitur facietis si egeritis hos dies
17 Deus autem qui liberavit populum suum
et reddidit hereditatem omnibus
et regnum et sacerdotium et sanctificationem
18 sicut promisit in lege speramus quod cito nostri miserebitur
et congregabit de sub caelo in locum sanctum
19 eripuit enim nos de magnis periculis et locum purgavit
20 de Iuda vero Macchabeo et fratribus eius
et de templi magni purificatione et de arae dedicatione
21 sed et de proeliis quae pertinent ad Antiochum Nobilem
et filium eius Eupatorem
22 et de inluminationibus quae de caelo factae sunt
ad eos qui pro Iudaeis fortiter fecerunt
ita ut universam regionem cum pauci essent vindicarent
et barbaram multitudinem fugarent
23 et famosissimum in toto orbe templum recuperarent
et civitatem liberarent
ut leges quae abolendae erant restituerentur
Domino cum omni tranquillitate propitio facto illis
24 itemque ab Iasone Cyreneo quinque libris conprehensa
temptavimus nos uno volumine breviare
25 considerantes enim multitudinem librorum
et difficultatem volentibus adgredi narrationes historiarum
propter multitudinem rerum
26 curavimus volentibus quidem legere ut esset animi oblectatio
studiosis vero ut facile possint memoriae commendare
omnibus autem legentibus utilitas conferatur
27 et nobis quidem ipsis
qui opus hoc breviandi causa suscepimus
non facilem laborem
immo vero negotium plenum vigiliarum et sudoris adsumpsimus
28 sicut hii qui praeparant convivium
et quaerunt aliorum voluntati parere
propter multorum gratiam libenter laborem sustinemus
29 veritatem quidem de singulis auctori concedentes
ipsi autem secundum datam formam brevitati studentes
30 sicut enim novae domus architecto de universa structura curandum est
ei vero qui pingere conatur
quae apta sunt ad ornatum exquirenda sunt
ita aestimandum est et in nobis
31 etenim intellectum colligere et ordinare sermonem
et curiosius partes singulas quasque disquaerere
historiae congruit auctori
32 brevitatem vero dictionis sectari
et exsecutiones rerum vitare
brevitati concedendum est
33 hinc igitur narrationem incipiemus
de praefatione tantum dixisse sufficiat
stultum etenim est ante historiam effluere
in ipsa autem historia succingi