1 Maccabees
11:1 Inkosi yaseGibithe yabutha impi enkulu, efana nesihlabathi ukuthi
ihlezi ogwini lolwandle, nemikhumbi eminingi, izulazula ngenkohliso
ukuze athole umbuso ka-Alexander, futhi awuhlanganise nowakhe.
11:2 Khona-ke wathatha uhambo lwakhe eSpain ngendlela enokuthula, ngakho njengoba bona
emizini yamvulela, yamhlangabeza, ngokuba inkosi u-Alexander wayenayo
wabalaya ukuthi benze njalo ngoba wayengumlamu wakhe.
11:3 Manje njengoba uPtolemee engena emadolobheni, wabeka kuwo wonke a
ibutho lamasosha ukuyigcina.
11:4 Futhi lapho esondela e-Azotus, bambonisa ithempeli likaDagoni
eyashiswayo, ne-Azotu namadlelo ayo achithwayo;
nezidumbu ezaziphonswe ngaphandle kanye nalezo ayezishisile phakathi
impi; ngoba babezenze izinqwaba endleleni lapho ayezodlula khona.
11:5 Futhi bayitshela inkosi konke uJonathani ayekwenzile, ukuze yena
angamsola, kepha inkosi yathula.
11:6 Khona-ke uJonathani wahlangana nenkosi ngobukhazikhazi obukhulu eJopha, lapho babingelela
omunye nomunye, walala.
11:7 Ngemva kwalokho uJonathani, lapho wayehambe nenkosi emfuleni, wabiza
Eleutherus, waphinde wabuyela eJerusalema.
11:8 Ngakho, inkosi uPtolemee, ngemva kokuthola ukubusa imizi by the
ulwandle kuze kufike eSelukiya ogwini lolwandle, baceba amacebo amabi
Alexander.
11:9 Ngakho wathumela amanxusa enkosini uDemetriyu, wathi: "Woza, sivumele."
yenza isivumelwano phakathi kwethu, ngiyakukunika indodakazi yami;
U-Alexander unakho, futhi uzobusa embusweni kayihlo.
11:10 Ngoba ngiyazisola ukuthi ngamnika indodakazi yami kuye, ngoba wayefuna ukungibulala.
11:11 Ngakho wamnyundela, ngoba wayefisa umbuso wakhe.
11:12 Ngakho wathatha indodakazi yakhe kuye, wamnika uDemetriyu, futhi
bamshiya u-Aleksandru, ukuze kwaziswe obala inzondo yabo.
11:13 Khona-ke uPtoleme wangena e-Antiyokiya, lapho ebeka imiqhele emibili phezu kwakhe
inhloko, umqhele wase-Asiya, nowaseGibhithe.
11:14 Ngaleso sikhathi kwakukhona inkosi u-Alexander eKhilikhiya, ngoba labo ukuthi
ohlala kulezo zingxenye wayehlubuke kuye.
11:15 Kodwa lapho u-Alexander ekuzwa lokhu, weza ukulwa naye
inkosi uPtolemee yakhipha impi yayo, yamhlangabeza enamandla amakhulu;
futhi ambaleke.
11:16 Ngakho u-Alexander wabalekela e-Arabhiya ukuze avikelwe; kodwa inkosi uPtolemee
waphakanyiswa:
11:17 Ngoba uZabidiyeli waseArabiya wasusa ikhanda lika-Alexander, futhi walithumela
Ptolemee.
11:18 Inkosi uPtolemee wafa ngosuku lwesithathu ngemva kwalokho, futhi labo ababephakathi
izinqaba zabulawa enye kwenye.
11:19 Ngale ndlela uDemetriyu wabusa ngekhulu namashumi ayisithupha nesikhombisa
unyaka.
11:20 Ngesikhathi esifanayo uJonathani babuthela ndawonye labo ababeseJudiya ukuze
bathathe umbhoshongo owawuseJerusalema, wenza izinjini eziningi zempi
ngokumelene nayo.
11:21 Khona-ke kwafika abantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu, ababezonda abantu bakubo, baya ethempelini
inkosi, yamtshela ukuthi uJonathani uvimbezele umbhoshongo.
11:22 Uthe ekuzwa lokho wathukuthela, wasuka masinyane, weza
kuPhetolemayi, wabhalela uJonathani ukuthi angavimbezeli
embhoshongweni, kepha woza ukhulume naye ePhetolemayi ngokuphangisa okukhulu.
11:23 Nokho, uJonathani, lapho ezwa lokhu, wayala ukuba avimbezele
namanje: wakhetha kumalunga akwa-Israyeli nabapristi, kanye
wazifaka engozini;
11:24 Futhi wathatha isiliva negolide, nezingubo, futhi izipho ezihlukahlukene ngaphandle, futhi
waya ePetolemayi enkosini, lapho yathola umusa emehlweni ayo.
11:25 Futhi nakuba amadoda athile abantu abangamhloniphi uNkulunkulu aye akhononda ngokumelene
yena,
11:26 Nokho inkosi yamncenga njengoba babenzile ababengaphambi kwayo ngaphambili, futhi
wamphakamisa emehlweni abo bonke abangane bakhe,
11:27 Futhi wamqinisa ebupristini obukhulu, futhi zonke inhlonipho ukuthi
ayenakho ngaphambili, futhi wamnika ukuvelela phakathi kwabangane bakhe abakhulu.
11:28 Khona-ke uJonathani wacela enkosini, ukuthi wayezokwenza iJudiya akhululeke
intela, njengalokhu ohulumeni abathathu, kanye nezwe laseSamariya; futhi
wamthembisa amatalenta angamakhulu amathathu.
11:29 Ngakho inkosi wavuma, futhi wabhala izincwadi kuJonathani kuzo zonke lezi
izinto ngale ndlela:
11:30 Inkosi uDemetriyu kumfowabo uJonathani, futhi esizweni sakwa
amaJuda, uyakhonza.
11:31 Sikuthumelela lapha ikhophi yencwadi esayibhalela umzala wethu
Iziphetho ngani, ukuze nikubone.
11:32 Inkosi uDemetriyu kuyise uLastene uyakhonza.
11:33 Sizimisele ukwenza okuhle kubantu bamaJuda, abangowethu
abangani, futhi nigcine izivumelwano kanye nathi, ngenxa yokuthanda kwabo okuhle
thina.
11:34 Ngakho siye saqinisekisa kubo imingcele yaseJudiya, kanye
ohulumeni abathathu base-Apherema naseLydda naseRamathem, abengeziwe
eJudiya ezweni laseSamariya nakho konke okwalo
kubo bonke abanikela imihlatshelo eJerusalema esikhundleni senkokhelo
inkosi eyayamukela kubo iminyaka ngeminyaka ngaphambili ezithelweni zayo
umhlaba nezihlahla.
11:35 Futhi ngokuqondene nezinye izinto zethu, okweshumi namasiko
okwethu njengemigodi kasawoti, nezintela zokuthela imiqhele
ngenxa yethu, siyabakhulula kubo bonke ukuze bakhululeke.
11:36 Futhi akukho lutho kusukela kulesi sikhathi kuze kube phakade.
11:37 Ngakho manje bheka ukuthi wenze ikhophi yalezi zinto, futhi makube njalo
wamnika uJonathani, wehla entabeni engcwele endaweni eveleleyo
indawo.
11:38 Emva kwalokho, lapho inkosi uDemetriyu wabona ukuthi izwe lizolile phambi kwayo.
futhi ukuthi kwakungekho ukumelana naye, wamukisa konke okwakhe
amabutho, yilowo nalowo aye endaweni yakhe, ngaphandle kwamaqembu athile abafokazi,
ayebabuthile eziqhingini zabezizwe;
amabutho oyise bamzonda.
11:39 Futhi kwakukhona Truphon eyodwa, owayekade eyingxenye ka-Alexander.
owathi, ebona ukuthi ibutho lonke lalikhonona ngoDemetriyu, laya kuye
USimalcue wase-Arabia owakhulisa u-Antiochus indodana encane ka
Alexander,
11:40 Futhi walala kanzima phezu kwakhe ukuze amkhulule lo Antiochus osemusha, ukuze akwazi
wabusa esikhundleni sikayise; wamtshela konke lokho uDemetriyu
akwenzileyo, nokuthi amadoda akhe empi ayenobutha naye, futhi lapho
yahlala isizini ende.
11:41 Phakathi naleso sikhathi, uJonathani wathumela enkosini uDemetriyu, ukuze baphonse
labo bombhoshongo waseJerusalema, nalabo abasezinqabeni.
ngoba balwa loIsrayeli.
11:42 Ngakho uDemetriyu wathumela kuJonathani, wathi, "Ngeke ngikwenzele lokhu kuphela
wena nabantu bakho, kepha ngiyakukudumisa kakhulu wena nesizwe sakho, uma
ithuba ukukhonza.
11:43 Manje uyakwenza kahle, uma ungithumelela amadoda ukungisiza; okwe
wonke amandla ami aphelile kimi.
11:44 Kulokhu, uJonathani wathumela kuye amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezintathu enamandla e-Antiyokiya
lapho befika enkosini, inkosi yajabula kakhulu ngokufika kwabo.
11:45 Nokho abasemzini babuthana ndawonye
phakathi komuzi, isibalo samadoda ayizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili;
futhi ngabe wayibulala inkosi.
11:46 Ngakho inkosi yabalekela egcekeni, kodwa abasemzini bagcina ithempeli
emigudwini yomuzi, baqala ukulwa.
11:47 Khona-ke inkosi yamemeza kumaJuda ukuze asize, ngubani beza kuye ngaso sonke isikhathi
kanye, bahlakazeka emzini, babulala ngalolo suku endaweni
idolobha libe yinani lezinkulungwane eziyikhulu.
11:48 Bawuthungela ngomlilo umuzi, bazuza impango eningi ngalolo suku, futhi
wayikhulula inkosi.
11:49 Ngakho lapho abomuzi bebona ukuthi abaJuda bawuthathile umuzi njengabo
isibindi sabo sadamba; ngalokho bakhuleka kuJehova
inkosi, wamemeza, wathi:
11:50 Siphe ukuthula, futhi ake amaJuda ayeke ukusihlasela kanye nomuzi.
11:51 Ngalokho balahla izikhali zabo, futhi benza ukuthula; kanye namaJuda
zazidunyiswa emehlweni enkosi nasemehlweni akho konke lokho
embusweni wakhe; babuyela eJerusalema benempango eningi.
11:52 Ngakho inkosi uDemetriyu wahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso wakhe, futhi izwe kwaba
ethule phambi kwakhe.
11:53 Nokho yena waphambanisa kukho konke akukhulumayo, futhi engaziwa
kuJonathani, akambuyiselanga ngokwenzuzo yakhe
ayamukele kuye, kepha yamkhathaza kakhulu.
11:54 Ngemva kwalokhu wabuya Tryphon, futhi kanye naye ingane encane u-Antiochus, ngubani
wabusa, wathweswa umqhele.
11:55 Khona-ke abuthana kuye wonke amadoda empi, uDemetriyu ayewabekile
bahamba, balwa noDemetriyu, owafulathela wabaleka.
11:56 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uTryphon wathatha izindlovu, futhi wazuza Antiyokiya.
11:57 Ngaleso sikhathi u-Antiochus osemncane wabhala kuJonathani, wathi, "Ngiyakuqinisekisa
ebupristini obukhulu, futhi akubeke umbusi phezu kwabane
ohulumeni, nokuba omunye wabangane benkosi.
NgokukaLuka 11:58 Wathuma kuye izitsha zegolide ukuba aphakelwe kuzo, wamvumela
ukuphuza igolide, nokwembathiswa okububende, nokugqoka igolide
bopha.
11:59 Umfowabo uSimoni futhi wamenza induna endaweni ethiwa ileli
waseTire kuze kube semngceleni weGibhithe.
11:60 Khona-ke uJonathani waphuma, futhi wadabula imizi ngaphesheya
amanzi, wonke amabutho aseSiriya abuthana kuye ukuze enze lokho
msize: lapho efika e-Ashikeloni, abantu bomuzi bamhlangabeza
ngenhlonipho.
11:61 Wasuka lapho waya eGaza, kodwa abaseGaza bamvalela ngaphandle; ngalokho yena
wawuvimbezela, washisa amadlelo awo ngomlilo, futhi
wabamosha.
11:62 Ngemva kwalokho, lapho abaseGaza banxusa uJonathani, yena wenza
ukuthula nabo, wathumba amadodana ezinhloko zawo, waba yizithumbi
wabathuma eJerusalema, wadabula izwe waze wafika eDamaseku.
11:63 UJonathani esezwile ukuthi izikhulu zikaDemetriyu zifikile eKadesi.
eseGalile, inamandla amakhulu, ihlose ukumkhipha kuyo
we bafowethu,
11:64 Wasuka ukubahlangabeza, futhi washiya umfowabo uSimoni emaphandleni.
11:65 Khona-ke Simon akanisa ngokumelene Bethsura futhi walwa nalo isikhathi eside
inkathi, futhi uyivale;
11:66 Kodwa babefisa ukuba nokuthula naye, okuyinto wabanika, futhi ke
wabakhipha lapho, wawuthumba umuzi, wabeka amabutho kuwo.
11:67 UJonathani nebutho lakhe, bamisa ngasemanzini aseGenesare.
basuka ekuseni kakhulu, bafika ethafeni laseNasori.
11:68 Futhi bheka, ibutho lezihambi wabahlangabeza ethafeni, ngubani, kokuba
bamqamekele ezintabeni, beza bona
ngokumelene naye.
11:69 Ngakho lapho labo ababeqamekele bavuka ezindaweni zabo futhi wajoyina
empini, babaleka bonke abangakaJonathani;
11:70 Ngangoba kwakungekho noyedwa kubo owasala, ngaphandle uMathathias indodana ka
u-Abisalomu, noJuda indodana kaKafi, izinduna zempi.
11:71 Khona-ke uJonathani waklebhula izingubo zakhe, futhi waphonsa inhlabathi ekhanda lakhe, futhi
wakhuleka.
11:72 Ngemva kwalokho ephendukela futhi empini, wabaxosha, futhi kanjalo nabo
baleka.
11:73 Manje lapho abantu bakhe siqu ababebalekile ebona lokhu, baphendukela futhi
wawaxosha kanye naye kwaze kwaba seKadesi, kwaze kwaba sematendeni awo
bamisa khona.
11:74 Ngakho kwabulawa kwabezizwe ngalolo suku kungathi amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezintathu.
kodwa uJonathani wabuyela eJerusalema.