¹

King Ptolemy Philopator to the commanders throughout Egypt, and to all who are set over affairs, joy and strength.

¹

Цaрь птоломeй філопaтwръ, сyщымъ во є3гЂптэ страти1гwмъ и3 всBмъ вчинє1ннымъ над8 дэлaми, рaдоватисz и3 здрaвствовати: здрaвствуемъ же и3 мы2 и3 ч†да н†ша, ўправлsющу нaмъ вели1кому бGу вeщы, ћкоже желaемъ:

²

We, too, and our children are well; and God has directed our affairs as we wish.

²

нёцыи дрyзи нaши ѕлонрaвіемъ свои1мъ чaстэе нaмъ прилэжaще, поусти1ша нaсъ на сіE, є4же бы во цaрствіи нaшемъ собрaти всёхъ їудewвъ во є3ди1но мёсто ѓки tстyпникwвъ и3 ўмyчити стрaнными мyками,

³

Certain of our friends did of malice vehemently urge us to punish the Jews of our realm in a body, with the infliction of a monstrous punishment.

³

сказyюще, ћкw никогдaже во благостоsніи цaрства нaшегw вeщы бyдутъ, вражды2 рaди, ю4же и4мутъ сjи ко всBмъ kзhкwмъ, донeлэже не соверши1тсz сіE:

⁴

They pretended that our affairs would never be in a good state till this took place. Such, they said, was the hatred borne by the Jews to all other people.

⁴

и5же и3 свsзаныхъ и5хъ привед0ша къ нaмъ со њѕлоблeніемъ ћкw плённикwвъ, пaче же ћкw предaтелей, без8 всsкагw разсуждeніz и3 и3спытaніz хотёша и5хъ погуби1ти, свирёпэйшею лю1тостію пaче зак0на скЂfска воwружeни:

⁵

They brought them fettered in grievous chains as slaves, nay, as traitors. Without enquiry or examination they endeavoured to annihilate them. They buckled themselves with a savage cruelty, worse than Scythian custom.

⁵

мh же њ си1хъ жесточaе запрети1вше по смиренномyдрію, є4же и4мамы ко всBмъ человёкwмъ, є3двA жив0тъ и5мъ даровaвше, и3 нбcнаго бGа познaвше крёпкw заступaющаго їудeєвъ и3 ћкw nц7A за сhны вhну споб0рствующа, ксемy же и3 люб0вь, ю4же и4мутъ къ нaмъ и3звёстну, и3 ко прароди1телємъ нaшымъ благопріsтство разсуди1вше, прaведнw tпусти1хомъ, по всsкому коеs либо вины2 w4бразу:

⁶

For this cause we severely threatened them; yet, with the clemency which we are wont to extend to all men, we at length permitted them to live. Finding that the God of heaven cast a shield of protection over the Jews so as to preserve them, and that he fought for them as a father always fights for his sons;

⁶

и3 повелёхомъ комyждо всBмъ во сво‰ и5мъ возврати1тисz, дабы2 на всsцэмъ мёстэ никто2 и4хъ tню1дъ њѕлоблsлъ, нижE ўкарsлъ њ содёzнныхъ и5мъ без8 вины2:

⁷

and taking into consideration their constancy and fidelity towards us and towards our ancestors, we have, as we ought, acquitted them of every sort of charge.

⁷

вёдомо бо да бyдетъ вaмъ, ћкw ѓще что2 ѕлоухи1тримъ на ни1хъ лукaвое, и3ли2 въ чeмъ њскорби1мъ и5хъ весьмA, то2 не человёка, но всёхъ си1лъ вLку и3 бGа вhшнzго проти1вzщасz нaмъ во tмщeніе вещeй по всемY неизбёжнэ всегдA и3мёти бyдемъ. Здрaвствуйте.

⁸

And we have dismissed them to their several homes; bidding all men everywhere to do them no wrong, or unrighteously revile them about the past.

⁸

Пріи1мше же (їудeє t царS) послaніе сіE, не потщaшасz вск0рэ tити2, но моли1ша царS, дабы2 сyщіи t р0да їудeйска, t с™aгw бGа и3 t зак0на б9іz самов0льнэ tступи1вшіи получи1ли и4ми д0лжное мучeніе,

⁹

For know ye, that should we conceive any evil design against, or in any manner aggrieve them, we shall ever have as our opposite, not man, but the highest God, the ruler of all might. From Him there will be no escape, as the avenger of such deeds. Fare ye well.

⁹

приглаг0лавше, ћкw чрeва рaди своегw2 бжcтвєннаz повєлёніz преступи1вшіи нижE ц†рскимъ повелёніємъ благопослyшни бyдутъ.

¹⁰

When they had received this letter, they were not forward to depart immediately. They petitioned the king to be allowed to inflict fitting punishment upon those of their race who had willingly transgressed the holy God, and the law of God.

¹⁰

Џнъ же пои1стиннэ сі‰ глаг0ла тaкw бhти, и3 похвали1въ дадE и5мъ влaсть над8 всёми, є4же бы престyпникwвъ зак0на б9іz во всёхъ мёстэхъ цaрствіz є3гw2 со дерзновeніемъ, без8 всsкіz цaрскіz влaсти и3ли2 разсмотрeніz, ўбивaти и3 и3скоренsти.

¹¹

They alleged that men who had for their bellies' sake transgressed the ordinances of God, would never be faithful to the interests of the king.

¹¹

ТогдA (їудeє) возблагодари1вше (царS) ћкоже подобaше, їерeє же и4хъ и3 всE мн0жество вкyпэ возгласи1вше ґллилyіа, съ рaдостію tид0ша.

¹²

The king admitted the truth of this reasoning, and commended them. Full power was given them, without warrant or special commission, to destroy those who had transgressed the law of God boldly in every part of the king's dominions.

¹²

ТогдA приклю1чшагосz на пути2 престyпника, и4же бsше t р0да и4хъ, мyчаху и3 во w4бразъ и3ны6мъ ўбивaху.

¹³

Their priests, then, as it was meet, saluted him with good wishes, and all the people echoed with the Hallelujah. They then joyfully departed.

¹³

И# въ дeнь т0й ўби1ша б0лэе тріeхъ сHтъ мужeй, ўбивaюще же сквeрныхъ съ рaдостію веселsхусz.

¹⁴

Then they punished and destroyed with ignominy every polluted Jew that fell in their way;

¹⁴

Сaми же и5же дaже до смeрти со гDемъ бGомъ пребhша, получи1вше совершeнное сп7сeніе, ўвэнчaвше себE разли1чными благов0ннэйшими цвэтaми, tид0ша t грaда со весeліемъ и3 восклицaніемъ, во хвалeніихъ и3 всеблагоглaсныхъ пёніихъ благодарsще бGу nтцє1въ и4хъ вёчному, сп7су ї}леву.

¹⁵

slaying thus, in that day, above three hundred men, and esteeming this destruction of the wicked a season of joy.

¹⁵

Пришeдше же во птолемаjду, нарицaемую за св0йство мёста родоф0ръ, и3дёже њжидaху и5хъ корабли6 мн0зи, по џбщему и4хъ совёту днjй сeдмь,

¹⁶

They themselves having held fast their God unto death, and having enjoyed a full deliverance, departed from the city garlanded with sweet-flowered wreaths of every kind. Uttering exclamations of joy, with songs of praise, and melodious hymns they thanked the God of their fathers, the eternal Saviour of Israel.

¹⁶

тaмw сотвори1ша пи1ръ сп7сеніz: цaрь бо даровA благодyшнw коемyждо и4хъ вс‰ потрє1бнаz на пyть дaже до жили1ща и4хъ.

¹⁷

Having arrived at Ptolemais, called from the specialty of that district Rose-bearing, where the fleet, in accordance with the general wish, waited for them seven days,

¹⁷

Дости1гше же ми1рнw въ подобaющихъ и3сповёданіихъ, тaкожде и3 тaмw ўстaвиша сі‰ дни6 прaздновати со весeліемъ во врeмz пришeлствіz и4хъ.

¹⁸

they partook of a banquet of deliverance, for the king generously granted them severally the means of securing a return home.

¹⁸

И%хже и3 њсвzти1вше на столпЁ при мёстэ пи1ршества њбётомъ ўтверди1вше, tид0ша неврeдни, своб0дни, прерaдостни, землeю и3 м0ремъ и3 рэк0ю, њхранsеми цaрскимъ повелёніемъ, кjйждо во сво‰ си, и3 њдержaвше влaсть над8 враги6 б0лшую нeже прeжде, со слaвою и3 стрaхомъ, весьмA ни t когw2 лишaеми и3мёніz.

¹⁹

They were accordingly brought back in peace, while they gave utterance to becoming thanks; and they determined to keep these days during their sojourn as days of joyfulness.

¹⁹

И# вс‰ сво‰ вси2 воспріsша t њписaніz, ћкw и3мyщіи что2 со стрaхомъ вeліимъ tдаsху и5мъ, вели6чіz превели1кому бGу сотв0ршу совершeннw во спcніе и3хъ.

²⁰

These they registered as sacred upon a pillar, when they had dedicated the place of their festivity to be one of prayer. They departed unharmed, free, abundant in joy, preserved by the king's command, by land, by sea, and by river, each to his own home.

²⁰

Блгcвенъ и3збaвитель ї}левъ во вBчнаz временA. Ґми1нь.

²¹

They had more weight than before among their enemies; and were honoured and feared, and no one in any way robbed them of their goods.

²²

Every man received back his own, according to inventory; those who had obtained their goods, giving them up with the greatest terror. For the greatest God wrought with perfectness wonders for their salvation.

²³

Blessed be the Redeemer of Israel unto everlasting. Amen.