1In the hundred and two and seventy or seventieth year, king Demetrius gathered his host, and went to Media, for to draw together helps to him(self), for to overcome Tryphon.
2And as Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius entered into his nigh coasts, he sent one of his princes, for to take him quick, and that he should bring him to himself.
3And he went, and smote the host of Demetrius, and took him, and led him to Arsaces, and he putted him into keeping (or into prison).
4And the land of Judea was still, either peaceable, in all the days of Simon, and he sought good things of (or for) his folk; and his power and his glory pleased them in all days.
5And with all his glory he took Joppa into haven, and made entry into (the) isles of the sea;
6and alarged (or enlarged) the coasts of his people, and wielded the country.
7And he gathered much captivity, and was lord in Gazara, and Beth-sura, and the high tower; and he did away (the) uncleannesses of it, and there was not that against-stood him.
8And each man tilled his own land in peace, and the land of Judea gave his (or its) fruits, and (the) trees of (the) fields their fruit.
9(The) Elder men sat all in (the) streets, and treated of (the) goods of the land; and young men clothed them-(selves) in glory, and stoles of battle, that is armours, in the time of peace.
10And to the cities he gave foods, and ordained those or them, that those or they were vessels of strengthening, till that the name of his glory was named till to the last of (the) earth.
11He made peace on the land, and Israel was glad with great gladness;
12and each man sat under his vine, and under his fig tree, neither there was that feared them (or made them afraid).
13The fighting man against them failed on (the) earth; (the) kings were all-broken in those days.
14And he confirmed all meek men of his people, and he sought out the law, and did away all evil and wickedness;
15and he glorified holy things, and multiplied vessels of holy things. (and he beautified the Temple, and multi-plied the vessels of the Temple.)
16And it was heard at Rome, that Jonathan was dead, and till into (the) Spartans, and they were full sorrowful.
17Forsooth as they heard, that Simon, his brother, was made highest priest in his stead, and he wielded the country, and (the) cities in it,
18they wrote to him in brazen tables (or on brass or bronze tablets), for to renew (the) friendship, and fellowship, that they made with Judas and Jonathan, his brethren;
19and they were read in the sight of the church (or the congregation) in Jerusalem.
20And this is the ensample (or a copy) of (the) epistles, that (the) Spartans (or Lacedaemonians) sent. The prince and the cities, that is, (the) governors of the cities, of (the) Spartans to Simon, (the) great priest, and to the elder men, and priests, and to (the) other people of (the) Jews, brethren, health.
21(The) Legates that were sent to our people, told to us of your glory, and honour, and gladness, and we joyed in (or at) the entry of them.
22And we have written what things were said of them in (the) councils or in (the) council of (the) people, thus. Numenius, the son of Antiochus, and Antipater, the son of Jason, (the) legates of (the) Jews, came to us, and renewed with us the former friendship.
23And it pleased to the people, for to receive the men gloriously, and to put (an) ensample of their words in departed books of the people (or and to put a copy of their address in the public records), that it be to mind to the people of (the) Spartans (or so that it be remembered by the Lacedaemon-ians); forsooth we have written (an) ensample (or a copy) of these things to Simon, the great priest.
24Forsooth after these things, Simon sent Numenius to Rome, having a great golden shield, in (the) weight of a thousand bezants, for to ordain fellowship with them.
25Soothly when the people of Rome heard these words, they said, What doing of thankings shall we yield to Simon, and his sons?
26For he restored his brethren, and overcame the enemies of Israel from them. And they ordained to him liberty or they ordained to them (their) liberty,
27and wrote (it) in brazen tables (or on brass or bronze tablets), and (the) Jews putted in titles (or on pillars), in the mount of Zion. And this is (an) en-sample (or a copy) of (the) writing. In the eighteenth day of the month Elul, that is, August, in the hundred and two and seventy or seventieth year, the third year under Simon, (the) great priest,
28in Saramel, in the great coming together of (the) priests, (and) of the people, and (the) princes, and (the) folk, and the elder men or seniors of the country, these things were made known;
29for many times battles were done or be made in your country. Forsooth Simon, the son of Mattathias, of the sons of Jarib, and his brethren, gave themselves to peril, and against-stood (the) adversaries of their folk, (so) that their holy things (or their Temple) and (the) law should stand; and by great glory they glorified their folk (or they brought great glory to their people).
30And Jonathan gathered his folk (together), and was made to them a great priest, and is put to his people.
31And the enemies of them would defoul holy things (or defile the Temple), and destroy the country of them, and stretch forth hands into holy things of them (or upon their Temple).
32Then Simon against-stood, and fought for his people, and gave many riches or much money, and armed (the) men of virtue of his folk, and gave to them solds (or wages);
33and strengthened the cities of Judea, and Bethsura, that was in the ends of Judea, where before were (the) armours of (the) enemies, and he put-ted there (a) help, or (a) strength, (or a stronghold), (with) men of (the) Jews.
34And he strengthened Joppa, that was at the sea, and Gazara, that was in the coasts of Azotus, in which (the) enemies (had) dwelt before; and he setted there Jews, and whatever things were able to (the) amending of them, he putted in them.
35And the people saw the doing of Simon, and (the) glory that he thought for to do to his folk, and they made him their duke, and prince of priests, for that he had done all these things, and rightwiseness, and faith that he kept to his folk; and he sought out in all manner for to raise (up) his people.
36And in his days it had prosperity in his hands, (so) that heathen men were taken away from the country of them, (and) which were (also) in the city of David in Jerusalem, in the high tower, from which they came out, and defouled all things that were in compass of holy things (or around the Temple), and gave great wound to (its) chastity (or its purity).
37And he setted therein men Jews, to defending of the country, and (the) city, and raised (up) the walls in (or of) Jerusalem.
38And king Demetrius ordained to him the highest priesthood;
39by this he made him his friend, and glorified him in great glory.
40For he heard, that (the) Jews were called of (or by the) Romans (their) friends, and fellows, and brethren, and that they received (the) legates (or the ambassadors) of Simon gloriously;
41and that (the) Jews, and (the) priests of them, consented, him for to be their duke, and highest priest into without end, till there rise a faithful prophet;
42and that he be duke on them, and care, or busyness, were to him for (the) holy things; and that he should ordain governors or provosts on the works of them, and on the country, and on arms, and on strengths (or strongholds); and care be to him of (the) holy things (or the Temple);
43and that he be heard of (or obey-ed by all) men, and all (the) writings in the country be written together under the name of him, and that he be covered with purple and gold;
44and that it be not leaveful to (or lawful for) any of the people, and to priests, for to make anything of these void, and against-say (or gainsay) to these things that be said of him, either for to call together (a) covent, or convent, (or an assembly) in the country without him; and for to be clothed in purple, and for to use a golden lace, or (an) ouch (or clasp).
45Soothly he that shall do without this, either or shall make void any of these (things), shall be guilty.
46And (so) it pleased (al)together to all the people, for to ordain Simon, and do by or after these words.
47And Simon received (this), and it pleased him, that he should use or that he was set in (the) high priesthood or (the) highest priesthood, and be duke and prince of the folk of (the) Jews, and priests, and be the sovereign of all men.
48And they ordained for to put this writing in brazen tables (or on brass tablets), and put them in the wall about the compassing or the walking place of (the) holy things (or the Temple precincts), in (a) solemn place;
49forsooth for to put (an) ensample (or copy) of these in the treasury, (so) that Simon have (them) and his sons.
