A continuation of the second letter. Of Jeremias' hiding the ark at the time of the captivity. The author's preface.

 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.
Invenitur autem in descriptionibus Jeremiae prophetae, quod jussit eos ignem accipere qui transmigrabant : ut significatum est, et ut mandavit transmigratis.

 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.
Et dedit illis legem, ne obliviscerentur praecepta Domini, et non exerrarent mentibus, videntes simulacra aurea et argentea, et ornamenta eorum.

 3 And with other such like speeches, he exhorted them that they would not remove the law from their heart.
Et alia hujusmodi dicens, hortabatur ne legem amoverent a corde suo.

 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 where Moses went up, and saw the inheritance of God.
Erat autem in ipsa scriptura, quomodo tabernaculum et arcam jussit propheta divino responso ad se facto comitari secum, usquequo exiit in montem in quo Moyses ascendit, et vidit Dei haereditatem.

 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.
Et veniens ibi Jeremias invenit locum speluncae : et tabernaculum, et arcam, et altare incensi intulit illuc, et ostium obstruxit.

 6 Then some of them that followed him, came up to mark the place: but they could not find it.
Et accesserunt quidam simul, qui sequebantur, ut notarent sibi locum : et non potuerunt invenire.

 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.
Ut autem cognovit Jeremias, culpans illos, dixit : Quod ignotus erit locus donec congreget Deus congregationem populi, et propitius fiat :

 8 And then the Lord will shew these things, and the majesty of the Lord shall appear, and there shall be a cloud as it was also shewed to Moses, and he shewed it when Solomon prayed that the place might be sanctified to the great God.
et tunc Dominus ostendet haec, et apparebit majestas Domini, et nubes erit, sicut et Moysi manifestabatur, et sicut cum Salomon petiit ut locus sanctificaretur magno Deo, manifestabat haec.

 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.
Magnifice etenim sapientiam habens, obtulit sacrificium dedicationis et consummationis templi.

 10 And as Moses prayed to the Lord and fire came down from heaven, and consumed the holocaust: so Solomon also prayed, and fire came down from heaven and consumed the holocaust.
Sicut et Moyses orabat ad Dominum, et descendit ignis de caelo, et consumpsit holocaustum, sic et Salomon oravit, et descendit ignis de caelo, et consumpsit holocaustum.

 11 And Moses said: Because the sin offering was not eaten, it was consumed.
Et dixit Moyses, eo quod non sit comestum quod erat pro peccato, consumptum est.

 12 So Solomon also celebrated the dedication eight days.
Similiter et Salomon octo diebus celebravit dedicationem.

 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.
Inferebantur autem in descriptionibus, et commentariis Nehemiae haec eadem : et ut construens bibliothecam congregavit de regionibus libros, et prophetarum, et David, et epistolas regum, et de donariis.

 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.
Similiter autem et Judas ea, quae deciderant per bellum, quod nobis acciderat, congregavit omnia, et sunt apud nos.

 15 Wherefore if you want these things, send some that may fetch them to you.
Si ergo desideratis haec, mittite qui perferant vobis.

 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.
Acturi itaque purificationem scripsimus vobis : bene ergo facietis, si egeritis hos dies.

 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,
Deus autem, qui liberavit populum suum, et reddidit haereditatem omnibus, et regnum, et sacerdotium, et sanctificationem,

 18 As 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.
sicut promisit in lege, speramus quod cito nostri miserebitur, et congregavit de sub caelo in locum sanctum.

 19 For he hath delivered us out of great perils, and hath cleansed the place.
Eripuit enim nos de magnis periculis, et locum purgavit.

 20 Now as concerning Judas Machabeus. and his brethren, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar:
De Juda vero Machabaeo, et fratribus ejus, et de templi magni purificatione, et de arae dedicatione :

 21 As also the wars against Antiochus the Illustrious, and his son Eupator:
sed et de praeliis, quae pertinent ad Antiochum Nobilem, et filium ejus Eupatorem :

 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:
et de illuminationibus quae de caelo factae sunt ad eos qui pro Judaeis fortiter fecerunt, ita ut universam regionem, cum pauci essent, vindicarent, et barbaram multitudinem fugarent,

 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 shewing mercy to them.
et famosissimum in toto orbe templum recuperarent, et civitatem liberarent, et leges, quae abolitae erant, restituerentur, Domino cum omni tranquillitate propitio facto illis.

 24 And all such things as have been comprised in five books by Jason of Cyrene, we have attempted to abridge in one book.
Itemque ab Jasone Cyrenaeo quinque libris comprehensa tentavimus nos uno volumine breviare.

 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,
Considerantes enim multitudinem librorum, et difficultatem volentibus aggredi narrationes historiarum propter multitudinem rerum,

 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.
curavimus volentibus quidem legere, ut esset animi oblectatio : studiosis vero, ut facilius possint memoriae commendare : omnibus autem legentibus utilitas conferatur.

 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.
Et nobis quidem ipsis, qui hoc opus breviandi causa suscepimus, non facilem laborem, immo vero negotium plenum vigiliarum et sudoris assumpsimus.

 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 labour.
Sicut hi qui praeparant convivium, et quaerunt aliorum voluntati parere propter multorum gratiam, libenter laborem sustinemus.

 29 Leaving to the authors the exact handling of every particular, and as for ourselves, according to the plan proposed, studying to be brief.
Veritatem quidem de singulis auctoribus concedentes, ipsi autem secundum datam formam brevitati studentes.

 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 for us.
Sicut enim novae domus architecto de universa structura curandum est : ei vero, qui pingere curat, quae apta sunt ad ornatum, exquirenda sunt : ita aestimandum est et in nobis.

 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:
Etenim intellectum colligere, et ordinare sermonem, et curiosius partes singulas quasque disquirere, historiae congruit auctori :

 32 But to pursue brevity of speech, and to avoid nice declarations of things, is to be granted to him that maketh an abridgment.
brevitatem vero dictionis sectari, et executiones rerum vitare, brevianti concedendum est.

 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.
Hinc ergo narrationem incipiemus : de praefatione tantum dixisse sufficiat. Stultum etenim est ante historiam effluere, in ipsa autem historia succingi.