1.耶利米隐藏帐幕、约柜和祭坛 根据记载，先知耶利米命令那些被流放的人带走一些火，如同所述，Jeremiah Hides the Tent, Ark, and Altar One finds in the records that Jeremiah the prophet ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire, as has been told,
2.先知在赐予他们律法之后，吩咐那些被迁移的人，不要忘记耶和华的诫命，也不要被金银偶像及其装饰所迷惑。and that the prophet after giving them the law instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord, nor to be led astray in their thoughts upon seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment.
3.他又用其他类似的言语劝勉他们，不要让律法离开他们的心。And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts.
4.同样在书中记载，先知接受了神的启示，命令帐幕和约柜跟随他，并且他出发到摩西曾经上去并见过神的产业的那座山上。It was also in the writing that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God.
5.耶利米来到，发现一个洞，就把帐幕和约柜并香坛搬进去，然后封闭了入口。And Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance.
6.跟随他的有些人上前去想标记道路，但他们找不到它。Some of those who followed him came up to mark the way, but could not find it.
7.耶利米知道这件事后，责备他们，并宣称：直到上帝再次聚集他的子民并施展他的怜悯时，这个地方将是未知的。When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: “The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy.
8.然后主会显明这些事，主的荣耀和云彩会显现，就像在摩西面前显现的一样，也像所罗门所求的，那地方就被分别为圣。And then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated.”
9.这也表明，具有智慧的所罗门为圣殿的奉献和完成献祭。It was also made clear that being possessed of wisdom Solomon offered sacrifice for the dedication and completion of the temple.
10.摩西祷告耶和华的时候，火从天上降下，烧灭了祭坛上的燔祭和祭物。所罗门也祷告，火从天上降下，烧灭了燔祭和祭物。Just as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven and devoured the sacrifices, so also Solomon prayed, and the fire came down and consumed the whole burnt offerings.
11.摩西说：“这是因为赎罪祭没有被吃掉，所以他们才被烧毁。”And Moses said, “They were consumed because the sin offering had not been eaten.”
12.所罗门也照样守了八日。Likewise Solomon also kept the eight days.
13.同样的记载见于档案和尼希米的回忆录，也记载了他建立图书馆，收集有关列王和先知的书籍，和大卫的著作，以及列王关于奉献的信件。The same things are reported in the records and in the memoirs of Nehemi′ah, and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and letters of kings about votive offerings.
14.同样，犹大也收集了所有因战争来到我们这里而失散的书籍，现在它们都在我们的掌握之中。In the same way Judas also collected all the books that had been lost on account of the war which had come upon us, and they are in our possession.
15.所以如果你需要他们，就派人去接他们来。So if you have need of them, send people to get them for you.
16.因此，我们即将庆祝洁净节，所以给你们写信。你们愿意守这些日子吗？Since, therefore, we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. Will you therefore please keep the days?
17.这是上帝拯救了他所有的子民，并将继承权归还给所有人，以及君权、圣职和圣别，It is God who has saved all his people, and has returned the inheritance to all, and the kingship and priesthood and consecration,
18.正如他通过律法所应许的。因为我们仰望神，希望他快来怜悯我们，并将天下四方的我们聚集到他的圣所，因为他已经救我们脱离了大患难，并且已经洁净了这地方。as he promised through the law. For we have hope in God that he will soon have mercy upon us and will gather us from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified the place.
19.编者序 犹大·马加比和他的兄弟们的故事，关于大圣殿的净化和祭坛的奉献，The Compiler’s Preface The story of Judas Maccabe′us and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,
20.并且进一步对抗安条克四世和他的儿子安条克五世，and further the wars against Anti′ochus Epiph′anes and his son Eu′pator,
21.以及从天上显现的异象，向那些热心为犹太教事业奋斗的人显现，使他们虽然人数众少，却占领了整个土地，并追赶那些野蛮的群众，and the appearances which came from heaven to those who strove zealously on behalf of Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes,
22.并且恢复了举世闻名的圣殿，解放了这座城市，恢复了那些几乎被废除的律法，而主以极大的仁慈对待他们——and recovered the temple famous throughout the world and freed the city and restored the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them—
23.所有这些，都是由塞浦路斯的Jason所撰写的五卷书，我们将尝试将其浓缩成一本书。all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyre′ne in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.
24.考虑到所涉及的数字洪流以及由于大量资料而使那些想要开始历史叙述的人感到困难，For considering the flood of numbers involved and the difficulty there is for those who wish to enter upon the narratives of history because of the mass of material,
25.我们旨在让希望阅读的人感到愉悦，让那些有意于背诵的人容易掌握，并使所有读者都能受益。we have aimed to please those who wish to read, to make it easy for those who are inclined to memorize, and to profit all readers.
26.对于我们这些尝试着缩略的人来说，这并不是一件轻松的事，而是需要付出汗水和牺牲睡眠，For us who have undertaken the toil of abbreviating, it is no light matter but calls for sweat and loss of sleep,
27.就像为他人准备宴席并寻求他人利益的人一样，不容易。然而，为了获得许多人的感激，我们甘愿忍受不舒服的劳苦，just as it is not easy for one who prepares a banquet and seeks the benefit of others. However, to secure the gratitude of many we will gladly endure the uncomfortable toil,
28.将对确切细节的责任留给编译者，同时将我们的努力致力于确定浓缩的轮廓。leaving the responsibility for exact details to the compiler, while devoting our effort to arriving at the outlines of the condensation.
29.因为新房的主建造者必须考虑整个建筑的构造，而承担粉刷和装饰的人只需要考虑什么样的装饰才是适合的，依我看，我们的处境也是如此。For as the master builder of a new house must be concerned with the whole construction, while the one who undertakes its painting and decoration has to consider only what is suitable for its adornment, such in my judgment is the case with us.
30.这是最初的历史学家应有的职责，要占据立场，从各个方面讨论问题，并且要对细节下功夫，It is the duty of the original historian to occupy the ground and to discuss matters from every side and to take trouble with details,
31.但重述故事的人应该被允许努力使表达简洁，并放弃详尽的处理。but the one who recasts the narrative should be allowed to strive for brevity of expression and to forego exhaustive treatment.
32.因此，我们在这里开始我们的叙述，只需在已说过的内容上添加一点；因为在缩短历史本身的同时延长序言是愚蠢的。At this point therefore let us begin our narrative, adding only so much to what has already been said; for it is foolish to lengthen the preface while cutting short the history itself.