1 This Shim’on now, of whom we spoke before, having been a betrayer of the silver and of his country, slandered Onyah as if he had terrified Heliodorus and been the worker of these evils.
2 Thus he was bold to call him a traitor, that had deserved good from the city and shown concern for his own nation and was so ardent for the Laws.
3 But when their hatred went so far that murders were committed by one of Shim’on’s faction,
4 Onyah seeing the danger of this contention, and that Apollonios – being the governor of Koĕlĕ Suria and Phoinikĕ – raged and increased Shim’on’s evil.
5 He went to the sovereign, not to be an accuser of his countrymen, but seeking the good of all, both public and private.
6 For he saw that it was impossible that the situation should remain calm, and Shim’on leave his folly, unless the sovereign looked into it.
7 But after the death of Seleukus, when Antioḵos called Epiphanĕs took the reign, Yason the brother of Onyah acted corruptly to be kohĕn ha’gadol,
8 promising to the sovereign by intercession three hundred and sixty talanton of silver, and eighty talanton from another revenue.
9 Besides this, he promised to assign a hundred and fifty more if he might have authority to establish a place for exercise, and for the training up of youth in the manner of the gentiles, and to describe those of Yerushalayim by the name of Antioḵeians;
10 which when the sovereign had granted, and he had acquired the rulership into his hand, he promptly brought his own nation to Yawanite manner.
11 And he took away the royal privileges granted by special favour to the Yahuḏim by means of Yoḥanan the father of Eupolemus – who went ambassador to Rome for peace and assistance – and putting down the governments which were according to the Law, he brought up new customs against the Law.
12 For he gladly built an exercise arena under the tower itself, and brought the chief young men under his subjection, and made them wear a hat.
13 Now such was the height of Yawanite ways and increase of gentile manners through the exceeding profaneness of Yason, that wicked wretch, and no kohĕn ha’gadol;
14 that the kohenim had no heart to serve any more at the altar, but despising the Hĕyḵal and neglecting the slaughterings, hastened to be partakers of the unlawful allowance in the exercise arena, called out after striking the gong;
15 not remaining in the honours of their fathers, but loving the esteem of the Yawanites above all.
16 For this reason severe calamity came upon them, for those whose custom they followed so earnestly and to whom they desired to be like in every way, came to be their enemies and avengers.
17 For it is not a light thing to do wickedly against the Laws of Elohim, but the time following shall make known these things.
18 Now when the sovereign was present at the quadrennial games that were held at Tsor,
19 this shameful Yason sent special messengers from Yerushalayim, who were Antioḵeians to carry three hundred draḵmas of silver to the offering of Heraklĕs, which even the bearers thought not fit to present upon the offering, because it was not right, but to be reserved for other charges.
20 This silver then, in regard to the sender, was appointed to Heraklĕs’ offering; but because of the bearers, it was applied to the making of galleys.
21 Now when Apollonios the son of Mĕnĕstheos was sent to Mitsrayim for the coronation of Sovereign Ptolemaeus Philometor, Antioḵos, understanding him not to be well inclined to his affairs, provided for his own safety. So he came to Yapho, and from there to Yerushalayim,
22 where he was honourably received by Yason and by the city, and was brought in with torch alight and with great shouting, and so afterward went with his army to Phoinikĕ.
23 Three years afterward Yason sent Menelaos, the brother of the same Shim’on, to take the silver to the sovereign, and to put him in mind of some necessary matters.
24 But he, being brought to the presence of the sovereign, when he had exalted him for the splendid appearance of his power, obtained the kehunnah for himself, offering more than Yason by three hundred talanton of silver.
25 So he came with the sovereign’s authority, bringing nothing worthy of the high kehunnah, but having the fury of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage beast.
26 Then Yason, who had undermined his own brother, being undermined by another, was compelled to flee to the land of the Ammonites;
27 so Menelaos gained the principality. But as for the silver that he had promised to the sovereign, he gave no good order for it, although Sostratos the ruler of the fortress required it,
28 for the gathering of the customs belonged to him. Therefore they were both called before the sovereign.
29 Now Menelaos left his brother Lusimaḵos in his place in the kehunnah, and Sostratos left Krĕtĕs, who was governor of the Kuprians.
30 While those matters were taking place, those of Tarsos and Mallos revolted because they were given to the sovereign’s concubine called Antioḵos.
31 Then the sovereign came in haste to appease matters, leaving Andronikos, a man in authority as his deputy.
32 Now Menelaos, supposing that he had gained a convenient time, stole some vessels of gold out of the Hĕyḵal, and gave some of them to Andronikos, and some he sold to Tsor and the cities round about.
33 When Onyah knew for certain, he reproved him and withdrew himself to a refuge at Daphnĕ, that is near Antioḵeia.
34 Therefore Menelaos, taking Andronikos aside, asked him to take Onyah into his hands; who being persuaded and coming to Onyah in deceit, gave him his right hand with oaths. And though he was suspected by him, yet he persuaded him to come out from the refuge, whom he promptly shut up without regard for righteousness.
35 For which cause, not only the Yahuḏim, but also many of other nations were greatly enraged and were very grieved for the unrighteous murder of the man.
36 And when the sovereign had come again from the places around Kilikia, the Yahuḏim that were in the city and some of the Yawanites that loathed the fact also, complained because Onyah was slain without cause.
37 Therefore Antioḵos was deeply sorry and moved to pity, and wept because of the sober and modest behaviour of he that was dead.
38 And being kindled with wrath, he promptly took away from Andronikos his purple, and tore off his garments, and leading him through the whole city to that very place where he had committed unrighteousness against Onyah, there he slew the cursed murderer. Thus 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 repaid him his punishment as he had deserved.
39 Now when many temple robberies had been committed in the city by Lusimaḵos with the consent of Menelaos, and the fruit of which was spread abroad, many vessels of gold already having been carried away, the multitude gathered themselves together against Lusimaḵos.
40 So when the common people rose up being filled with rage, Lusimaḵos armed about three thousand men and first began to do violence; a certain Auranus being the leader, a man far gone in years, and no less in folly.
41 Some of them then seeing the attempt of Lusimaḵos took stones, some clubs, others taking handfuls of dust that was at hand, threw them all together at Lusimaḵos, and those that attacked them.
42 Thus they wounded many of them, and some they struck to the ground, and they forced all of them to flee. But as for the temple-robber himself, they killed him beside the treasury.
43 Therefore because of these matters there was an accusation laid against Menelaos.
44 Now when the sovereign came to Tsor, three men that were sent from the senate pleaded the case before him,
45 but Menelaos, being now convicted, promised Ptolemaeus the son of Dorumĕnĕs to give him much silver, if he would pacify the sovereign toward him.
46 So Ptolemaeus taking the sovereign aside into a certain gallery, as it were to get some air, caused him to think differently,
47 so that he discharged Menelaos from the accusations, who was causing all the evil however, and those poor men, who, if they had stated their case – even before the Skuthians, should have been judged innocent – those he condemned to death.
48 So those that pursued the matter for the city and for the people and for the qodesh vessels, quickly suffered unrighteous punishment.
49 Therefore even those of Tsor, moved with hatred for that wicked deed, had them buried honourably.
50 And so through the covetousness of those that were of power, Menelaos still remained in authority, increasing in evil, and being a great traitor to the citizens.