Chapter 1

These are the things Meqabyan spoke upon the Moabans and Medonans kingdoms.

1 There was one man whose name was called Tseerutsaydan and he loved sin. He would boast in his horses' abundance and his troops' firmness beneath his authority.

2 He had many priests who served his idols whom he worshipped, and for whom he bowed and sacrificed sacrifices by night and by daylight.

3 But in his heart's dullness, it would seem to him that they gave him firmness and power.

4 And in his heart, it would seem to him that they gave him authority in all his rule.

5 And again, in formation time, it would seem to him that they gave him all the desired authority also.

6 And he would sacrifice sacrifice for them day and night.

7 He appointed priests who served his idols.

8 While they ate from that defiled sacrifice, they would tell him, pretending that the idols eat night and day.

9 Again, they would make other persons diligent like unto them - that they might sacrifice and eat. And again, they would make other persons diligent that they might sacrifice like unto them.

10 But he would trust in his idols that don't profit nor benefit.

11 By his timeframe being small - and in his heart's dullness - it would seem to him that they irked him - that they fed him and crowned him. It would seem to him that they irked him - for Satan had deafened his reasoning lest he know his creator who irked him, bringing him from not living towards living - or lest he with his kindreds know his creator who irked him, bringing him from not living towards living - that they might go toward Gehannem of Fiyah forever - it being judged upon them with him who call them gods without them being gods.

12 As they are never well whenever, it is due that he might call them dead ones.

13 As Satan's authority that misleads them will lodge in that idol image - and as he will tell them their reasoning according - and as he will reveal to them like unto what they loved - he will judge upon the idols wherein they believed and wherein 'Adam childran trust - whose reasoning was like unto ashes.

14 And they will marvel upon the time they sight up that he fulfilled what they thought for them - and they will do him according for him reaching up till they sacrifice their daughter children and their male children birthed from their nature - up till they spill their daughter children and male children's blood that was clean.

15 They were not sad, for Satan had enjoyed their sacrifice to fulfill their evil agreement. He wanted to drag them down to Gehenna with him, where there is no escape for eternity, and where they would receive torment.

16 The demons were proud, and they had fifty idols made in the form of males and twenty in the form of females.

17 They would boast about these useless idols and glorify them while sacrificing to them in the morning and evening.

18 They would command people to offer sacrifices to the idols, and they would eat the defiled meat. They would also command others to eat from the sacrifice and incite them to do evil.

19 They had five houses built for themselves, decorated with idols made of iron, brass, and lead.

20 They adorned them with silver and gold, and covered them with curtains and tents.

21 They appointed keepers for the idols and would continually sacrifice forty animals to them: ten fat oxen, ten barren cows, ten fat sheep, and ten barren goats, along with birds that had wings.

22 They believed that their idols ate, so they presented them with fifty baskets of grapes and fifty dishes of wheat kneaded with oil.

23 They told their priests to take and give the offerings to them, and they would eat what was slaughtered for them and drink the wine presented to them. If it was not enough, they would add more.

24 They commanded all to eat and drink from the defiled sacrifice.

25 But out of their evil malice, they sent troops throughout the kingdom to find anyone who did not offer sacrifices or bow down to the idols. They would capture and punish them with fire and sword before them, plunder their money, burn their homes, and destroy all their possessions.

26 They said, "For they are merciful and great, and they are angry with us for our wickedness. I will show punishment and tribulation to anyone who does not worship my idols and offer sacrifices to them.

27 And I will show them punishment and tribulation, for they have angered the Earth, the Heaven, the sea, the wide moon, the sun, the stars, the rains, the winds, and all that live in this world to be food and to be satisfied with us."

28 But those who worship them will be punished with firm tribulation, and it will not be pleasant for them.

Chapter 2

1 There was a man born from the tribe of Benjamin whose name was called Maccabees.

2 He had three children who were handsome and totally warriors. They had been loved by all the people in the Midian and Median countries that were under the rule of the Seleucid King.

3 And like the king commanded them when he found them: "Don't you bow to the Seleucid idols? How about not sacrificing?

4 But if you refuse, we will seize and take you to the king, and we will destroy all your money as the king commanded."

5 These handsome youths replied to him, saying, "As for Him whom we bow, there is our Father Creator who created the Earth and Heaven and everything within it, the sea, moon and sun, clouds, and stars. He is the True Creator whom we worship and in whom we believe."

6 And these youths of the king were four, and the servants who carried shields and spears were a hundred.

7 And when they wanted to seize these holy ones, they escaped from their hands, and there were none who could touch them, for these youths were totally warriors in power, seizing shields and spears.

8 And there was one among them who could strangle and kill a panther, and at that time, he would strangle it like a chicken.

9 And there was one among them who killed a lion with one rock or struck it with a stick at one time.

10 And there was one among them who killed a hundred people in formation with one sword, and their name and their deeds were thus. It was called in all Babylon and Moab countries.

11 And they were warriors in power, and they had a thing being loved and comeliness.

12 And again, their features and comeliness were wondrous. However, because they worshiped JAH and did not fear death, it was their reasoning and comeliness that surpassed all.

13 And when they frightened the troops, there were none who could seize them, but those who were warriors escaped, proceeding toward a lofty mountain.

14 And those troops returned to the city and shut the fortress gate. They terrorized the people, saying, "Unless you bring those warriors, the Maccabees, we will burn your city in fire, and we will send for the king and destroy your country."

15 And at that time, the country people - both rich and poor, daughters and sons - a child whose father and mother died upon him and an old daughter, everyone proceeded and shouted togethe, and they straightened their necks toward the mountain and shouted toward them, saying, "Don't destroy us and don't destroy our country for us."

16 At that time, they wept together and they feared, arising from JAH.

17 Returning their faces eastward and stretching forth their hands, they begged toward JAH together, "Lord, should we refuse these men who demolished Thy command and Thy law?

18 Yet they believed in silver and gold and in the stone and wood that a person's hands worked. But we don't love that we might hear that criminal word - who didn't believe Thy law." they said.

19 "When Thou art the Creator who saves and who kills, he makes himself like unto the one who creates him also - as if he is the one who spills a person's blood and who eats a person's flesh.

20 But we don't love that we might see that criminal face nor hear his word," they said.

21 "However, if Thou command us, we will go toward him because we believe in Thee. We will pass and give our bodies for death. And on the time he said 'Sacrifice, sacrifice for my creators,' we won't hear that criminal word.

22 But we believe in Thee, Lord who examines kidneys and reasonings - our fathers' Creator - Abraham and Isaac and Jacob who did Thy accord and lived firmly in Thy law.

23 Thou examine a person's reasoning and help the sinner and the righteous one - and there be none hidden from Thee. And he who took refuge is revealed alongside Thee.

24 But we have no other Creator apart from Thee.

25 That we might give our bodies for death because of Thy glorified name - however be power and firmness and a shelter for us in this work that we are ruled for Thee.

26 And on the time 'Israel entered toward Gibeon country, Thou heard Jacob's plea and now glorified God - we beg Thee."

27 "And at that time, two men with handsome features were seen standing before them. And when the fiery swords that were as frightening as lightning descended and cut their necks, they died. But at that time, they arose and were well like they were before."

28 Their features' comeliness became totally handsome and they shone more than the sun - and they became more handsome than formerly.

Chapter 3

1 Like unto you, these were the Most High JAH's slaves, Abya, Seela, and Fentos, who died and arose, so that you may also arise after your death, and your faces shall shine like the sun in the Kingdom of Heaven.

2 And they went with those men and received martyrdom there.

3 At that time, they begged, praised, and bowed to JAH. Death did not frighten them, nor did the king's punishment.

4 They went towards those youths and were as meek as sheep that have no evil. Yet, they were not afraid. When they arrived towards them, they seized, beat, bound, whipped them, and delivered them to the king and stood them before him.

5 The king answered them, saying, "How can you stubborn ones not sacrifice and bow to my idols?"

6 The brothers who were cleansed from sin, honoured, chosen, and blessed, and shone like jewels with wondrous value - Seela, Abya, and Fentos - answered him with one word.

7 They told the king, who was a plague, "As for us, we will not bow nor sacrifice to defiled idols that have no knowledge or reasoning."

8 They again told him, "We will not bow to idols that were silver and gold, that were made by hand, or that were stone and wood, that have no reasoning, soul, or knowledge, and that do not benefit their friends or harm their enemies."

9 The king asked them, "Why do you do this? And as you know who insulted you and who wronged you, why do you insult the glorified idols?"

10 They answered him, saying, "As they are like a trifle compared to us, we will insult them and will not glorify them."

11 The king said to them, "I will punish you like your evil works and will destroy your beautiful faces with whipping, firm tribulation, and fire."

12 "Now tell me whether you will give or not give sacrifices to my idols. Otherwise, I will punish you with a sword and whipping."

13 They answered him, saying, "As for us, we will not sacrifice nor bow to defiled idols," and the king commanded that they be beaten with a fat stick, whipped with a whip, and splintered until their inner organs were visible.

14 After this, they were bound and held in a jailhouse until the king's council decided to punish and kill them.

15 They were taken without kindness, bound, and held in a firm imprisonment in a prison house, and they sat there for three nights and three days.

16 And after the third day, the king commanded that a proclamation speaker should announce and that counselors, nobles, country elders, and officials should be gathered.

17 And at that time, King Tseerutsaydan sat in a square, and he commanded that the honored ones, Seela, 'Abya, and Fentos, be brought before him, being wounded and bound.

18 And the king told them, "During these three days that you have sat, have you truly repented and turned away from your former evil ways?"

19 And the honored Jah soldiers answered him, saying, "We have not worshiped the idols filled with sin and evil that you have set before us. We will not abandon the laws of JAH."

20 And the king, being angry, commanded that they be taken to a high place, their wounds reopened, and their blood flowed on the earth.

21 And he commanded that they be burned with a torch lamp and that their flesh be charred, and his servants did as he commanded. But the honored men said to him, "You, who have forgotten JAH's law, speak. Our reward shall be as great as the measure of your punishment."

22 And he commanded that bears, tigers, and lions, evil beasts, be sent upon them to eat their flesh with their bones.

23 And he commanded those who kept the beasts to release them upon the men, and they did as they were commanded. The honored martyrs' feet were bound, and they were beaten and bound again with tent-stakes.

24 And the beasts were flung upon them while they roared, but as they arrived toward the martyrs, they hailed and bowed to them.

25 They returned towards their keepers while they roared, and they frightened their keepers. Then they were taken towards the square until they were delivered before the king.

26 And seventy-five men from the criminal's army were killed there.

27 Many persons panicked, some in anguish and others in fear, until the king quit his throne and fled. The beasts were seized with difficulty and taken to their lodgings.

28 Seela, 'Abya, and Fentos, two brothers, came and released the prisoners from their bondage. They told them, "Come, let us flee, lest these skeptics and criminals find us."

29 And those martyrs answered their brethren, saying, "It is not fitting that we might flee after we have set up this testimony, as if you had feared. Go fleeing."

30 And those little brethren said, "We will stand with you before the king, and if you die, we will die with you."

31 And after this, the king was on his lordship balcony and saw that these honored men were released and that all the five brethren stood together. Those chiefs who worked and punished the troops questioned whether they were brethren and told the king. The king was angry and shouted like a wild boar in the wilderness.

32 And until the king was counseled by money to punish all the five brethren, he commanded that they might seize and add them to the prison house. They placed them in a prison house, binding them in firm imprisonment without kindness with a hollow stalk.

33 And the king Tseerutsaydan said, "These youths who erred wearied me. What should these men reason firmly for? And those who work evil are like those with power and firmness. If I say, 'They will return,' they will make their reasoning evil.

34 And I will bring hardship on them like their evil measure. And I will burn their flesh in fire until it is charred ash, and then I will scatter their flesh ash like dust on the mountains."

35 And after he spoke this, he waited three days and commanded that those honored men be brought. At the time when those honored men approached him, he commanded that a fire be burned within the great pit oven and that a malice work be added to the flame of the fire, wherein they boiled a cat, the fat and soapberries, sea foam and resin, and sulfur.

36 And at the time the fire flamed in the pit, the messengers went to the king and said, "We did what you commanded us. Send the men who will be added."

37 And he commanded that they might receive and cast them into the fire pit, and the youths did as the king commanded them. At the time when those honored men entered into the fire, they gave their souls to JAH.

38 And when the persons who cast them saw, angels received and took their souls to the Garden where Isaac, Abraham, and Jacob are, where the righteous ones are found.

Chapter 4

1 When the criminals were sentenced to death, he commanded that their flesh be burned in fire until it turned to ash, and then scattered in the wind. However, the fire could not burn the hair on the side of the corpses. Thus, they were sent away from the pit.

2 Again, they set fire to them from morning until evening, but the fire could not burn them. Then they said, "Let us cast their corpses into the sea."

3 So, they did as the king commanded, and cast them into the sea, even adding great stones, iron hearthstones, and a millstone that a donkey would grind by turning. Yet, the sea did not sink them, for the Spirit of JAH supported them. They floated on the sea, yet did not sink. The malice that was provoked against them failed to destroy them.

4 "Their death has wearied me more than their life. Let me cast their corpses to the beasts that they may eat them. But what will I do?" he said.

5 The youths did as he commanded. Vultures and beasts did not touch the corpses. Birds and vultures veiled them with their wings from the burning sun, and the corpses of the five martyrs sat for fourteen days.

6 When they were sighted, their bodies shone like the sun, and angels encircled their corpses like the light encircling the Tent.

7 He sought counsel, but he did not know what to do. Finally, he dug a grave and buried the five martyrs' corpses.

8 Later that night, as the king who had forgotten JAH's law lay in bed, the five martyrs appeared before him, standing and vexing him with swords.

9 He thought they had entered his house at night to commit a crime. When he woke from his slumber, he was afraid and fled from his bedchamber to the hall. He feared that they would kill him for the crime he thought they had committed against him. His knees trembled in fear.

10 "My lords, what do you want? As for me, what should I do for you?" he asked.

11 They answered, "Aren't we the ones you burned in the fire and commanded to be cast into the sea? JAH kept our bodies because we believed in Him. He did not let you destroy us. As those who believe in Him will not perish, let glory and praise be due to JAH. We who believed in Him did not shame in tribulation."

12 "I did not know that punishment like this would find me. What reward should I give you for the evil I did to you?" he asked.

13 "And now, separate from me the reward I give you - lest you take my body in death and lower my body toward Sheol while I am still alive.

14 For I have wronged you, forgive my sin, for it was because of JAH's law that I received such kindness," he told them.

15 And those honoured martyrs answered him saying, "Because of the harm you have inflicted upon us, we will not repay you with harm. It is JAH who brings hardship upon a soul, and it is He who will judge you accordingly."

16 However, we were spared for your sake, as it seemed to you that you killed us. You showed us kindness despite our small numbers and our inability to reason.

17 But you and the priests of your idols will descend into Gehenna, where there is no escape.

18 Woe to your idols, before which you bowed down, forsaking JAH who was angry with you when you were scorned like spit. Woe to you who worship them, and do not know JAH who was angry with you and brought you from death to life. Are you who are standing here today not like smoke that will vanish tomorrow?

19 The king asked them, "What do you command me to do for you, since you have shown me such love?"

20 They replied, "Save yourself from entering the Gehenna of Fire, but you cannot save us. We are the ones who teach you."

21 "Your idols are made of silver and gold, stone and wood. They have no understanding or knowledge, and they are the work of human hands."

22 "They do not kill or save, benefit their friends or harm their enemies, exalt or humble, enrich or impoverish. They mislead you by the authority of demons, who do not desire the salvation of anyone, but do not uproot or plant anything."

23 "They especially do not desire the salvation of people like you, who are dull-hearted and who they appear to be angry with, even though you are the one who made them."

24 "As Satan and the demons have made their abode in them, they will repay you with the same love you have shown them, and they will drown you in the sea of Gehenna."

25 "But you, stop this error and let this be our reward instead. Even though we are dead, we will benefit our souls by worshiping our Creator JAH," they told him.

26 The king was alarmed and completely astonished. As all five drew their swords, he feared for his life and bowed to them.

27 "Then I knew that even after death, those who are dust will truly rise. As for me, only a little time remains before my death," he said.

28 From that day on, the king no longer burned the corpses of the Tseerutsaydan who were completely arrogant, and they were hidden from his sight.

29 As they have misled many for many eras, the idolaters reasoned in error and misled many others like them until they stopped following JAH's worship. It wasn't only them who erred.

30 They sacrificed their daughters and sons to demons, practicing seduction and disturbances as their rationale. Satan taught them this, so they could practice seduction and disturbances that JAH detests.

31 They married their mothers and abused their aunts and sisters, defiling their bodies while doing all these filthy works. Satan confirmed these perverse people's reasoning, and they said, "We won't return."

32 But the Tseerutsaydan, who didn't know JAH's wrath, were completely arrogant and boasted in their idols.

33 If they say, "How will JAH give the Kingdom to people who don't know Him in LAW and in Worship?" They will fully return to Him in repentance, and He tests them for this reason.

34 But if they completely repent, He will love them and keep their Kingdom. However, if they refuse, the fire of Gehenna will punish them forever.

35 It is fitting for a king to fear JAH's wrath like his lordship's reputation, and it is fitting for a judge to be ruled by JAH's wrath while judging righteously, like his Rule's reputation.

36 It is fitting for elders, chiefs, envoys, and petty kings to be commanded by those who fear JAH's wrath according to their lordship's abundance measure.

37 JAH is the Lord of Heaven and Earth, who instills all wrath, for there is no other Lord in Heaven or Earth who impoverishes or enriches. He is the One who honors and debases.