Liber Secundus Maccabaeorum

II Maccabaeorum, chapter 2 in the Vulgate version.

There is no KJV of 2 Maccabees, but it does appear in the Apocrypha, as shown below.

Chapter 2 Vulgate

   1 Invenitur autem in descriptio nibus quod Ieremias propheta iussit eos ignem accipere, qui transmigrabant, ut significatum est,
   2 et ut mandavit propheta transmigratis dans illis legem, ne obliviscerentur praecepta Domini et ut non exerrarent mentibus videntes simulacra aurea et argentea et ornamenta eorum.
   3 Et alia huiusmodi dicens hortabatur, ne legem amoverent a corde suo.
   4 Erat autem in ipsa scriptura quomodo tabernaculum et arcam iussit propheta, divino responso ad se facto, comitari secum, usquequo exiit in montem, in quo Moyses ascendit et vidit Dei hereditatem.
   5 Et veniens Ieremias invenit domum speluncae; et tabernaculum et arcam et altare incensi intulit illuc et ostium obstruxit.
   6 Et accesserunt quidam ex his, qui simul sequebantur, ut notarent viam, et non potuerunt invenire.
   7 Ut autem cognovit Ieremias, culpans illos dixit quod ignotus erit locus, donec congreget Deus congregationem populi et misericordia fiat;
   8 et tunc Dominus ostendet haec, et apparebit maiestas Domini, et nubes erit, sicut et sub Moyse manifestabatur, sicut et Salomon petiit, ut locus sanctificaretur magnifice.
   9 Manifestabatur autem et ut sapientiam habens obtulit sacrificium dedicationis et consummationis templi.
   10 Sicut et Moyses orabat ad Dominum, et descendit ignis de caelo et consumpsit sacrificia, sic et Salomon oravit, et descendit ignis de caelo et consumpsit holocausta.
   11 Et dixit Moyses: "Eo quod non sit comestum, quod erat pro peccato, consumptum est".
   12 Similiter et Salomon octo dies celebravit.
   13 Inferebantur autem in descriptionibus et commentariis secundum Nehemiam haec eadem, et ut construens bibliothecam congregavit libros de regibus et prophetis et libros David et epistulas regum de donariis.
   14 Similiter autem et Iudas ea, quae deciderant per bellum, quod nobis acciderat, congregavit omnia, et sunt apud nos.
   15 Si ergo desideratis haec, mittite, qui perferant vobis.
   16 Acturi itaque purificationem, scripsimus vobis; bene ergo facietis, si egeritis hos dies.
   17 Deus autem, qui liberavit universum populum suum et reddidit hereditatem omnibus et regnum et sacerdotium et sanctificationem,
   18 sicut promisit in lege. Speramus enim in Deo quod cito nostri miserebitur et congregabit de sub caelo in locum sanctum; eripuit enim nos de magnis periculis et locum purgavit.
   19 De Iuda vero Maccabaeo et fratribus eius et de templi magni purificatione et de arae dedicatione,
   20 sed et de proeliis, quae pertinent ad Antiochum Epiphanem et filium eius Eupatorem,
   21 et de illuminationibus, quae de caelo factae sunt ad eos, qui generose pro Iudaismo fortiter fecerunt, ita ut universam regionem, cum pauci essent, vindicarent et barbaram multitudinem fugarent
   22 et famosissimum in toto orbe templum recuperarent et civitatem liberarent et leges, quae futurum erat ut abolerentur, restituerentur, Domino cum omni clementia propitio facto illis,
   23 quae omnia ab Iasone Cyrenaeo quinque libris declarata sunt, tentavimus nos uno volumine breviare.
   24 Considerantes enim multitudinem numerorum et difficultatem, quae adest volentibus aggredi narrationes historiarum propter multitudinem rerum,
   25 curavimus volentibus quidem legere, ut esset animi oblectatio, studiosis vero, ut facilius possint memoriae commendare, omnibus autem legentibus utilitas conferatur.
   26 Et nobis quidem ipsis, qui hoc opus breviandi causa suscepimus, non facilem laborem, immo vero negotium plenum vigiliarum et sudoris assumpsimus.
   27 Sicut praeparanti convivium et quaerenti aliorum utilitatem non facile est, tamen propter multorum gratiam libenter laborem sustinebimus,
   28 accurate quidem de singulis elaborare auctori concedentes, ipsi autem persequi datam formam brevitati studentes.
   29 Sicut enim novae domus architecto de universa structura curandum est, ei vero, qui inurere et pingere curat, quae apta sunt ad ornatum exquirenda sunt, ita aestimo et in nobis.
   30 Inire quidem et deambulacrum facere verborum et curiosius partes singulas quasque disquirere historiae congruit auctori;
   31 brevitatem vero dictionis sectari et exsecutionem rerum vitare brevianti concedendum est.
   32 Hinc ergo narrationem incipiemus, praedictis tantulo subiuncto; stultum etenim est ante historiam efffluere, ipsam autem historiam concidere.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

Apocrypha

   1 It is also found in the records, that Jeremy the prophet commanded them that were carried away to take of the fire, as it hath been signified:
   2 And how that the prophet, having given them the law, charged them not to forget the commandments of the Lord, and that they should not err in their minds, when they see images of silver and gold, with their ornaments.
   3 And with other such speeches exhorted he them, that the law should not depart from their hearts.
   4 It was also contained in the same writing, that the prophet, being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God.
   5 And when Jeremy came thither, he found an hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door.
   6 And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it.
   7 Which when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them, saying, As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy.
   8 Then shall the Lord shew them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also, as it was shewed under Moses, and as when Solomon desired that the place might be honourably sanctified.
   9 It was also declared, that he being wise offered the sacrifice of dedication, and of the finishing of the temple.
   10 And as when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the sacrifices: even so prayed Solomon also, and the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offerings.
   11 And Moses said, Because the sin offering was not to be eaten, it was consumed.
   12 So Solomon kept those eight days.
   13 The same things also were reported in the writings and commentaries of Neemias; and how he founding a library gathered together the acts of the kings, and the prophets, and of David, and the epistles of the kings concerning the holy gifts.
   14 In like manner also Judas gathered together all those things that were lost by reason of the war we had, and they remain with us,
   15 Wherefore if ye have need thereof, send some to fetch them unto you.
   16 Whereas we then are about to celebrate the purification, we have written unto you, and ye shall do well, if ye keep the same days.
   17 We hope also, that the God, that delivered all his people, and gave them all an heritage, and the kingdom, and the priesthood, and the sanctuary,
   18 As he promised in the law, will shortly have mercy upon us, and gather us together out of every land under heaven into the holy place: for he hath delivered us out of great troubles, and hath purified the place.
   19 Now as concerning Judas Maccabeus, and his brethren, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,
   20 And the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his son,
   21 And the manifest signs that came from heaven unto those that behaved themselves manfully to their honour for Judaism: so that, being but a few, they overcame the whole country, and chased barbarous multitudes,
   22 And recovered again the temple renowned all the world over, and freed the city, and upheld the laws which were going down, the Lord being gracious unto them with all favour:
   23 All these things, I say, being declared by Jason of Cyrene in five books, we will assay to abridge in one volume.
   24 For considering the infinite number, and the difficulty which they find that desire to look into the narrations of the story, for the variety of the matter,
   25 We have been careful, that they that will read may have delight, and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might have ease, and that all into whose hands it comes might have profit.
   26 Therefore to us, that have taken upon us this painful labour of abridging, it was not easy, but a matter of sweat and watching;
   27 Even as it is no ease unto him that prepareth a banquet, and seeketh the benefit of others: yet for the pleasuring of many we will undertake gladly this great pains;
   28 Leaving to the author the exact handling of every particular, and labouring to follow the rules of an abridgement.
   29 For as the master builder of a new house must care for the whole building; but he that undertaketh to set it out, and paint it, must seek out fit things for the adorning thereof: even so I think it is with us.
   30 To stand upon every point, and go over things at large, and to be curious in particulars, belongeth to the first author of the story:
   31 But to use brevity, and avoid much labouring of the work, is to be granted to him that will make an abridgment.
   32 Here then will we begin the story: only adding thus much to that which hath been said, that it is a foolish thing to make a long prologue, and to be short in the story itself.