1. In those days rose up Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem; and he lived at Modin.
2. And he had five sons, John, who was surnamed Gaddis;
3. Simon, who was called Thassi;
4. Judas, who was called Maccabaeus;
5. Eleazar, who was called Avaran; Jonathan, who was called Apphus.
6. And he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,
7. and he said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see the destruction of my people, and the destruction of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was given into the hand of the enemy, the sanctuary into the hand of aliens?
8. Her temple is become as a man that was glorious:
9. her vessels of glory are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in her streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.
10. What nation has not inherited her palaces, and gotten possession of her spoils?
11. her adorning is all taken away; instead of a free woman she is become a bond woman:
12. and, behold, our holy things and our beauty and our glory are laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned them.
13. Wherefore should we live any longer?