The First Book of Meqabyan is a canonical text only in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Despite its name, it has no direct relation to the books of Maccabees found in the Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, presenting distinct narratives and characters, such as King Tseerutsaydan and the Meqabyan martyrs. The Ethiopian tradition considers it a historical and wisdom text, often cited for its moral laws.
1 Meqabyan
Chapter 24
But on the time Giediewon trusted JAH - him defeated uncircumcise peoples armies who were many many in army of a few tens of thousands and without number like unto locusts.
As there are no Creator without I - o nobles and kings - don't believe in the different idols.
As I-man am your Creator JAH Who sent you forth from your mothers wombs and raised you and fed you and clothed you - why do you pretext? How about why do you worship other idols without I?
I-man did all this to you ~ what did you give I? It are that you might live firmed up in I LAW and I Order and I Command and that I-man might give you your bodies welfare - yet what will I-man want from you?
JAH Who rule all said thus ~ Him said - Save your ras selves from worshippin idols and practisin sorcery and discouragin pessimism.
As JAH chastisemant shall come on these who do this - and on them who hear them and do them accord and are them friends and who live firmed up in them command - save your ras selves from worshippin idols.
As peoples - who don't know you and aren't nice to you - shall arise on you - unless you who feared did JAH Accord - them will eat the money wherefor you wearied ~ like unto Him servants the prophets spoke and like unto Hienok spoke and like unto 'Asaf spoke - unless you did JAH Accord - them will eat the money wherefor you wearied.
Evil persons will come havin changed them clothes Him said ~ there are no other law alongside them apart from eatin and drinkin and adornin in silver and gold - and livin havin firmed up in sin all the Work JAH don't love.
But them are prepared to go toward drink and food ~ after them were aroused from them slumber Beginnin from mornin up til evenin them go toward evil Work; there are misery and tribulation in them path - yet them feet have no Love path.
and them don't know Love and Inity Work - and there are no fearin JAH in them faces ~ them are crooked evil ones without religion nor virtue ~ them are greedy ones who eat and drink alone ~ them are drunkards - and them sin are without LAW and without measure ~ them are who go toward seducin - sheddin blood - theft and perfidy and violently robbin him money who don't have it.
and them are who criticise without Love and without LAW - to them don't fear JAH Who Created them - and there are no fear in them faces.
Them don't shame in the person face that them sight up - and them don't shame a grey-hair nor a elder face ~ on the time them heard when them said - 'An there are money in this world' - them make it them ras self money before them sight it up with them eyes - to there are no fearin JAH in them faces - and on the time them sight it up with them eyes it seem to them that them ate it.
and them nobles eat trust money ~ them are who eat ~ as them are negativists and as there are no straight thing in them tongues - them don't repeat in evenin what them spoke in mornin.
to them ignore sufferahs and poor ones cries - and them kings hasten to evil - them who disturb a person - him havin saved refugees from wealthy ones hands who rob them.
make them save him who were wronged and the refugee - yet make the kings not be them who begrudge justice because this thing.
But them are who exact tribute ~ them are who rob a person money - and them are criminals - and as them Work are evil - them aren't nice when them eat the newborn calf with she mother and a bird with she egg ~ them make all them sight up and heard them ras self money.
Them love that them might gather to them ras selves - yet them aren't nice to sick and poor ones - and them violently rob the money of a person who don't have it - and them gather all them found that them might be fattened and be Feeling good in it.
to them shall perish quickly like unto a scarab that proceeded from it pit and whose track aren't found and that don't return toward it house - and because them didn't work goodly Work when them are in them Life - woe to them bodies on the time JAH vexed and seized them.
on the time JAH neglected them - them will perish at one time like unto them are in one chastisemant - to Him indure them meanin as it were them returned toward repentance - yet Him don't quickly destroy them - and them shall perish on the time when them shall perish.
But if them don't return toward repentance - Him will quickly destroy them like unto former persons who were precedin them - who didn't keep JAH LAW by what are due.
Them are who eat a person flesh and drink a person blood ~ as them gird and work violence to go toward sin - there are no fearin JAH in them faces everytime - and after them arose from them beddin them don't rest to work sin.
and them Work are drink and food - goin toward destruction and sin - that them might destroy many persons bodies in this world.