This book is part of the canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, but is not recognized by Protestant, Catholic, or non-Ethiopian Eastern Orthodox traditions. It is one of the three books of Meqabyan (sometimes called the 'Ethiopian Maccabees'), which are distinct from the Maccabees books found in the Septuagint and Vulgate. Although it shares the name, it has no direct relation to the Jewish Maccabean revolt. The text presents parallels with Deuteronomistic themes: sin, punishment, repentance, and restoration, along with a strong emphasis on the resurrection of the dead.
II Meqabyan
Chapter 2
The prophet whom them call Re`ay told him thus: - "Today be Feeling good a little on the time when Feeling good joy were made ~ JAH Whom 'Isra'iel glorified have that Him might revenge and destroy thee in the chastisemant thou didn't doubt.
Will thou say - 'Mi horses are swift ~ because this mi will escape by runnin'?
As to I - I-man tell thee - Persons who will follow thee are swifter than vultures ~ thou won't escape from JAH Judgemant and destruction that shall come on thee.
Will thou say - 'Mi wear iron clothes - and spear flingin and bow stingin aren't able to mi'?; JAH Who honour 'Isra'iel said - It aren't by spear flingin that I-man will revenge and destroy thee" Him told him ~ "I-man shall bring on thee heart sickness and itch and rheumatism sickness that were worse and firmer than spear flingin and bow stingin - yet it aren't by this that I-man shall revenge and destroy thee.
Thou have aroused I anger ~ I-man shall bring heart sickness on thee - and thou will lack one who help thee - and thou won't escape from I Authority up til I-man destroy thy name invocation from this world.
As thou have firmed up thy collar of reasonin - and as thou have ilivated thy ras self on I country - on the time I-man quickly did this thing like unto a eye wink - thou will know I that I-man were thy Creator ~ as thou are before I like unto grass before the wind that fire eat - and as thou are like unto the dust that winds spill and scattar from Earth - thou are like unto them alongside I.
to thou have aroused I anger - and to thou didn't know thy Creator - and I-man shall neglect all thy kindred - and neither will I-man preserve him who neared on thy fortress.
and now return from all thy sin that thou worked ~ if thou return from thy sin and totally appease in mournin and sadness before JAH - and if thou beg toward him in clean reasonin - JAH will forgive thee all thy sin that thou worked before Him" - him told him.
At that time Meqabees wore dust and mourned before JAH because him sin - to JAH have vexed on him.
to Him eyes are revealed - to Him don't withhold - and to Him ears are opened - to Him don't neglect - and to Him don't make the word Him spoke false - and to Him quickly do she at one time - to JAH knew lest Him preserve the chastisemant Him spoke by the prophet Word.
Him cast him clothes and wore sackcloth and sprinkled dust on him head and cried and wept before him Creator JAH because him sin that him worked.