Speedily let your mercies overtake us: The Jews are faced with a great threat. Simon prays that God’s mercy will catch up and overcome the threat, like one runner overtaking another, catching up with another in a race. Translators may want to avoid the metaphor here by saying “Hurry and remove these threats.”

And put praises in the mouth of those who are downcast and broken in spirit: Translators may begin this clause with “so that those people who…” (similarly Contemporary English Version) or “Then we, your…” (see the model below). Those who are downcast and broken in spirit (expressions with the same meaning) describes the Jews who are wailing in distress (3 Macc 1.16-29). This description may be rendered “your sorrowful and desperate people.” Simon asks that God change the situation so that these same people will start praising God for saving them, and giving them peace.

And give us peace: Contemporary English Version says “Help us to have peace.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Please hurry and remove these threats. Then we, your sorrowful and desperate people, will praise you. Please give us peace.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 3-4 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2018. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.