When Jonathan and the people heard these words: Good News Bible translates these words as “the proposals made by King Demetrius.” This rendering not only characterizes the message, but names the king. This is especially helpful at the beginning of a new section. However, we may also expand this clause to “When Jonathan and the people heard the proposals that King Demetrius sent from Antioch.”

They did not believe or accept them may be expressed as “they refused to believe them or accept them” (Good News Bible).

Because they remembered the great wrongs which Demetrius had done in Israel: Good News Bible does not use the name Israel. It is probably not necessary, but translators can easily insert a name for Israel by saying “because they remembered how Demetrius had caused the Jews to undergo terrible troubles.”

And how he had greatly oppressed them: This clause merely repeats the content of the previous one. We may say “and how harshly he had treated them” or “and how badly he had treated them.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.