And behold, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the Gentiles have profaned it: The Greek word translated behold marks a special call for the audience’s attention to the words that follow. This word does not require a literal translation in the sense of “Look!” although this may be the most natural way of rendering it in many languages. Other natural ways for catching the readers’ attention may be available in the receptor language. The holy place, the beauty, and the glory are the same thing, the Temple. For Gentiles see 1Macc 1.11. Good News Bible has a good approach here, but if translators have adopted the suggestion above for verse 11, this verse could continue as follows:

• They have profaned [or, made bad taboo] our beautiful Temple, the holy place where we worshiped [the One in Heaven]. Once it was full of glory, but look at it now! They have ruined it.

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.