I said to myself: Good News Bible has an effective way of connecting verses 11 and 12 by rendering this clause as “At first I asked myself,” and we recommend following it. By converting what the king says to himself in verse 11 into this indirect question, Good News Bible avoids an embedded quotation. Further, “At first” beginning verse 11 and “But then” beginning verse 12 make a convincing scene. Antiochus thought he was a good person until he received the bad news from Judea. Then he figured that his troubles must be punishment for the atrocities he had committed in Judea.

To what distress I have come! And into what a great flood I now am plunged!: These two exclamations may be rendered “How did I ever get into so much trouble [or, up to my neck in troubles]?” or “Why have all these troubles come flooding over me?”

For I was kind and beloved in my power may be translated “After all, I was a kind ruler [or, king/high chief], and my people loved me.”

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.