This verse is one long sentence in Greek, but many languages will need to break it into several shorter ones.

The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us: Good News Bible translates these two clauses as one sentence, but they may be rendered as two sentences by saying “The Lord God knows what is happening [or, is watching over us]. In fact, he has compassion on us [or, feels sorry for us].”

As Moses declared in his song which bore witness against the people to their faces, when he said …: His song refers to the song of Moses in Deut 32. As Moses declared in his song may be expressed as “This is what Moses said in his song.” Bore witness against the people to their faces means Moses stood before his people and accused them. The people may be expanded to “those who had abandoned the Lord” (Good News Bible) or even “our ancestors who rebelled against the Lord.” An alternative model for this whole part of the verse is “Remember what Moses said in his song when he stood before our ancestors who rebelled against the Lord, and accused them. He said….”

And he will have compassion on his servants: Good News Bible has a good model here.

The following model for this verse tries to bring in the note of encouragement the family is trying to express:

• The Lord God knows what is happening [or, is watching over us]. In fact, he has compassion on us [or, feels sorry for us]. Remember what Moses said in that song, when he stood before his people and accused them of abandoning [or, rebelling against] the Lord? He said, ‘The Lord will have mercy on those who serve him [or, his servants].’”

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.