not resistant / falling into destruction

In Gbaya, the notion of something not being resistant or falling into destruction in the referenced verses is emphasized with mbulɛɛ, an ideophone used to designate something that is not resistant, that is falling into ruin, or someone who lives in poverty.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

See also complete verse (Wisdom 1:11).

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 9:68

We do not recommend following Good News Bible for this verse.

They fought with Bacchides, and he was crushed by them may be better rendered “Then they attacked Bacchides and his army, and defeated him [or, them].”

They distressed him greatly may be translated “He was enormously distressed [or, upset].”

For his plan and his expedition had been in vain: His plan refers to his strategy in reasserting Syrian control in Judea; his expedition refers to his march down from Antioch to put his plan into effect. This clause and the previous one can be reversed to good effect, tying the previous one to the next verse as follows: “He had come down from Antioch for nothing, and his strategy [or, plans] had failed. He was enormously distressed….”

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.