As men ought to go who have the courage to refuse things that it is not right to taste, even for the natural love of life: This verse is a parenthetical statement about how people should respond when they are offered forbidden food. They should refuse it, no matter how much they want to live. It may be rendered as a separate sentence within parentheses. Things that it is not right to taste refers to “unclean food” (Good News Bible), food forbidden by the Jewish Law. Even for the natural love of life may be expressed as “no matter how much they love life.” Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• This is how people ought to act if they have the courage. They should refuse [to eat] unclean [or, forbidden] food, no matter how much they love life [or, want to live].

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.