Judith 7

1But Holofernes on the next day gave orders to his army, to go up against Bethulia.

2Now there were in his troops a hundred and twenty thousand footmen, and two and twenty thousand horsemen, besides the preparations of those men who had been taken, and who had been brought away out of the provinces and cities of all the youth.

3All these prepared themselves together to fight against the children of Israel, and they came by the hillside to the top, which looketh toward Dothain, from the place which is called Belma, unto Chelmon, which is over against Esdrelon.

4But the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, prostrated themselves upon the ground, putting ashes upon their heads, praying with one accord, that the God of Israel would show his mercy upon his people.

5And taking their arms of war, they posted themselves at the places, which by a narrow pathway lead directly between the mountains, and they guarded them all day and night.

6Now Holofernes, in going round about, found that the fountain which supplied them with water, ran through an aqueduct without the city on the south side: and he commanded their aqueduct to be cut off.

7Nevertheless there were springs not far from the walls, out of which they were seen secretly to draw water, to refresh themselves a little rather than to drink their fill.

8But the children of Ammon and Moab came to Holofernes, saying: The children of Israel trust not in their spears, nor in their arrows, but the mountains are their defence, and the steep hills and precipices guard them.

9Wherefore that thou mayst overcome them without joining battle, set guards at the springs that they may not draw water out of them, and thou shalt destroy them without sword, or at least being wearied out they will yield up their city, which they suppose, because it is situate in the mountains, to be impregnable.

10And these words pleased Holofernes, and his officers, and he placed all round about a hundred men at every spring.

11And when they had kept this watch for full twenty days, the cisterns, and the reserve of waters failed among all the inhabitants of Bethulia, so that there was not within the city, enough to satisfy them, no not for one day, for water was daily given out to the people by measure.

12Then all the men and women, young men, and children, gathering themselves together to Ozias, all together with one voice,

13Said: God be judge between us and thee, for thou hast done evil against us, in that thou wouldst not speak peaceably with the Assyrians, and for this cause God hath sold us into their hands.

14And therefore there is no one to help us, while we are cast down before their eyes in thirst, and sad destruction.

15And now assemble ye all that are in the city, that we may of our own accord yield ourselves all up to the people of Holofernes.

16For it is better, that being captives we should live and bless the Lord, than that we should die, and be a reproach to all flesh, after we have seen our wives and our infants die before our eyes.

17We call to witness this day heaven and earth, and the God of our fathers, who taketh vengeance upon us according to our sins, conjuring you to deliver now the city into the hand of the army of Holofernes, that our end may be short by the edge of the sword, which is made longer by the drought of thirst.

18And when they had said these things, there was great weeping and lamentation of all in the assembly, and for many hours with one voice they cried to God, saying:

19We have sinned with our fathers, we have done unjustly, we have committed iniquity:

20Have thou mercy on us, because thou art good, or punish our iniquities by chastising us thyself, and deliver not them that trust in thee to a people that knoweth not thee,

21That they may not say among the Gentiles: Where is their God?

22And when being wearied with these cries, and tired with these weepings, they held their peace,

23Ozias rising up all in tears, said: Be of good courage, my brethren, and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord.

24For perhaps he will put a stop to his indignation, and will give glory to his own name.

25But if after five days be past there come no aid, we will do the things which you have spoken.

1Holofernes autem altera die præcepit exercitibus suis ut ascenderent contra Bethuliam.

2Erant autem pedites bellatorum centum viginti millia, et equites viginti duo millia, præter præparationes virorum illorum quos occupaverat captivitas, et abducti fuerant de provinciis et urbibus universæ juventutis.

3Omnes paraverunt se pariter ad pugnam contra filios Israël, et venerunt per crepidinem montis usque ad apicem, qui respicit super Dothain, a loco qui dicitur Belma usque ad Chelmon, qui est contra Esdrelon.

4Filii autem Israël, ut viderunt multitudinem illorum, prostraverunt se super terram, mittentes cinerem super capita sua, unanimes orantes ut Deus Israël misericordiam suam ostenderet super populum suum.

5Et assumentes arma sua bellica, sederunt per loca quæ ad angusti itineris tramitem dirigunt inter montosa, et erant custodientes ea tota die et nocte.

6Porro Holofernes, dum circuit per gyrum, reperit quod fons qui influebat, aquæductum illorum a parte australi extra civitatem dirigeret : et incidi præcepit aquæductum illorum.

7Erant tamen non longe a muris fontes, ex quibus furtim videbantur haurire aquam ad refocillandum potius quam ad potandum.

8Sed filii Ammon et Moab accesserunt ad Holofernem, dicentes : Filii Israël non in lancea nec in sagitta confidunt, sed montes defendunt illos, et muniunt illos colles in præcipitio constituti.

9Ut ergo sine congressione pugnæ possis superare eos, pone custodes fontium, ut non hauriant aquam ex eis, et sine gladio interficies eos, vel certe fatigati tradent civitatem suam, quam putant in montibus positam superari non posse.

10Et placuerunt verba hæc coram Holoferne et coram satellitibus ejus, et constituit per gyrum centenarios per singulos fontes.

11Cumque ista custodia per dies viginti fuisset expleta, defecerunt cisternæ et collectiones aquarum omnibus habitantibus Bethuliam, ita ut non esset intra civitatem unde satiarentur vel una die, quoniam ad mensuram dabatur populis aqua quotidie.

12Tunc ad Oziam congregati omnes viri feminæque, juvenes et parvuli, omnes simul una voce

13dixerunt : Judicet Deus inter nos et te, quoniam fecisti in nos mala, nolens loqui pacifice cum Assyriis, et propter hoc vendidit nos Deus in manibus eorum.

14Et ideo non est qui adjuvet, cum prosternamur ante oculos eorum in siti, et perditione magna.

15Et nunc congregate universos qui in civitate sunt, ut sponte tradamus nos omnes populo Holofernis.

16Melius est enim ut captivi benedicamus Dominum viventes, quam moriamur, et simus opprobrium omni carni, cum viderimus uxores nostras et infantes nostros mori ante oculos nostros.

17Contestamur hodie cælum et terram, et Deum patrum nostrorum, qui ulciscitur nos secundum peccata nostra, ut jam tradatis civitatem in manu militiæ Holofernis, et sit finis noster brevis in ore gladii, qui longior efficitur in ariditate sitis.

18Et cum hæc dixissent, factus est fletus et ululatus magnus in ecclesia ab omnibus, et per multas horas una voce clamaverunt ad Deum, dicentes:

19Peccavimus cum patribus nostris : injuste egimus, iniquitatem fecimus.

20Tu, quia pius es, miserere nostri, aut in tuo flagello vindica iniquitates nostras, et noli tradere confitentes te populo qui ignorat te,

21ut non dicant inter gentes : Ubi est Deus eorum?

22Et cum fatigati ex his clamoribus et his fletibus lassati siluissent,

23exsurgens Ozias infusus lacrimis, dixit : Æquo animo estote, fratres, et hos quinque dies expectemus a Domino misericordiam.

24Forsitan enim indignationem suam abscindet, et dabit gloriam nomini suo.

25Si autem transactis quinque diebus non venerit adjutorium, faciemus hæc verba quæ locuti estis.

1τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον παρήγγειλεν Ολοφέρνης πάσῃ τῇ στρατιᾷ αὐτοῦ καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ οἳ παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν αὐτοῦ ἀναζευγνύειν ἐπὶ Βαιτυλουα καὶ τὰς ἀναβάσεις τῆς ὀρεινῆς προκαταλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖν πόλεμον πρὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ

2καὶ ἀνέζευξεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ πᾶς ἀνὴρ δυνατὸς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν χιλιάδες πεζῶν ἑκατὸν ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ ἱππέων χιλιάδες δέκα δύο χωρὶς τῆς ἀποσκευῆς καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν οἳ ἦσαν πεζοὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς πλῆθος πολὺ σφόδρα

3καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι πλησίον Βαιτυλουα ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς καὶ παρέτειναν εἰς εὖρος ἐπὶ Δωθαϊμ ἕως Βελβαιμ καὶ εἰς μῆκος ἀπὸ Βαιτυλουα ἕως Κυαμωνος ἥ ἐστιν ἀπέναντι τοῦ Εσδρηλων

4οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ὡς εἶδον αὐτῶν τὸ πλῆθος ἐταράχθησαν σφόδρα καὶ εἶπαν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ νῦν ἐκλείξουσιν οὗτοι τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς πάσης καὶ οὔτε τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλὰ οὔτε αἱ φάραγγες οὔτε οἱ βουνοὶ ὑποστήσονται τὸ βάρος αὐτῶν

5καὶ ἀναλαβόντες ἕκαστος τὰ σκεύη τὰ πολεμικὰ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀνακαύσαντες πυρὰς ἐπὶ τοὺς πύργους αὐτῶν ἔμενον φυλάσσοντες ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην

6τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἐξήγαγεν Ολοφέρνης πᾶσαν τὴν ἵππον αὐτοῦ κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ οἳ ἦσαν ἐν Βαιτυλουα

7καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο τὰς ἀναβάσεις τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων ἐφώδευσεν καὶ προκατελάβετο αὐτὰς καὶ ἐπέστησεν αὐταῖς παρεμβολὰς ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνέζευξεν εἰς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ

8καὶ προσελθόντες αὐτῷ πάντες ἄρχοντες υἱῶν Ησαυ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἡγούμενοι τοῦ λαοῦ Μωαβ καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ τῆς παραλίας εἶπαν

9ἀκουσάτω δὴ λόγον ὁ δεσπότης ἡμῶν ἵνα μὴ γένηται θραῦσμα ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου

10ὁ γὰρ λαὸς οὗτος τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ οὐ πέποιθαν ἐπὶ τοῖς δόρασιν αὐτῶν ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοῖς ὕψεσι τῶν ὀρέων ἐν οἷς αὐτοὶ ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν αὐτοῖς οὐ γάρ ἐστιν εὐχερὲς προσβῆναι ταῖς κορυφαῖς τῶν ὀρέων αὐτῶν

11καὶ νῦν δέσποτα μὴ πολέμει πρὸς αὐτοὺς καθὼς γίνεται πόλεμος παρατάξεως καὶ οὐ πεσεῖται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ σου ἀνὴρ εἷς

12ἀνάμεινον ἐπὶ τῆς παρεμβολῆς σου διαφυλάσσων πάντα ἄνδρα ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεώς σου καὶ ἐπικρατησάτωσαν οἱ παῖδές σου τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος ἣ ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης τοῦ ὄρους

13διότι ἐκεῖθεν ὑδρεύονται πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες Βαιτυλουα καὶ ἀνελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἡ δίψα καὶ ἐκδώσουσι τὴν πόλιν αὐτῶν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἡμῶν ἀναβησόμεθα ἐπὶ τὰς πλησίον κορυφὰς τῶν ὀρέων καὶ παρεμβαλοῦμεν ἐπ' αὐταῖς εἰς προφυλακὴν τοῦ μὴ ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἄνδρα ἕνα

14καὶ τακήσονται ἐν τῷ λιμῷ αὐτοὶ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὴν ῥομφαίαν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς καταστρωθήσονται ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τῆς οἰκήσεως αὐτῶν

15καὶ ἀνταποδώσεις αὐτοῖς ἀνταπόδομα πονηρὸν ἀνθ' ὧν ἐστασίασαν καὶ οὐκ ἀπήντησαν τῷ προσώπῳ σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ

16καὶ ἤρεσαν οἱ λόγοι αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον Ολοφέρνου καὶ ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ καὶ συνέταξε ποιεῖν καθὰ ἐλάλησαν

17καὶ ἀπῆρεν παρεμβολὴ υἱῶν Αμμων καὶ μετ' αὐτῶν χιλιάδες πέντε υἱῶν Ασσουρ καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι καὶ προκατελάβοντο τὰ ὕδατα καὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ

18καὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ησαυ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ ἀπέναντι Δωθαϊμ καὶ ἀπέστειλαν ἐξ αὐτῶν πρὸς νότον καὶ ἀπηλιώτην ἀπέναντι Εγρεβηλ ἥ ἐστιν πλησίον Χους ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ χειμάρρου Μοχμουρ καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ στρατιὰ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ἐκάλυψαν πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς καὶ αἱ σκηναὶ καὶ αἱ ἀπαρτίαι αὐτῶν κατεστρατοπέδευσαν ἐν ὄχλῳ πολλῷ καὶ ἦσαν εἰς πλῆθος πολὺ σφόδρα

19καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ἀνεβόησαν πρὸς κύριον θεὸν αὐτῶν ὅτι ὠλιγοψύχησεν τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν ὅτι ἐκύκλωσαν πάντες οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἦν διαφυγεῖν ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν

20καὶ ἔμεινεν κύκλῳ αὐτῶν πᾶσα παρεμβολὴ Ασσουρ οἱ πεζοὶ καὶ ἅρματα καὶ οἱ ἱππεῖς αὐτῶν ἡμέρας τριάκοντα τέσσαρας καὶ ἐξέλιπεν πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Βαιτυλουα πάντα τὰ ἀγγεῖα αὐτῶν τῶν ὑδάτων

21καὶ οἱ λάκκοι ἐξεκενοῦντο καὶ οὐκ εἶχον πιεῖν εἰς πλησμονὴν ὕδωρ ἡμέραν μίαν ὅτι ἐν μέτρῳ ἐδίδοσαν αὐτοῖς πιεῖν

22καὶ ἠθύμησεν τὰ νήπια αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ἐξέλιπον ἀπὸ τῆς δίψης καὶ ἔπιπτον ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐν ταῖς διόδοις τῶν πυλῶν καὶ οὐκ ἦν κραταίωσις ἔτι ἐν αὐτοῖς

23καὶ ἐπισυνήχθησαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ Οζιαν καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς πόλεως οἱ νεανίσκοι καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ τὰ παιδία καὶ ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπαν ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων

24κρίναι ὁ θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐποιήσατε ἐν ἡμῖν ἀδικίαν μεγάλην οὐ λαλήσαντες εἰρηνικὰ μετὰ υἱῶν Ασσουρ

25καὶ νῦν οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ βοηθὸς ἡμῶν ἀλλὰ πέπρακεν ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν τοῦ καταστρωθῆναι ἐναντίον αὐτῶν ἐν δίψῃ καὶ ἀπωλείᾳ μεγάλῃ

26καὶ νῦν ἐπικαλέσασθε αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔκδοσθε τὴν πόλιν πᾶσαν εἰς προνομὴν τῷ λαῷ Ολοφέρνου καὶ πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ

27κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἡμῖν γενηθῆναι αὐτοῖς εἰς διαρπαγήν ἐσόμεθα γὰρ εἰς δούλους καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν καὶ οὐκ ὀψόμεθα τὸν θάνατον τῶν νηπίων ἡμῶν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν ἐκλειπούσας τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν

28μαρτυρόμεθα ὑμῖν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν καὶ κύριον τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ὃς ἐκδικεῖ ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἵνα μὴ ποιήσῃ κατὰ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ σήμερον

29καὶ ἐγένετο κλαυθμὸς μέγας ἐν μέσῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πάντων ὁμοθυμαδόν καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεὸν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ

30καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς Οζιας θαρσεῖτε ἀδελφοί διακαρτερήσωμεν ἔτι πέντε ἡμέρας ἐν αἷς ἐπιστρέψει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς οὐ γὰρ ἐγκαταλείψει ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος

31ἐὰν δὲ διέλθωσιν αὗται καὶ μὴ ἔλθῃ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς βοήθεια ποιήσω κατὰ τὰ ῥήματα ὑμῶν

32καὶ ἐσκόρπισεν τὸν λαὸν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρεμβολήν καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ τοὺς πύργους τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα εἰς τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀπέστειλαν καὶ ἦσαν ἐν ταπεινώσει πολλῇ ἐν τῇ πόλει