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 Behlma, 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 shew 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 fountains which supplied them with water, ran through an aqueduct without the city on the south side: and he commanded their aqueduct to he 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 defense, and the steep hires 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 commited 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 leave 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.

1But Holofernes, on another day, instructed his army to ascend against Bethulia.

2Moreover, there were one hundred and twenty thousand foot-soldiers, and twenty-two thousand horsemen, besides the contingents of those men who had been taken captive, and all the youths who had been abducted from the provinces and the cities.

3All these prepared themselves together to fight against the sons of Israel, and they came through the foothills of the mountain, even to the apex, which looks down upon Dothain, from the place which is called Belma, up to Chelmon, which is opposite Esdrelon.

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

5And, taking up their arms of war, they set up positions at the places that lead along a narrow footpath between the mountains, and they guarded them all day and night.

6Now Holofernes, while circling around, discovered that the fountain that flowed in to them, led directly through an aqueduct on the south side, beyond the city. And he instructed their aqueduct to be cut off.

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

8But the sons of Ammon and Moab approached Holofernes, saying: “The sons of Israel do not trust in their lances, nor in their arrows, but the mountains are their defense, and the steep hills and precipices constitute their fortifications.

9Therefore, so that you may be able to overcome them without joining battle, set guards at the springs so that they may not draw water from them, and you will put them to death without the sword, or at least, being weary, they will hand over their city, which they suppose to be, by its position in the mountains, unable to be conquered.”

10And these words were pleasing before Holofernes and before his attendants, and so he stationed a hundred men around every spring.

11And when they had kept this watch through twenty full days, the cisterns and collections of waters failed among all the inhabitants of Bethulia, so that there was within the city not enough to satisfy them for even one day, because water was given out to the people daily by measure.

12Then, all the men and women, youths and little ones, gathering together before Uzziah, all with one voice together,

13said: “May God be judge between us and you, for you have done evil with us, in not being willing to speak peacefully with the Assyrians, and because of this, God has sold us into their hands.

14And therefore, there is no one to help us, while we are prostrated before their eyes with thirst and great destruction.

15And now, gather together all who are in the city, so that we may willingly deliver every one of us to the people of Holofernes.

16For it is better that as captives, being alive, we should bless the Lord, than that we should die and become a disgrace to all flesh, after we have seen our wives and our children die before our eyes.

17We call to witness this day heaven and earth, and the God of our fathers, who takes vengeance upon us according to our sins, so that now you may deliver the city into the hand of the military of Holofernes. And may our end be brief, by the edge of the sword, that would be made longer by the dryness of thirst.”

18And when they had said these things, there happened a great weeping and a loud lamentation within the assembly. From everyone and for many hours, with one voice, they cried out to God, saying:

19“We have sinned like our fathers, we have acted unjustly, we have committed iniquity.

20May you have mercy on us, for you are pious, or with your own scourges avenge our iniquities, but do not be willing to deliver those trusting in you to a people who are ignorant of you,

21so that they may not say among the Gentiles, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

22And when, being weary from these outcries, and tired from these weepings, they became silent,

23Uzziah, rising up covered in tears, said: “Be steadfast in soul, brothers, and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord.

24For perhaps he will break off his indignation and give glory to his own name.

25But if, with five days passing, help does not arrive, we will accomplish the words that you have spoken.”