Judith, 7

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

1. Sutradan zapovjedi Holoferno svoj vojsci svojoj i svim narodima koji mu se bijahu pridružili u savezništvo da krenu na Betuliju, da zaposjednu putove što vode u brda i da zametnu rat protiv sinova Izraelovih.

2. Moreover, 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.

2. Toga istog dana krenuše svi njihovi ratnici. Vojska se tih bojovnika sastojala od stotinu i sedamdeset tisuæa pješaka i dvanaest tisuæa konjanika, ne brojeæi opremu i golemo mnoštvo ljudi koji su išli pješke meðu njima.

3. All 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.

3. Utaboriše se u dolini nadomak Betuliji, uz izvor; zauzeše prostor u širinu od Dotaina do Belbaima, a u dužinu od Betulije do Kimona, koji se nalazi suèelice Ezdrelonu.

4. But 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.

4. Kada sinovi Izraelovi vidješe sve to mnoštvo, u strahu poèeše govoriti meðu sobom: "Ovi æe potamaniti sve na zemlji! Ni najviše planine, ni klanci, ni bregovi neæe izdržati pod njihovom težinom."

5. And, 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.

5. Svaki pograbi oružje; upalivši luèi na svojim kulama, ostadoše na straži svu onu noæ.

6. Now 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.

6. Ujutro izvede Holoferno sve konjaništvo pred oèi sinova Izraelovih koji su se nalazili u Betuliji;

7. Even 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.

7. podvrže budnu nadzoru sve uspone koji su vodili do grada njihova, pretraži sve izvore vode i zauze ih i tu postavi vojnièke straže pa se onda vrati k vojsci svojoj.

8. But 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.

8. Doðoše k njemu svi poglavari sinova Ezavovih, sve voðe naroda moapskoga i vojskovoðe obalnih krajeva te rekoše:

9. Therefore, 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.”

9. "Neka posluša naš gospodar nekoliko naših rijeèi da ne bi pretrpio poraz vojske svoje.

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

10. Taj se narod sinova Izraelovih nije nikada uzdavao u svoja koplja nego u planinske uzvisine po kojima živi, jer nije se lako popeti na vrhove njihovih brda.

11. And 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.

11. Zato se nemoj, gospodaru, boriti s njima kako se bori u otvorenoj bitki, pa neæe poginuti ni jedan èovjek koji pripada tvome narodu.

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

12. Ostani u svome taboru èuvajuæi brižno svakoga svog vojnika. A dotle neka se tvoje sluge domognu vrela koje izvire na obronku.

13. said: “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.

13. Iz njega doista uzimaju vodu svi stanovnici Betulije. Žeða æe ih skonèati i oni æe predati grad. Mi æemo se onda sa svojim èetama popeti na obližnje gorske uzvisine pa na njima postaviti stražu da ni jedan èovjek ne izaðe iz grada.

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

14. Glad æe umoriti njih i njihove žene i njihovu djecu, pa još prije nego ih sasijeèemo maèem, ležat æe onemoæali po trgovima boravišta svoga.

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

15. Tada æeš im groznom odmazdom platiti što se pobuniše i ne iziðoše ti s mirom u susret."

16. For 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.

16. Razlaganje njihovo svidje se Holofernu i svim njegovim vojvodama. Izda on zapovijed da uèine kako su ga svjetovali.

17. We 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.”

17. Krenu dakle odjel sinova Amonovih sa pet tisuæa Asiraca pa se utabori u podolju, zauzevši nakapnice i izvore voda sinova Izraelovih.

18. And 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:

18. Prema uzvisinama krenuše sinovi Ezavovi i sinovi Amonovi pa stadoše u brdovitu kraju nasuprot Dotainu, odakle poslaše jedan dio prema jugoistoku, suèelice Egrebelu, koji se nalazi blizu Kusa na obali potoka Mohmura. Ostali dio asirske vojske utabori se na ravnici pa prekri sve lice zemlje; šatori i silna oprema protezali im se u gustim nizovima tvoreæi golemo mnoštvo.

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

19. Sinovi Izraelovi podigoše glas Gospodu Bogu svome, jer se obeshrabrio duh njihov zbog toga što bijahu opkoljeni od sviju neprijatelja svojih tako da im ne mogahu izmaæi.

20. May 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,

20. Trideset se i èetiri dana nalazila oko njih asirska sila: pješaci, vojnièka kola, konjanici. A onda stanovnicima Betulije nestade vode u sudovima,

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

21. a nakapnice im bijahu prazne; ni jedan dan nisu imali dovoljno pitke vode jer im se voda za piæe davala na mjeru.

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

22. Djeca im bijahu iznemogla, žene im i mladiæi padali u nesvijest od žeðe: ležali su po gradskim trgovima ili u kuæama, nisu više imali snage.

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

23. Tada sav narod, mladiæi, žene i djeca odoše k Oziji i gradskim upravljaèima i povikaše i rekoše pred svim starješinama:

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

24. "Neka Bog sudi izmeðu vas i nas zbog velike nepravde koju ste poèinili na štetu našu jer niste htjeli mirno pregovarati s Asircima.

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

25. Sad nam nema više pomoæi niodakle: Bog nas je predao u njihove ruke da iznemognemo od žeðe i posvemašnje iscrpljenosti.

26.

26. A sada ih pozovite i predajte sav grad pljaèki Holofernovih ljudi i sve vojske njegove.

27.

27. Jer nam je bolje da postanemo njihov plijen. Bit æemo, doduše, njihovi robovi, ali æemo saèuvati živote i neæemo roðenim oèima gledati smrt djece svoje niti kako nam žene i djeca ispuštaju dušu.

28.

28. U ime neba i zemlje, u ime Boga i Gospoda otaca naših, koji nas je kaznio zbog grijeha naših i poradi prijestupa otaca naših, zaklinjemo vas da još danas izvršite što smo vam kazali."

29.

29. Usred zbora nasta sveopæi plaè i svi glasno zavapiše Gospodu Bogu.

30.

30. Ozija im upravi rijeè: "Budite hrabri, braæo, ustrajmo još pet dana, za kojih æe Gospod Bog naš izliti na nas milost svoju: zacijelo nas neæe napustiti zauvijek.

31.

31. Proðe li tih pet dana bez ikakve pomoæi, izvršit æu što tražite."

32.

32. Potom otpusti narod, svakoga u njegovu èetvrt. Ljudi odoše na zidove i kule svoga grada, a žene i djecu poslaše njihovim kuæama. Ali u gradu bijahu krajnje potišteni.