Daniel, 13

1. In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim.

1. There dwelt a man in Babylon, called Joacim:

2. He was married to a woman called Susanna daughter of Hilkiah, a woman of great beauty; and she was God-fearing, for

2. And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, a very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord.

3. her parents were worthy people and had instructed their daughter in the Law of Moses.

3. Her parents also were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.

4. Joakim was a very rich man and had a garden by his house; he used to be visited by a considerable number of the Jews, since he was held in greater respect than any other man.

4. Now Joacim was a great rich man, and had a fair garden joining unto his house: and to him resorted the Jews; because he was more honourable than all others.

5. Two elderly men had been selected from the people, that year, to act as judges. Of such the Lord had said, 'Wickedness has come to Babylon through the elders and judges posing as guides to the people.'

5. The same year were appointed two of the ancients of the people to be judges, such as the Lord spake of, that wickedness came from Babylon from ancient judges, who seemed to govern the people.

6. These men were often at Joakim's house, and all who were engaged in litigation used to come to them.

6. These kept much at Joacim's house: and all that had any suits in law came unto them.

7. At midday, when the people had gone away, Susanna would take a walk in her husband's garden.

7. Now when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband's garden to walk.

8. The two elders, who used to watch her every day as she came in to take her walk, gradually began to desire her.

8. And the two elders saw her going in every day, and walking; so that their lust was inflamed toward her.

9. They threw reason aside, making no effort to turn their eyes to Heaven, and forgetting the demands of virtue.

9. And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.

10. Both were inflamed by passion for her, but they hid their desire from each other,

10. And albeit they both were wounded with her love, yet durst not one shew another his grief.

11. for they were ashamed to admit the longing to sleep with her,

11. For they were ashamed to declare their lust, that they desired to have to do with her.

12. but they made sure of watching her every day.

12. Yet they watched diligently from day to day to see her.

13. One day, having parted with the words, 'Let us go home, then, it is time for the midday meal,' they went off in different directions,

13. And the one said to the other, Let us now go home: for it is dinner time.

14. only to retrace their steps and find themselves face to face again. Obliged then to explain, they admitted their desire and agreed to look for an opportunity of surprising her alone.

14. So when they were gone out, they parted the one from the other, and turning back again they came to the same place; and after that they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: then appointed they a time both together, when they might find her alone.

15. So they waited for a favourable moment; and one day Susanna came as usual, accompanied only by two young maidservants. The day was hot and she wanted to bathe in the garden.

15. And it fell out, as they watched a fit time, she went in as before with two maids only, and she was desirous to wash herself in the garden: for it was hot.

16. There was no one about except the two elders, spying on her from their hiding place.

16. And there was no body there save the two elders, that had hid themselves, and watched her.

17. She said to the servants, 'Bring me some oil and balsam and shut the garden door while I bathe.'

17. Then she said to her maids, Bring me oil and washing balls, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash me.

18. They did as they were told, shutting the garden door and going back to the house by a side entrance to fetch what she had asked for; they knew nothing about the elders, for they had concealed themselves.

18. And they did as she bade them, and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at privy doors to fetch the things that she had commanded them: but they saw not the elders, because they were hid.

19. Hardly were the maids gone than the two elders sprang up and rushed upon her.

19. Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders rose up, and ran unto her, saying,

20. 'Look,' they said, 'the garden door is shut, no one can see us. We want to have you, so give in and let us!

20. Behold, the garden doors are shut, that no man can see us, and we are in love with thee; therefore consent unto us, and lie with us.

21. Refuse, and we shall both give evidence that a young man was with you and that this was why you sent your maids away.'

21. If thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was with thee: and therefore thou didst send away thy maids from thee.

22. Susanna sighed. 'I am trapped,' she said, 'whatever I do. If I agree, it means death for me; if I resist, I cannot get away from you.

22. Then Susanna sighed, and said, I am straitened on every side: for if I do this thing, it is death unto me: and if I do it not I cannot escape your hands.

23. But I prefer to fall innocent into your power than to sin in the eyes of the Lord.'

23. It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.

24. She then cried out as loud as she could. The two elders began shouting too, putting the blame on her,

24. With that Susanna cried with a loud voice: and the two elders cried out against her.

25. and one of them ran to open the garden door.

25. Then ran the one, and opened the garden door.

26. The household, hearing the shouting in the garden, rushed out by the side entrance to see what had happened to her.

26. So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at the privy door, to see what was done unto her.

27. Once the elders had told their story, the servants were thoroughly taken aback, since nothing of this sort had ever been said of Susanna.

27. But when the elders had declared their matter, the servants were greatly ashamed: for there was never such a report made of Susanna.

28. Next day a meeting was held at the house of her husband Joakim. The two elders arrived, full of their wicked plea against Susanna, to have her put to death.

28. And it came to pass the next day, when the people were assembled to her husband Joacim, the two elders came also full of mischievous imagination against Susanna to put her to death;

29. They addressed the company, 'Summon Susanna daughter of Hilkiah and wife of Joakim.' She was sent for,

29. And said before the people, Send for Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, Joacim's wife. And so they sent.

30. and came accompanied by her parents, her children and all her relations.

30. So she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred.

31. Susanna was very graceful and beautiful to look at;

31. Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beauteous to behold.

32. she was veiled, so the wretches made her unveil in order to feast their eyes on her beauty.

32. And these wicked men commanded to uncover her face, (for she was covered) that they might be filled with her beauty.

33. All her own people were weeping, and so were all the others who saw her.

33. Therefore her friends and all that saw her wept.

34. The two elders stood up, with all the people round them, and laid their hands on her head.

34. Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head.

35. Tearfully she turned her eyes to Heaven, her heart confident in God.

35. And she weeping looked up toward heaven: for her heart trusted in the Lord.

36. The elders then spoke, 'While we were walking by ourselves in the garden, this woman arrived with two maids. She shut the garden door and then dismissed the servants.

36. And the elders said, As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, and shut the garden doors, and sent the maids away.

37. A young man, who had been hiding, went over to her and they lay together.

37. Then a young man, who there was hid, came unto her, and lay with her.

38. From the end of the garden where we were, we saw this crime taking place and hurried towards them.

38. Then we that stood in a corner of the garden, seeing this wickedness, ran unto them.

39. Though we saw them together, we were unable to catch the man: he was too strong for us; he opened the door and took to his heels.

39. And when we saw them together, the man we could not hold: for he was stronger than we, and opened the door, and leaped out.

40. We did, however, catch this woman and ask her who the young man was.

40. But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: these things do we testify.

41. She refused to tell us. That is our evidence.' Since they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly accepted their word: Susanna was condemned to death.

41. Then the assembly believed them as those that were the elders and judges of the people: so they condemned her to death.

42. She cried out as loud as she could, 'Eternal God, you know all secrets and everything before it happens;

42. Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, O everlasting God, that knowest the secrets, and knowest all things before they be:

43. you know that they have given false evidence against me. And now I must die, innocent as I am of everything their malice has invented against me!'

43. Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and, behold, I must die; whereas I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.

44. The Lord heard her cry

44. And the Lord heard her voice.

45. and, as she was being led away to die, he roused the holy spirit residing in a young boy called Daniel

45. Therefore when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young youth whose name was Daniel:

46. who began to shout, 'I am innocent of this woman's death!'

46. Who cried with a loud voice, I am clear from the blood of this woman.

47. At this all the people turned to him and asked, 'What do you mean by that?'

47. Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, What mean these words that thou hast spoken?

48. Standing in the middle of the crowd, he replied, 'Are you so stupid, children of Israel, as to condemn a daughter of Israel unheard, and without troubling to find out the truth?

48. So he standing in the midst of them said, Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel?

49. Go back to the scene of the trial: these men have given false evidence against her.'

49. Return again to the place of judgment: for they have borne false witness against her.

50. All the people hurried back, and the elders said to Daniel, 'Come and sit with us and tell us what you mean, since God has given you the gifts that elders have.'

50. Wherefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said unto him, Come, sit down among us, and shew it us, seeing God hath given thee the honour of an elder.

51. Daniel said, 'Keep the men well apart from each other, for I want to question them.'

51. Then said Daniel unto them, Put these two aside one far from another, and I will examine them.

52. When the men had been separated, Daniel had one of them brought to him. 'You have grown old in wickedness,' he said, 'and now the sins of your earlier days have overtaken you,

52. So when they were put asunder one from another, he called one of them, and said unto him, O thou that art waxen old in wickedness, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come to light.

53. you with your unjust judgements, your condemnation of the innocent, your acquittal of the guilty, although the Lord has said, "You must not put the innocent and upright to death."

53. For thou hast pronounced false judgment and hast condemned the innocent and hast let the guilty go free; albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and righteous shalt thou not slay.

54. Now then, since you saw her so clearly, tell me what sort of tree you saw them lying under.' He replied, 'Under an acacia tree.'

54. Now then, if thou hast seen her, tell me, Under what tree sawest thou them companying together? Who answered, Under a mastick tree.

55. Daniel said, 'Indeed! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God has already received from him your sentence and will cut you in half.'

55. And Daniel said, Very well; thou hast lied against thine own head; for even now the angel of God hath received the sentence of God to cut thee in two.

56. He dismissed the man, ordered the other to be brought and said to him, 'Son of Canaan, not of Judah, beauty has seduced you, lust has led your heart astray!

56. So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said unto him, O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thine heart.

57. This is how you have been behaving with the daughters of Israel, and they have been too frightened to resist; but here is a daughter of Judah who could not stomach your wickedness!

57. Thus have ye dealt with the daughters of Israel, and they for fear companied with you: but the daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness.

58. Now then, tell me what sort of tree you surprised them under.' He replied, 'Under an aspen tree.'

58. Now therefore tell me, Under what tree didst thou take them companying together? Who answered, Under an holm tree.

59. Daniel said, 'Indeed! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God is waiting with a sword to rend you in half, and destroy the pair of you.'

59. Then said Daniel unto him, Well; thou hast also lied against thine own head: for the angel of God waiteth with the sword to cut thee in two, that he may destroy you.

60. Then the whole assembly shouted, blessing God, the Saviour of those who trust in him.

60. With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.

61. And they turned on the two elders whom Daniel had convicted of false evidence out of their own mouths.

61. And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth:

62. As the Law of Moses prescribes, they were given the same punishment as they had schemed to inflict on their neighbour. They were put to death. And thus, that day, an innocent life was saved.

62. And according to the law of Moses they did unto them in such sort as they maliciously intended to do to their neighbour: and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day.

63. Hilkiah and his wife gave thanks to God for their daughter Susanna, and so did her husband Joakim and all his relations, because she had been acquitted of anything dishonourable.

63. Therefore Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joacim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.

64. From that day onwards, Daniel's reputation stood high with the people.

64. From that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people.