Liber Iudith, 7

1. Crastina autem die praecepit Holofernes omni militiae suae et omni populo suo, qui affuerunt in auxilium illius, ut pararent se ad Betuliam et ascensus montanae praeoccuparent et facerent pugnam adversus filios Israel.

1. The next day Holofernes ordered his whole army, and all the allies who had joined him, to break camp and move against Bethulia, and to seize the passes up into the hill country and make war on the Israelites.

2. Et paraverunt se in illa die omnis vir potens eorum; et virtus eorum virorum bellatorum erat centum septuaginta milia peditum et equitum duodecim milia, praeter impedimenta et viros, qui erant pedites in eis, multitudo magna valde.

2. So all their warriors moved their camp that day; their force of men of war was one hundred and seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, together with the baggage and the foot soldiers handling it, a very great multitude.

3. Et castra collocaverunt in convallem iuxta Betuliam ad fontem et praetenderunt in latitudinem contra Dothain usque ad Abelmain et in longitudinem a Betulia usque Chyamonem, quae est contra Esdrelon.

3. They encamped in the valley near Bethulia, beside the spring, and they spread out in breadth over Dothan as far as Balbaim and in length from Bethulia to Cyamon, which faces Esdraelon.

4. Filii autem Israel, ut viderunt multitudinem eorum, turbati sunt valde et dixerunt unusquisque ad proximum suum: “Nunc lingent isti faciem totius terrae, nec montes alti neque valles neque colles sustinebunt pondus eorum”.

4. When the Israelites saw their vast numbers they were greatly terrified, and every one said to his neighbor, "These men will now lick up the face of the whole land; neither the high mountains nor the valleys nor the hills will bear their weight."

5. Et accipientes unusquisque vasa sua bellica et accendentes ignem in turribus murorum suorum manebant custodientes per totam noctem illam.

5. Then each man took up his weapons, and when they had kindled fires on their towers they remained on guard all that night.

6. Altera autem die eduxit Holofernes omnem equitatum suum contra faciem filiorum Israel, qui erant in Betulia,

6. On the second day Holofernes led out all his cavalry in full view of the Israelites in Bethulia,

7. et visitavit ascensus civitatis eorum et fontes aquarum perambulavit et praeoccupavit eos. Et praeposuit eis castra virorum bellatorum et ipse convertit in populum suum.

7. and examined the approaches to the city, and visited the springs that supplied their water, and seized them and set guards of soldiers over them, and then returned to his army.

8. Et accedentes ad eum omnes principes filiorum Esau et omnes duces populi Moab et magistratus maritimae dixerunt:

8. Then all the chieftains of the people of Esau and all the leaders of the Moabites and the commanders of the coastland came to him and said,

9. “Audiat verbum dominator noster, ne fiat confractio in virtute tua.

9. "Let our lord hear a word, lest his army be defeated.

10. Populus enim hic filiorum Israel non fidit in lanceis suis sed in altitudinibus montium, in quibus inhabitant; non enim est facile ascendere vertices montium ipsorum.

10. For these people, the Israelites, do not rely on their spears but on the height of the mountains where they live, for it is not easy to reach the tops of their mountains.

11. Et nunc, dominator, noli pugnare ad eos sicut pugna fit belli, et non cadet ex populo tuo vir unus;

11. Therefore, my lord, do not fight against them in battle array, and not a man of your army will fall.

12. sed mane in castris tuis custodiens omnem virum virtutis tuae, et obtineant pueri tui fontem aquarum, qui emanat a radice montis,

12. Remain in your camp, and keep all the men in your forces with you; only let your servants take possession of the spring of water that flows from the foot of the mountain --

13. quia inde hauriunt aquas omnes inhabitantes Betuliam. Et interficiet eos sitis, et tradent civitatem suam, et nos et populus tuus ascendemus super vertices montium proximos et obsidebimus in eis in custodiam, ut non exeat de civitate vir unus.

13. for this is where all the people of Bethulia get their water. So thirst will destroy them, and they will give up their city. We and our people will go up to the tops of the nearby mountains and camp there to keep watch that not a man gets out of the city.

14. Et destilliscent in fame et siti ipsi et mulieres eorum et filii eorum et, priusquam veniat gladius super eos, prosternentur in plateis habitationis suae,

14. They and their wives and children will waste away with famine, and before the sword reaches them they will be strewn about in the streets where they live.

15. et retribues eis retributionem malam, eo quod secesserunt et non obviaverunt faciei tuae in pace”.

15. So you will pay them back with evil, because they rebelled and did not receive you peaceably."

16. Et placuerunt verba eorum coram Holoferne et coram omnibus famulis eius, et constituit facere, ut locuti sunt.

16. These words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he gave orders to do as they had said.

17. Et promoverunt castra filii Moab et cum eis quinque milia filiorum Assyriae et castra constituerunt in convalle et praeoccupaverunt aquas et fontes aquarum filiorum Israel.

17. So the army of the Ammonites moved forward, together with five thousand Assyrians, and they encamped in the valley and seized the water supply and the springs of the Israelites.

18. Et ascenderunt filii Ammon et filii Esau et castra constituerunt in montana contra Dothain. Et miserunt ex eis ad austrum et orientem contra Egrebel, quae est iuxta Chus, quae est ad rivum Mochmur. Et reliqua militia Assyriorum castra constituerunt in campo et operuerunt omnem faciem terrae; et tabernacula et impedimenta eorum constituerunt in turba multa, et erant in multitudinem magnam valde.

18. And the sons of Esau and the sons of Ammon went up and encamped in the hill country opposite Dothan; and they sent some of their men toward the south and the east, toward Acraba, which is near Chusi beside the brook Mochmur. The rest of the Assyrian army encamped in the plain, and covered the whole face of the land, and their tents and supply trains spread out in great number, and they formed a vast multitude.

19. Et filii Israel clamaverunt ad Dominum Deum suum, quoniam minorabatur spiritus eorum, quoniam circumdederant eos omnes inimici eorum, et non poterant effugere de medio eorum.

19. The people of Israel cried out to the Lord their God, for their courage failed, because all their enemies had surrounded them and there was no way of escape from them.

20. Et manserunt in circuitu eorum omnia castra Assyriae, pedites et quadrigae et equites eorum per dies triginta quattuor. Et deficiebant omnibus inhabitantibus Betuliam omnia vasa aquarum eorum,

20. The whole Assyrian army, their infantry, chariots, and cavalry, surrounded them for thirty-four days, until all the vessels of water belonging to every inhabitant of Bethulia were empty;

21. et cisternae eorum evacuabantur, et non habebant quod biberent in satietatem aquam unam diem, quoniam in mensura dabant eis bibere.

21. their cisterns were going dry, and they did not have enough water to drink their fill for a single day, because it was measured out to them to drink.

22. Et anxiati sunt infantes eorum, et mulieres et iuvenes deficiebant a siti et cadebant in plateis civitatis et in transitu portarum, et non erat virtus adhuc in eis.

22. Their children lost heart, and the women and young men fainted from thirst and fell down in the streets of the city and in the passages through the gates; there was no strength left in them any longer.

23. Et collegit se omnis populus ad Oziam et ad principes civitatis, iuvenes et mulieres et infantes, et clamaverunt voce magna et dixerunt coram omnibus senioribus:

23. Then all the people, the young men, the women, and the children, gathered about Uzziah and the rulers of the city and cried out with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,

24. “Iudicet Deus inter vos et nos, quoniam fecistis in nobis iniquitatem magnam non loquentes pacifica cum filiis Assyriae.

24. "God be judge between you and us! For you have done us a great injury in not making peace with the Assyrians.

25. Et nunc non est qui nos adiuvet, sed vendidit nos Deus in manus eorum, ut prosterneremur ante eos in siti et perditione magna.

25. For now we have no one to help us; God has sold us into their hands, to strew us on the ground before them with thirst and utter destruction.

26. Et nunc convocate eos et tradite civitatem totam in captivitatem populo Holofernis et omni virtuti eius.

26. Now call them in and surrender the whole city to the army of Holofernes and to all his forces, to be plundered.

27. Melius est enim nos fieri illis in rapinam; erimus enim eis in servos et ancillas, et vivet anima nostra, et non videbimus mortem infantium nostrorum in oculis nostris et mulieres et filios nostros deficientes in animabus suis.

27. For it would be better for us to be captured by them; for we will be slaves, but our lives will be spared, and we shall not witness the death of our babes before our eyes, or see our wives and children draw their last breath.

28. Contestamur vobis caelum et terram et Deum eorum et Dominum patrum nostrorum, qui ulciscitur in nos secundum peccata nostra et secundum peccata patrum nostrorum, ut non faciat secundum verba haec in hac die”.

28. We call to witness against you heaven and earth and our God, the Lord of our fathers, who punishes us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers. Let him not do this day the things which we have described!"

29. Et factus est fletus magnus in medio ecclesiae omnium unanimiter, et clamaverunt ad Dominum Deum voce magna.

29. Then great and general lamentation arose throughout the assembly, and they cried out to the Lord God with a loud voice.

30. Et dixit ad eos Ozias: “Aequo animo estote, fratres, et sustineamus adhuc dies quinque, in quibus convertet Dominus Deus noster misericordiam suam super nos; non enim derelinquet nos in consummationem.

30. And Uzziah said to them, "Have courage, my brothers! Let us hold out for five more days; by that time the Lord our God will restore to us his mercy, for he will not forsake us utterly.

31. Si autem transierint isti quinque dies, et non fuerit super nos adiutorium, faciam secundum verba vestra”.

31. But if these days pass by, and no help comes for us, I will do what you say."

32. Et dispersit plebem unumquemque in castra sua, et super muros et turres civitatis abierunt, et mulieres et filios in domus suas dimiserunt; et erant in magna humilitate valde.

32. Then he dismissed the people to their various posts, and they went up on the walls and towers of their city. The women and children he sent home. And they were greatly depressed in the city.