Judith, 8

1. And it happened that these words were heard by Judith, a widow who was the daughter of Merari, the son of Idox, the son of Joseph, the son of Oziel, the son of Elai, the son of Jamnor, the son of Gideon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Ahitub, the son of Melchiel, the son of Enan, the son of Nathaniel, the son of Salathiel, the son of Simeon, the son of Ruben.

1. Tih dana sve je to èula Judita, kæi Merarija, sina Oksa, sina Oziela, sina Elkija, sina Ananije, sina Gedeona, sina Rafaina, sina Ahitoba, sina Elije, sina Helkije, sina Eliaba, sina Natanaela, sina Salamiela, sina Sarasadaja, sina Izraelova.

2. And her husband was Manasseh, who died in the days of the barley harvest.

2. Njezin muž Manaše, iz istoga plemena i obitelji, bješe umro za žetve jeèma.

3. For he was standing over those who bound sheaves in the field, and the heat overcame his head, and he died in Bethulia, his own city, and he was buried there with his fathers.

3. Nadgledavao je one koji su povezivali snopove na njivi kad ga pogodi sunèanica: pade na postelju i umrije u Betuliji, gradu svome; pokopaše ga do njegovih otaca u polju što se nalazi na pola puta izmeðu Dotaina i Balamona.

4. But Judith, his bereaved, was a widow now for three years and six months.

4. Judita odonda življaše kao udovica veæ tri godine i èetiri mjeseca.

5. And she made herself a private chamber in the upper part of her house, in which she stayed enclosed with her handmaids.

5. Naèinila je sebi sobu na ravnome kuænom krovu, navukla preko bokova kostrijet i nosila haljine udovièke.

6. And she had haircloth around her waist, and she fasted all the days of her life, except Sabbaths, and new moons, and the feasts of the house of Israel.

6. Postila je sve dane udovištva svoga, osim uoèi subote i za samih subota, uoèi mlaðaka i za samih mlaðaka te za svetkovina i blagdana doma Izraelova.

7. Moreover, she was exceedingly elegant in appearance, and her husband left her many riches, and an abundant household, as well as the ownership of plentiful herds of oxen and flocks of sheep.

7. Bila je lijepa i naoèita. Njezin muž Manaše bijaše joj ostavio zlata i srebra, slugu i sluškinja, stoke i zemljišta, i tako je živjela.

8. And she was greatly renowned among all, because she feared the Lord very much, nor was there anyone who spoke an ill word about her.

8. Ne bijaše nikoga koji bi kazao što ružno o njoj, jer je bila jako bogobojazna.

9. And so, when she heard that Uzziah had promised that he would hand over the city with the passing of five days, she sent to the elders Chabris and Charmis.

9. Doèula je dakle krute rijeèi koje puk, zapavši u malodušje zato što je nestalo vode, bijaše upravio gradskom starješini, a doznala je i sve što je Ozija rekao narodu i kako im se zakleo da æe do pet dana predati grad Asircima.

10. And they came to her, and she said to them: “What is this word, by which Uzziah has consented to hand over the city to the Assyrians, if within five days no help arrives for us?

10. Posla tada sluškinju koja je vodila njezine poslove da dozove gradske starješine Habrisa i Harmisa.

11. And who are you to test the Lord?

11. Doðoše oni k njoj, a ona im kaza: "Poslušajte me, glavari Betulije! Nije baš valjan govor što ste ga održali puku. A umetnuli ste u taj govor i zakletvu izmeðu Boga i vas i rekli da æete predati grad neprijatelju ako vam Gospod u odreðenom roku ne pomogne.

12. This is not a word that will provoke mercy, but rather one that may excite wrath and enkindle fury.

12. A tko ste vi da danas iskušavate Boga i postavljate se iznad Boga meðu ljudima?

13. You have set a time limit for the mercy of the Lord, and you have established a day for him, according to your choice.

13. Ispitujte namisli Boga Svevladara koliko vam drago, pa svejednako neæete razumjeti ništa dovijeka.

14. But, since the Lord is patient, let us be repentant about this same matter, and let us beg his indulgence with many tears.

14. Ako ne uspijevate istražiti dubine ljudskoga srce niti doznati ono što prolazi ljudskom mišlju, kako æete dokuèiti Boga koji je stvorio sve to? Kako æete istražiti misao njegovu i shvatiti nakane njegove? Ne, braæo, nemojte ljutiti Gospoda Boga našega!

15. For God will not threaten like man, nor will he be inflamed to anger like a son of man.

15. Jer ako nam i ne htjedne priskoèiti u pomoæ u ovih pet dana, ipak nas može zaštititi ali i zatrti, i to naoèigled neprijatelja naših, u one dane kad mu se svidi.

16. And, for this reason, let us humble our souls before him, and, continuing to serve him in a spirit of humility,

16. Prema tome, ne tražite odluke Gospoda Boga našega, jer Bog nije èovjek da biste mu mogli prijetiti niti sin èovjeèji komu biste mogli nareðivati.

17. let us speak to the Lord with tears, so that he may act according to his will in his mercy toward us. So then, just as our heart is disturbed by their arrogance, so also may we glory in our humility.

17. Zbog toga, oèekujuæi spas koji može doæi od njega, dozivajmo ga u pomoæ, i on æe poslušati glas naš, bude li mu to drago.

18. For we have not followed the sins of our fathers, who abandoned their God in order to worship strange gods.

18. Jer u našim pokoljenjima nije bilo, a nema ni dan-danas u našemu plemenu, obitelji, selu ili gradu onih koji bi štovali boštva naèinjena rukama, kao što je bivalo u prijašnja vremena.

19. Because of this crime, they were given over to their enemies: to the sword, and to pillaging, and to confusion. But we know no other God except him.

19. Zato su oèevi naši bili predani maèu, bili su pljaèkani i doživjeli velike poraze od neprijatelja.

20. Let us wait with humility for his consolation, and the Lord our God will requite our blood by the afflictions of our enemies, and he will humble all the nations that will rise up against us, and he will cause them to be without honor.

20. Ali mi ne znamo drugoga Boga do njega, pa se stoga nadamo da neæe napustiti ni nas ni ikoga od našeg plemena.

21. And now, brothers, because you are the elders among the people of God, and their very soul hangs upon you, rescue their hearts by your eloquence, so that they may remember that our fathers were tested in order to prove whether or not they truly worshiped their God.

21. Jer budemo li osvojeni mi, bit æe osvojena i sva Judeja i opljaèkano naše Svetište, a on æe to obešèašæenje osvetiti našom krvlju.

22. They are obliged to remember how our father Abraham was tested, and being proved by many tribulations, he was made the friend of God.

22. Pokolj braæe naše, tjeranje svega naroda u progonstvo i opustošenje baštine naše oborit æe na glavu našu meðu poganima meðu kojima æemo se nalaziti kao robovi i biti predmet pogrde i ismjehivanja za naše gospodare,

23. So Isaac, so Jacob, so Moses, and all that have pleased God, passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful.

23. jer se naše ropstvo neæe pretvoriti u naklonost nego æe ga Gospod Bog naš pretvoriti u porugu.

24. But those who did not accept the trials with the fear of the Lord, and who brought forward their impatience and the disgrace of their murmuring against the Lord,

24. Stoga, braæo, pokažimo svojoj braæi da od nas zavisi život njihov te da Svetište, Hram i žrtvenik poèivaju na nama.

25. were exterminated by the exterminator, and they perished by serpents.

25. Zbog svega toga zahvalimo radije Gospodu Bogu našemu što nas iskušava kao što je iskušavao i oèeve naše.

26. And as for us, therefore, let us not revenge ourselves for these things that we suffer.

26. Sjetite se kako je èinio s Abrahamom, kako je iskušavao Izaka, što se dogodilo Jakovu u Mezopotamiji sirijskoj kad je pasao ovce Labana, svoga ujaka.

27. But, in considering these same sufferings to be less than our sins deserve, let us believe that the scourges of the Lord, by which we are corrected like servants, have occurred for our improvement and not for our destruction.”

27. Jer kako je iskušavao njih da bi iskušao njihova srca, tako postupa s nama da se popravimo, a ne da nam se osveti, jer Bog iskušava one koji su mu blizu."

28. And Uzziah and the elders said to her: “All the things that you have spoken are true, and there is nothing reprehensible in your words.

28. Ozija joj odgovori: "Sve što si izrekla iznosila si iz plemenitog srca i nitko se neæe usprotiviti tvojim rijeèima.

29. Now, therefore, pray for us, because you are a holy woman, and one fearing God.”

29. Jer tvoja se mudrost ne oèitova tek danas: još od poèetka tvojih dana sav je narod znao za tvoju umnost, za plemenitost srca tvoga!

30. And Judith said to them: “You know that what I have been able to say is of God.

30. Ali puk trpi užasno od žeðe, pa nas je prisilio da izvršimo ono što smo obeæali i da se zakunemo zakletvom koje neæemo prekršiti.

31. So, concerning that which I propose to do, examine whether or not it is from God, and pray that God may act to strengthen my plan.

31. Sada, buduæi da si ti pobožna žena, moli se za nas, a Gospod æe poslati kišu i napuniti naše èatrnje da ne izginemo."

32. You will stand at the gate this night, and I will go forth with my handmaid. And pray that, just as you have said, within five days the Lord may look kindly on his people Israel.

32. Odgovori im Judita: "Poslušajte me! Izvest æu djelo o kojemu æe spomen prelaziti od pokoljenja na pokoljenje meðu sinovima našeg naroda.

33. But I am not willing to have you examine my actions, and, until I report to you, let nothing else be done, except to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

33. Budite noæas na gradskim vratima da mognem iziæi sa svojom sluškinjom. Prije onog dana u koji ste namislili predati grad neprijateljima Gospod æe rukom mojom donijeti spas Izraelu.

34. And Uzziah, the leader of Judah, said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord be with you to take revenge among our enemies.” So, turning back, they departed.

34. Ne tražite da vam kažem što sam namjerila. Neæu vam odati ništa dok ne bude izvršeno ono što sam odluèila uèiniti."

35.

35. Ozija i prvaci rekoše joj: "Idi u miru! Neka Gospod Bog bude uza te da se uzmogneš osvetiti neprijateljima našim!"

36.

36. Izišavši odande, vratiše se na svoja mjesta.