Liber Iudith, 8

1. Et erat in civitate commorans in diebus illis Iudith filia Merari filii Ox filii Ioseph filii Oziel filii Elchiae filii Ananiae filii Gedeon filii Rafain filii Achitob filii Eliab filii Nathanael filii Salamiel filii Surisaddai filii Simeon filii Israel.

1. At that time Judith heard about these things: she was the daughter of Merari the son of Ox, son of Joseph, son of Oziel, son of Elkiah, son of Ananias, son of Gideon, son of Raphaim, son of Ahitub, son of Elijah, son of Hilkiah, son of Eliab, son of Nathanael, son of Salamiel, son of Sarasadai, son of Israel.

2. Et vir eius Manasses erat ex tribu eius et patria eius; et mortuus est in diebus messis hordiariae.

2. Her husband Manasseh, who belonged to her tribe and family, had died during the barley harvest.

3. Steterat enim super alligantes manipulos in campo, et aestus introivit in caput eius, et incidit in lectum et mortuus est in Betulia civitate sua. Et sepelierunt eum cum patribus suis in agro, qui est inter Dothain et Balamon.

3. For as he stood overseeing the men who were binding sheaves in the field, he was overcome by the burning heat, and took to his bed and died in Bethulia his city. So they buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothan and Balamon.

4. Et erat Iudith in domo sua vidua per annos tres et menses quattuor.

4. Judith had lived at home as a widow for three years and four months.

5. Et fecit sibi tabernaculum super tectum domus suae et imposuit super lumbos suos cilicium, et erant super eam vestimenta viduitatis suae,

5. She set up a tent for herself on the roof of her house, and girded sackcloth about her loins and wore the garments of her widowhood.

6. et ieiunabat per omnes dies viduitatis suae praeter pridie sabbatorum et sabbata et pridie neomeniarum et neomenias et dies festos et gaudimonia domus Israel.

6. She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the day before the sabbath and the sabbath itself, the day before the new moon and the day of the new moon, and the feasts and days of rejoicing of the house of Israel.

7. Et erat bona in aspectu et formosa facie valde et prudens in corde et bona in sensu et erat honesta valde, quia reliquerat ei Manasses vir eius filius Ioseph filii Achitob filii Melchis filii Eliab filii Nathanael filii Surisaddai filii Simeon filii Israel aurum et argentum et pueros et puellas et pecora et praedia, et manebat in eis;

7. She was beautiful in appearance, and had a very lovely face; and her husband Manasseh had left her gold and silver, and men and women slaves, and cattle, and fields; and she maintained this estate.

8. et non erat qui inferret ei verbum malum, quia timebat Deum valde.

8. No one spoke ill of her, for she feared God with great devotion.

9. Et audivit verba populi maligna super principem quoniam defecerunt animo super penuriam aquarum. Et audivit omnia verba Iudith, quae locutus est ad eos Ozias, quemadmodum iuraverat eis, ut post quinque dies traderet civitatem Assyriis.

9. When Judith heard the wicked words spoken by the people against the ruler, because they were faint for lack of water, and when she heard all that Uzziah said to them, and how he promised them under oath to surrender the city to the Assyrians after five days,

10. Et mittens abram suam, quae erat super omnia bona eius, vocavit Oziam et Chabrin et Charmin seniores civitatis suae.

10. she sent her maid, who was in charge of all she possessed, to summon Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city.

11. Et venerunt ad eam. Et dixit ad eos: “Audite me, principes inhabitantium in Betulia, quoniam non est rectum verbum vestrum, quod locuti estis coram plebe in hac die et statuistis iuramentum istud, quod locuti estis inter Deum et vos, et dixistis tradituros vos civitatem inimicis nostris, si non in illis diebus converterit Dominus Deus noster audiutorium nobis.

11. They came to her, and she said to them, "Listen to me, rulers of the people of Bethulia! What you have said to the people today is not right; you have even sworn and pronounced this oath between God and you, promising to surrender the city to our enemies unless the Lord turns and helps us within so many days.

12. Et nunc qui estis vos, qui tentastis Deum in hodierno die et astitistis pro Deo in medio filiorum hominum?

12. Who are you, that have put God to the test this day, and are setting yourselves up in the place of God among the sons of men?

13. Et nunc Dominum omnipotentem tentatis et nihil intellegetis usque in sempiternum.

13. You are putting the Lord Almighty to the test -- but you will never know anything!

14. Quoniam altitudinem cordis hominis non invenietis et cogitatus sensus eius non comprehendetis, quomodo Deum, qui fecit omnia ista, inquiretis et sensum eius cognoscetis et cogitationem eius inspicietis? Minime, fratres, nolite exacerbare Dominum Deum nostrum,

14. You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart, nor find out what a man is thinking; how do you expect to search out God, who made all these things, and find out his mind or comprehend his thought? No, my brethren, do not provoke the Lord our God to anger.

15. quoniam, si noluerit in his quinque diebus adiuvare nos, ipse habet potestatem, in quibus diebus velit, protegere aut disperdere nos ante faciem inimicorum nostrorum.

15. For if he does not choose to help us within these five days, he has power to protect us within any time he pleases, or even to destroy us in the presence of our enemies.

16. Vos autem nolite praepignorare voluntates Domini Dei nostri, quoniam non sicut homo Deus est, ut minis terreatur, aut sicut filius hominis, ut iudicetur.

16. Do not try to bind the purposes of the Lord our God; for God is not like man, to be threatened, nor like a human being, to be won over by pleading.

17. Propter quod sustinentes salvationem ab eo, invocemus ipsum in adiutorium nostrum, et exaudiet vocem nostram, si fuerit ipsi placitum.

17. Therefore, while we wait for his deliverance, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice, if it pleases him.

18. Quoniam non exsurrexit in progenie nostra, nec est in hodierna die neque tribus neque patria neque populus neque civitas ex nobis, qui adorent deos manufactos, sicut factum est in primis diebus,

18. "For never in our generation, nor in these present days, has there been any tribe or family or people or city of ours which worshiped gods made with hands, as was done in days gone by --

19. pro quibus traditi sunt in gladium et in rapinam patres nostri et ceciderunt casum magnum ante conspectum inimicorum nostrorum.

19. and that was why our fathers were handed over to the sword, and to be plundered, and so they suffered a great catastrophe before our enemies.

20. Nos autem alium Deum nescimus praeter eum, a quo speramus quia non despiciet nos nec auferet salutare suum a genere nostro.

20. But we know no other god but him, and therefore we hope that he will not disdain us or any of our nation.

21. Quoniam in eo quod capti sumus, sic et capietur omnis Iudaea, et praedabuntur sancta nostra, et exquiret Deus coinquinationem eorum ex sanguine nostro

21. For if we are captured all Judea will be captured and our sanctuary will be plundered; and he will exact of us the penalty for its desecration.

22. et mortem fratrum nostrorum et captivitatem terrae et desertionem hereditatis nostrae reducet in caput nostrum in gentibus, ubicumque servierimus. Et erimus in offendiculum et in improperium ante omnes, qui possidebunt nos,

22. And the slaughter of our brethren and the captivity of the land and the desolation of our inheritance -- all this he will bring upon our heads among the Gentiles, wherever we serve as slaves; and we shall be an offense and a reproach in the eyes of those who acquire us.

23. quoniam non dirigetur servitus nostra in gratiam, sed in inhonorationem ponet eam Dominus Deus noster.

23. For our slavery will not bring us into favor, but the Lord our God will turn it to dishonor.

24. Et nunc, fratres, ostendamus fratribus nostris quoniam ex nobis pendet anima eorum, et sancta et domus et altare incumbit in nobis.

24. "Now therefore, brethren, let us set an example to our brethren, for their lives depend upon us, and the sanctuary and the temple and the altar rest upon us.

25. Praeter haec omnia gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro, qui tentat nos sicut et patres nostros.

25. In spite of everything let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is putting us to the test as he did our forefathers.

26. Memores estote quanta fecerit cum Abraham et Isaac, et quanta facta sint Iacob in Mesopotamia Syriae pascenti oves Laban fratris matris suae.

26. Remember what he did with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia in Syria, while he was keeping the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.

27. Quia non sicut illos combussit in inquisitionem cordis illorum et in nos non ultus est, sed in monitionem flagellat Dominus appropinquantes sibi”.

27. For he has not tried us with fire, as he did them, to search their hearts, nor has he taken revenge upon us; but the Lord scourges those who draw near to him, in order to admonish them."

28. Et dixit ad eam Ozias: “Omnia, quaecumque dixisti, in bono corde locuta es, et non est qui resistat verbis tuis,

28. Then Uzziah said to her, "All that you have said has been spoken out of a true heart, and there is no one who can deny your words.

29. quoniam non ex hodierna die sapientia tua manifesta est, sed ab initio dierum tuorum scit omnis populus sensum tuum, quoniam bona sunt figmenta cordis tui.

29. Today is not the first time your wisdom has been shown, but from the beginning of your life all the people have recognized your understanding, for your heart's disposition is right.

30. Sed populus sitiit valde, et coegerunt nos sic facere, ut locuti sumus eis, et inducere super nos iuramentum, quod non praeteriemus.

30. But the people were very thirsty, and they compelled us to do for them what we have promised, and made us take an oath which we cannot break.

31. Et nunc ora pro nobis, et forte exaudiet te Deus noster, quoniam tu mulier sancta es, et dimittet Dominus pluviam in repletionem lacuum nostrorum, et non deficiemus iam”.

31. So pray for us, since you are a devout woman, and the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns and we will no longer be faint."

32. Et dixit ad eos Iudith: “Audite me, et faciam opus prudentiae, quod perveniet in generationes generationum filiis generis nostri.

32. Judith said to them, "Listen to me. I am about to do a thing which will go down through all generations of our descendants.

33. Vos enim stabitis ad portam hac nocte, et exeam ego cum abra mea, et in diebus, post quos dixistis civitatem tradituros vos inimicis nostris, visitabit Dominus Israel in manu mea, sicut ego fido.

33. Stand at the city gate tonight, and I will go out with my maid; and within the days after which you have promised to surrender the city to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand.

34. Vos autem non scrutabitis actum meum; non enim renuntiabo vobis, quousque consummentur, quae ego facio”.

34. Only, do not try to find out what I plan; for I will not tell you until I have finished what I am about to do."

35. Et dixit Ozias et principes ad eam: “Vade in pacem, et Dominus Deus sit ante te in ultionem inimicorum nostrorum”.

35. Uzziah and the rulers said to her, "Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you, to take revenge upon our enemies."

36. Et revertentes descenderunt de tabernaculo eius et abierunt ad dispositiones suas.

36. So they returned from the tent and went to their posts.