ΙΟΥΔΙΘ - Giuditta - Judith 7

LXX	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 τη δε επαυριον παρηγγειλεν ολοφερνης παση τη στρατια αυτου και παντι τω λαω αυτου οι παρεγενοντο επι την συμμαχιαν αυτου αναζευγνυειν επι βαιτυλουα και τας αναβασεις της ορεινης προκαταλαμβανεσθαι και ποιειν πολεμον προς τους υιους ισραηλ	1 The following day Holofernes ordered his whole army, and all the allied troops that had come to his support, to move against Bethulia, seize the mountain passes, and engage the Israelites in battle.
2 και ανεζευξεν εν τη ημερα εκεινη πας ανηρ δυνατος αυτων και η δυναμις αυτων ανδρων πολεμιστων χιλιαδες πεζων εκατον εβδομηκοντα και ιππεων χιλιαδες δεκα δυο χωρις της αποσκευης και των ανδρων οι ησαν πεζοι εν αυτοις πληθος πολυ σφοδρα	2 That same day all their fighting men went into action. Their forces numbered a hundred and seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand horsemen, not counting the baggage train or the men who accompanied it on foot-a very great army.
3 και παρενεβαλον εν τω αυλωνι πλησιον βαιτυλουα επι της πηγης και παρετειναν εις ευρος επι δωθαιμ εως βελβαιμ και εις μηκος απο βαιτυλουα εως κυαμωνος η εστιν απεναντι του εσδρηλων	3 They encamped at the spring in the valley near Bethulia, and spread out in breadth toward Dothan as far as Balbaim, and in length from Bethulia to Cyamon, which faces Esdraelon.
4 οι δε υιοι ισραηλ ως ειδον αυτων το πληθος εταραχθησαν σφοδρα και ειπαν εκαστος προς τον πλησιον αυτου νυν εκλειξουσιν ουτοι το προσωπον της γης πασης και ουτε τα ορη τα υψηλα ουτε αι φαραγγες ουτε οι βουνοι υποστησονται το βαρος αυτων	4 When the Israelites saw how many there were, they said to one another in great dismay: "Soon they will devour the whole country. Neither the high mountains nor the valleys and hills can support the mass of them."
5 και αναλαβοντες εκαστος τα σκευη τα πολεμικα αυτων και ανακαυσαντες πυρας επι τους πυργους αυτων εμενον φυλασσοντες ολην την νυκτα εκεινην	5 Yet they all seized their weapons, lighted fires on their bastions, and kept watch throughout the night.
6 τη δε ημερα τη δευτερα εξηγαγεν ολοφερνης πασαν την ιππον αυτου κατα προσωπον των υιων ισραηλ οι ησαν εν βαιτυλουα	6 On the second day Holofernes led out all his cavalry in the sight of the Israelites who were in Bethulia.
7 και επεσκεψατο τας αναβασεις της πολεως αυτων και τας πηγας των υδατων εφωδευσεν και προκατελαβετο αυτας και επεστησεν αυταις παρεμβολας ανδρων πολεμιστων και αυτος ανεζευξεν εις τον λαον αυτου	7 He reconnoitered the approaches to their city and located their sources of water; these he seized, stationing armed detachments around them, while he himself returned to his troops.
8 και προσελθοντες αυτω παντες αρχοντες υιων ησαυ και παντες οι ηγουμενοι του λαου μωαβ και οι στρατηγοι της παραλιας ειπαν	8 All the commanders of the Edomites and all the leaders of the Ammonites, together with the generals of the seacoast, came to Holofernes and said:
9 ακουσατω δη λογον ο δεσποτης ημων ινα μη γενηται θραυσμα εν τη δυναμει σου	9 "Sir, listen to what we have to say, that there may be no losses among your troops.
10 ο γαρ λαος ουτος των υιων ισραηλ ου πεποιθαν επι τοις δορασιν αυτων αλλ' επι τοις υψεσι των ορεων εν οις αυτοι ενοικουσιν εν αυτοις ου γαρ εστιν ευχερες προσβηναι ταις κορυφαις των ορεων αυτων	10 These Israelites do not rely on their spears, but on the height of the mountains where they dwell; it is not easy to reach the summit of their mountains.
11 και νυν δεσποτα μη πολεμει προς αυτους καθως γινεται πολεμος παραταξεως και ου πεσειται εκ του λαου σου ανηρ εις	11 Therefore, sir, do not attack them in regular formation; thus not a single one of your troops will fall.
12 αναμεινον επι της παρεμβολης σου διαφυλασσων παντα ανδρα εκ της δυναμεως σου και επικρατησατωσαν οι παιδες σου της πηγης του υδατος η εκπορευεται εκ της ριζης του ορους	12 Stay in your camp, and spare all your soldiers. Have some of your servants keep control of the source of water that flows out at the base of the mountain,
13 διοτι εκειθεν υδρευονται παντες οι κατοικουντες βαιτυλουα και ανελει αυτους η διψα και εκδωσουσι την πολιν αυτων και ημεις και ο λαος ημων αναβησομεθα επι τας πλησιον κορυφας των ορεων και παρεμβαλουμεν επ' αυταις εις προφυλακην του μη εξελθειν εκ της πολεως ανδρα ενα	13 for that is where the inhabitants of Bethulia get their water. Then thirst will begin to carry them off, and they will surrender their city. Meanwhile, we and our men will go up to the summits of the nearby mountains, and encamp there to guard against anyone's leaving the city.
14 και τακησονται εν τω λιμω αυτοι και αι γυναικες αυτων και τα τεκνα αυτων και πριν ελθειν την ρομφαιαν επ' αυτους καταστρωθησονται εν ταις πλατειαις της οικησεως αυτων	14 They and their wives and children will languish with hunger, and even before the sword strikes them they will be laid low in the streets of their city.
15 και ανταποδωσεις αυτοις ανταποδομα πονηρον ανθ' ων εστασιασαν και ουκ απηντησαν τω προσωπω σου εν ειρηνη	15 Thus you will render them dire punishment for their rebellion and their refusal to meet you peacefully."
16 και ηρεσαν οι λογοι αυτων ενωπιον ολοφερνου και ενωπιον παντων των θεραποντων αυτου και συνεταξε ποιειν καθα ελαλησαν	16 Their words pleased Holofernes and all his ministers, and he ordered their proposal to be carried out.
17 και απηρεν παρεμβολη υιων αμμων και μετ' αυτων χιλιαδες πεντε υιων ασσουρ και παρενεβαλον εν τω αυλωνι και προκατελαβοντο τα υδατα και τας πηγας των υδατων των υιων ισραηλ	17 Thereupon the Moabites moved camp, together with five thousand Assyrians. They encamped in the valley, and held the water supply and the springs of the Israelites.
18 και ανεβησαν οι υιοι ησαυ και οι υιοι αμμων και παρενεβαλον εν τη ορεινη απεναντι δωθαιμ και απεστειλαν εξ αυτων προς νοτον και απηλιωτην απεναντι εγρεβηλ η εστιν πλησιον χους η εστιν επι του χειμαρρου μοχμουρ και η λοιπη στρατια των ασσυριων παρενεβαλον εν τω πεδιω και εκαλυψαν παν το προσωπον της γης και αι σκηναι και αι απαρτιαι αυτων κατεστρατοπεδευσαν εν οχλω πολλω και ησαν εις πληθος πολυ σφοδρα	18 The Edomites and the Ammonites went up and encamped in the mountain region opposite Dothan; and they sent some of their men to the south and to the east opposite Egrebel, near Chusi, which is on Wadi Mochmur. The rest of the Assyrian army was encamped in the plain, covering the whole countryside. Their enormous store of tents and equipment was spread out in profusion everywhere.
19 και οι υιοι ισραηλ ανεβοησαν προς κυριον θεον αυτων οτι ωλιγοψυχησεν το πνευμα αυτων οτι εκυκλωσαν παντες οι εχθροι αυτων και ουκ ην διαφυγειν εκ μεσου αυτων	19 The Israelites cried to the Lord, their God, for they were disheartened, since all their enemies had them surrounded, and there was no way of slipping through their lines.
20 και εμεινεν κυκλω αυτων πασα παρεμβολη ασσουρ οι πεζοι και αρματα και οι ιππεις αυτων ημερας τριακοντα τεσσαρας και εξελιπεν παντας τους κατοικουντας βαιτυλουα παντα τα αγγεια αυτων των υδατων	20 The whole Assyrian camp, infantry, chariots, and cavalry, kept them thus surrounded for thirty-four days. All the reservoirs of water failed the inhabitants of Bethulia,
21 και οι λακκοι εξεκενουντο και ουκ ειχον πιειν εις πλησμονην υδωρ ημεραν μιαν οτι εν μετρω εδιδοσαν αυτοις πιειν	21 and the cisterns ran dry, so that on no day did they have enough to drink, but their drinking water was rationed.
22 και ηθυμησεν τα νηπια αυτων και αι γυναικες και οι νεανισκοι εξελιπον απο της διψης και επιπτον εν ταις πλατειαις της πολεως και εν ταις διοδοις των πυλων και ουκ ην κραταιωσις ετι εν αυτοις	22 Their children fainted away, and the women and youths were consumed with thirst and were collapsing in the streets and gateways of the city, with no strength left in them.
23 και επισυνηχθησαν πας ο λαος επι οζιαν και τους αρχοντας της πολεως οι νεανισκοι και αι γυναικες και τα παιδια και ανεβοησαν φωνη μεγαλη και ειπαν εναντιον παντων των πρεσβυτερων	23 All the people, therefore, including youths, women, and children, went in a crowd to Uzziah and the rulers of the city. They set up a great clamor and said before the elders:
24 κριναι ο θεος ανα μεσον υμων και ημων οτι εποιησατε εν ημιν αδικιαν μεγαλην ου λαλησαντες ειρηνικα μετα υιων ασσουρ	24 "God judge between you and us! You have done us grave injustice in not making peace with the Assyrians.
25 και νυν ουκ εστιν ο βοηθος ημων αλλα πεπρακεν ημας ο θεος εις τας χειρας αυτων του καταστρωθηναι εναντιον αυτων εν διψη και απωλεια μεγαλη	25 There is no help for us now! Instead, God has sold us into their power by laying us prostrate before them in thirst and utter exhaustion.
26 και νυν επικαλεσασθε αυτους και εκδοσθε την πολιν πασαν εις προνομην τω λαω ολοφερνου και παση τη δυναμει αυτου	26 Therefore, summon them and deliver the whole city as booty to the troops of Holofernes and to all his forces;
27 κρεισσον γαρ ημιν γενηθηναι αυτοις εις διαρπαγην εσομεθα γαρ εις δουλους και ζησεται η ψυχη ημων και ουκ οψομεθα τον θανατον των νηπιων ημων εν οφθαλμοις ημων και τας γυναικας και τα τεκνα ημων εκλειπουσας τας ψυχας αυτων	27 we would be better off to become their prey. We should indeed be made slaves, but at least we should live, and not have to behold our little ones dying before our eyes and our wives and children breathing out their souls.
28 μαρτυρομεθα υμιν τον ουρανον και την γην και τον θεον ημων και κυριον των πατερων ημων ος εκδικει ημας κατα τας αμαρτιας ημων και κατα τα αμαρτηματα των πατερων ημων ινα μη ποιηση κατα τα ρηματα ταυτα εν τη ημερα τη σημερον	28 We adjure you by heaven and earth, and by our God, the Lord of our forefathers, who is punishing us for our sins and those of our forefathers, to do as we have proposed, this very day."
29 και εγενετο κλαυθμος μεγας εν μεσω της εκκλησιας παντων ομοθυμαδον και εβοησαν προς κυριον τον θεον φωνη μεγαλη	29 All in the assembly with one accord broke into shrill wailing and loud cries to the Lord their God.
30 και ειπεν προς αυτους οζιας θαρσειτε αδελφοι διακαρτερησωμεν ετι πεντε ημερας εν αις επιστρεψει κυριος ο θεος ημων το ελεος αυτου εφ' ημας ου γαρ εγκαταλειψει ημας εις τελος	30 But Uzziah said to them, "Courage, my brothers! Let us wait five days more for the Lord our God, to show his mercy toward us; he will not utterly forsake us.
31 εαν δε διελθωσιν αυται και μη ελθη εφ' ημας βοηθεια ποιησω κατα τα ρηματα υμων	31 But if those days pass without help coming to us, I will do as you say."
32 και εσκορπισεν τον λαον εις την εαυτου παρεμβολην και επι τα τειχη και τους πυργους της πολεως αυτων απηλθον και τας γυναικας και τα τεκνα εις τους οικους αυτων απεστειλαν και ησαν εν ταπεινωσει πολλη εν τη πολει	32 Then he dispersed the men to their posts, and they returned to the walls and towers of the city; the women and children he sent to their homes. Throughout the city they were in great misery.