ΙΟΥΔΙΘ - Giuditta - Judith 7

LXX	NEW JERUSALEM
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 fol owing day Holofernes issued orders to his whole army and to the whole host of auxiliaries whohad joined him, to break camp and march on Bethulia, to occupy the mountain passes and so open thecampaign against the Israelites.
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 The troops broke camp that same day. The actual fighting force numbered one hundred and twentythousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, not to mention the baggage train with the vast number of men onfoot concerned with that.
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 penetrated the val ey in the neighbourhood of Bethulia, near the spring, and deployed on a widefront from Dothan to Balbaim and, in depth, 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 this horde, they were al appal ed and said to each other, 'Now they wil lick thewhole country clean. Not even the loftiest peaks, the gorges or the hil s wil be able to stand the weight 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 Each man snatched up his arms; they lit beacons on their towers and spent the whole night on watch.
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 deployed his entire cavalry in sight of the Israelites 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 reconnoitred the slopes leading up to the town, located the water-points, seized them and postedpickets over them and returned to the main body.
8 και προσελθοντες αυτω παντες αρχοντες υιων ησαυ και παντες οι ηγουμενοι του λαου μωαβ και οι στρατηγοι της παραλιας ειπαν	8 The chieftains of the sons of Esau, al the leaders of the Moabites and the generals of the coastal districtthen came to him and said,
9 ακουσατω δη λογον ο δεσποτης ημων ινα μη γενηται θραυσμα εν τη δυναμει σου	9 'If our master wil be pleased to listen to us, his forces wil not sustain a single wound.
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 so much on their spears as on the height of the mountains where they live.And admittedly it is not at all easy to scale these heights of theirs.
11 και νυν δεσποτα μη πολεμει προς αυτους καθως γινεται πολεμος παραταξεως και ου πεσειται εκ του λαου σου ανηρ εις	11 'This being the case, master, avoid engaging them in a pitched battle and then you wil not lose a singleman.
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 camp, keep al your troops there too, while your servants seize the spring which rises at the footof 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 since that is what provides the population of Bethulia with their water supply. Thirst wil then force themto surrender their town. Meanwhile, we and our men wil climb the nearest mountain tops and form advanceposts there to prevent anyone from leaving the town.
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 Hunger wil waste them, with their wives and children, and before the sword can reach them they wilalready be lying in the streets outside their houses.
15 και ανταποδωσεις αυτοις ανταποδομα πονηρον ανθ' ων εστασιασαν και ουκ απηντησαν τω προσωπω σου εν ειρηνη	15 And you will make them pay dearly for their defiance and their refusal to meet you peaceably.'
16 και ηρεσαν οι λογοι αυτων ενωπιον ολοφερνου και ενωπιον παντων των θεραποντων αυτου και συνεταξε ποιειν καθα ελαλησαν	16 Their words pleased Holofernes as wel as al his officers, and he decided to do as they suggested.
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 Accordingly, a troop of Moabites moved forward with a further five thousand Assyrians. Theypenetrated the val ey and seized the Israelites' waterpoints and springs.
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 Meanwhile the Edomites and Ammonites went and took up positions in the highlands opposite Dothan,sending some of their men to the south-east opposite Egrebel near Chous on the Wadi Mochmur. The rest of theAssyrian army took up positions in the plain, covering every inch of the ground; their tents and equipment madean immense encampment, so vast were their numbers.
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 cal ed on the Lord their God, dispirited because the enemy had surrounded them and cutal line of retreat.
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 For thirty-four days the Assyrian army, infantry, chariots, cavalrymen, had them surrounded. Everywater-jar the inhabitants of Bethulia had was empty,
21 και οι λακκοι εξεκενουντο και ουκ ειχον πιειν εις πλησμονην υδωρ ημεραν μιαν οτι εν μετρω εδιδοσαν αυτοις πιειν	21 their storage-wel s were drying up; on no day could a man drink his fil , since their 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 little children pined away, the women and young men grew weak with thirst; they col apsed in the streets and gateways of the town; they had no strength left.
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 Young men, women, children, the whole people thronged clamouring round Uzziah and the chief menof the town, shouting in the presence of the assembled elders,
24 κριναι ο θεος ανα μεσον υμων και ημων οτι εποιησατε εν ημιν αδικιαν μεγαλην ου λαλησαντες ειρηνικα μετα υιων ασσουρ	24 'May God be judge between you and us! For you have done us great harm, by not suing for peace withthe 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 And now there is no one to help us. God has delivered us into their hands to be prostrated before themin thirst and utter helplessness.
26 και νυν επικαλεσασθε αυτους και εκδοσθε την πολιν πασαν εις προνομην τω λαω ολοφερνου και παση τη δυναμει αυτου	26 Cal them in at once; hand the whole town over to be sacked by Holofernes' men and al his army.
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 After al , we should be much better off as their booty than we are now; no doubt we shall be enslaved,but at least we shal be alive and not see our little ones dying before our eyes or our wives and childrenperishing.
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 By heaven and earth and by our God, the Lord of our fathers, who is punishing us for our sins and thesins of our ancestors, we implore you to take this course now, today.'
29 και εγενετο κλαυθμος μεγας εν μεσω της εκκλησιας παντων ομοθυμαδον και εβοησαν προς κυριον τον θεον φωνη μεγαλη	29 Bitter lamentations rose from the whole assembly, and they all cried loudly to the Lord 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 Then Uzziah spoke to them, 'Take heart, brothers! Let us hold out five days more. By then the Lord ourGod will take pity on us, for he wil not desert us altogether.
31 εαν δε διελθωσιν αυται και μη ελθη εφ' ημας βοηθεια ποιησω κατα τα ρηματα υμων	31 At the end of this time, if no help is forthcoming, I shall do as you have said.'
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 With that he dismissed the people to their various quarters. The men went to man the wal s and towersof the town, sending the women and children home. The town was ful of despondency.