Judith 8

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Now in those days Judith, daughter of Merari, son of Joseph, son of Oziel, son of Elkiah, son of Ananias, son of Gideon, son of Raphain, son of Ahitob, son of Elijah, son of Hilkiah, son of Eliab, son of Nathanael, son of Salamiel, son of Sarasadai, son of Simeon, son of Israel, heard of this.	1 Now it came to pass, when Judith a widow had heard these words, who was the daughter of Merari, the son of Idox, the son of Joseph, the son of Ozias, the son of Elai, the son of Jamnor, the son of Gedeon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Achitob, the son of Melehias, the son of Enan, the son of Nathanias, the son of Salathiel, the son of Simeon, the son of Ruben:
2 Her husband, Manasseh, of her own tribe and clan, had died at the time of the barley harvest.	2 And her husband was Manasses, who died in the time of the barley harvest:
3 While he was in the field supervising those who bound the sheaves, he suffered sunstroke; and he died of this illness in Bethulia, his native city. He was buried with his forefathers in the field between Dothan and Balamon.	3 For he was standing over them that bound sheaves in the field ; and the heat came upon his head, and he died in Bethulia his own city, and was buried there with his fathers.
4 The widowed Judith remained three years and four months at home,	4 And Judith his relict was a widow now three years and six months.
5 where she set up a tent for herself on the roof of her house. She put sackcloth about her loins and wore widow's weeds.	5 And she made herself a private chamber in the upper part of her house, in which she abode shut up with her maids.
6 She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except sabbath eves and sabbaths, new moon eves and new moons, feastdays and holidays of the house of Israel.	6 And she wore haircloth upon her loins, and fasted all the days of her life, except the sabbaths, and new moons, and the feasts of the house of Israel.
7 She was beautifully formed and lovely to behold. Her husband, Manasseh, had left her gold and silver, servants and maids, livestock and fields, which she was maintaining.	7 And she was exceedingly beautiful, and her husband left her great riches, and very many servants, and large possessions of herds of oxen, and flocks of sheep.
8 No one had a bad word to say about her, for she was a very God-fearing woman.	8 And she was greatly renowned among all, because she feared the Lord very much, neither was there any one that spoke an ill word of her.
9 When Judith, therefore, heard of the harsh words which the people, discouraged by their lack of water, had spoken against their ruler, and of all that Uzziah had said to them in reply, swearing that he would hand over the city to the Assyrians at the end of five days,	9 When therefore she had heard that Ozias had promised that he would deliver up the city after the fifth day, she sent to the ancients Chabri and Charmi.
10 she sent the maid who was in charge of all her things to ask Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of the city, to visit her.	10 And they came to her, and she said to them: What is this word, by which Ozias hath consented to give up the city to the Assyrians, if within five days there come no aid to us?
11 When they came, she said to them: "Listen to me, you rulers of the people of Bethulia. What you said to the people today is not proper. When you promised to hand over the city to our enemies at the end of five days unless within that time the Lord comes to our aid, you interposed between God and yourselves this oath which you took.	11 And who are you that tempt the Lord?
12 Who are you, then, that you should have put God to the test this day, setting yourselves in the place of God in human affairs?	12 This is not a word that may draw down mercy, but rather that may stir up wrath, and enkindle indignation.
13 It is the Lord Almighty for whom you are laying down conditions; will you never understand anything?	13 You have set a time for the mercy of the Lord, and you have appointed him a day, according to your pleasure.
14 You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or grasp the workings of the human mind; how then can you fathom God, who has made all these things, discern his mind, and understand his plan? "No, my brothers, do not anger the Lord our God.	14 But forasmuch as the Lord is patient, let us be penitent for this same thing, and with many tears let us beg his pardon:
15 For if he does not wish to come to our aid within the five days, he has it equally within his power to protect us at such time as he pleases, or to destroy us in the face of our enemies.	15 For God will not threaten like man, nor be inflamed to anger like the son of man.
16 It is not for you to make the Lord our God give surety for his plans. "God is not man that he should be moved by threats, nor human, that he may be given an ultimatum.	16 And therefore let us humble our souls before him, and continuing in an humble spirit, in his service:
17 "So while we wait for the salvation that comes from him, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our cry if it is his good pleasure.	17 Let us ask the Lord with tears, that according to his will so he would shew his mercy to us: that as our heart is troubled by their pride, so also we may glorify in our humility.
18 For there has not risen among us in recent generations, nor does there exist today, any tribe, or clan, or town, or city of ours that worships gods made by hands, as happened in former days.	18 For we have not followed the sins of our fathers, who forsook their God, and worshipped strange gods.
19 It was for such conduct that our forefathers were handed over to the sword and to pillage, and fell with great destruction before our enemies.	19 For which crime they were given up to their enemies, to the sword, and to pillage, and to confusion: but we know no other God but him.
20 But since we acknowledge no other god but the Lord, we hope that he will not disdain us or any of our people.	20 Let us humbly wait for his consolation, and the Lord our God will require our blood of the afflictions of our enemies, and he will humble all the nations that shall rise up against us, and bring them to disgrace.
21 If we are taken, all Judea will fall, our sanctuary will be plundered, and God will make us pay for its profanation with our life's blood.	21 And now, brethren, as you are the ancients among the people of God, and their very soul resteth upon you: comfort their hearts by your speech, that they may be mindful how our fathers were tempted that they might be proved, whether they worshipped their God truly.
22 For the slaughter of our kinsmen, for the taking of exiles from the land, and for the devastation of our inheritance, he will lay the guilt on our heads. Wherever we shall be enslaved among the nations, we shall be a mockery and a reproach in the eyes of our masters.	22 They must remember how our father Abraham was tempted, and being proved by many tribulations, was made the friend of God.
23 Our enslavement will not be turned to our benefit, but the Lord our God, will maintain it to our disgrace.	23 go Isaac, so Jacob, so Moses, and all that have pleased God, passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful.
24 "Therefore, my brothers, let us set an example for our kinsmen. Their lives depend on us, and the defense of the sanctuary, the temple, and the altar rests with us.	24 But they that did not receive the trials with the fear of the Lord, but uttered their impatience and the reproach of their murmuring against the Lord,
25 Besides all this, we should be grateful to the Lord our God, for putting us to the test, as he did our forefathers.	25 Were destroyed by the destroyer, and perished by serpents.
26 Recall how he dealt with Abraham, and how he tried Isaac, and all that happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia while he was tending the flocks of Laban, his mother's brother.	26 As for us therefore let us not revenge ourselves for these things which we suffer
27 Not for vengeance did the Lord put them in the crucible to try their hearts, nor has he done so with us. It is by way of admonition that he chastises those who are close to him."	27 But esteeming these very punishments to be less than our sins deserve, let us believe that these scourges of the Lord, with which like servants we are chastised, have happened for our amendment, and not for our destruction.
28 Then Uzziah said to her: "All that you have said was spoken with good sense, and no one can gainsay your words.	28 And Ozias and the ancients said to her: All things which thou hast spoken are true, and there is nothing to be reprehended in thy words.
29 Not today only is your wisdom made evident, but from your earliest years all the people have recognized your prudence, which corresponds to the worthy dispositions of your heart.	29 Now therefore pray for us, for thou art a holy woman, and one fearing God.
30 The people, however, were so tortured with thirst that they forced us to speak to them as we did, and to bind ourselves by an oath that we cannot break.	30 And Judith said to them: As you know that what I have been able to say is of God:
31 But now, God-fearing woman that you are, pray for us that the Lord may send rain to fill up our cisterns, lest we be weakened still further."	31 So that which I intend to do prove ye if it be of God, and pray that God may strengthen my design.
32 Then Judith said to them: "Listen to me! I will do something that will go down from generation to generation among the descendants of our race.	32 You shall stand at the gate this night, and I will go out with my maidservant: and pray ye, that as you have said, in five days the Lord may look down upon his people Israel.
33 Stand at the gate tonight to let me pass through with my maid; and within the days you have specified before you will surrender the city to our enemies, the Lord will rescue Israel by my hand.	33 But I desire that you search not into what I am doing, and till I bring you word let nothing else be done but to pray for me to the Lord our God.
34 You must not inquire into what I am doing, for I will not tell you until my plan has been accomplished."	34 And Ozias the prince of Juda said to her: Go in peace, and the Lord be with thee to take revenge of our enemies. So returning they departed.
35 Uzziah and the rulers said to her, "Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you to take vengeance upon our enemies!"
36 Then they withdrew from the tent and returned to their posts.