Daniel 13

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim.	1 Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was Joakim:
2 He was married to a woman called Susanna daughter of Hilkiah, a woman of great beauty; and shewas God-fearing, for	2 And he took a wife whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God.
3 her parents were worthy people and had instructed their daughter in the Law of Moses.	3 For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter according to the law of Moses.
4 Joakim was a very rich man and had a garden by his house; he used to be visited by a considerablenumber of the Jews, since he was held in greater respect than any other man.	4 Now Joakim was very rich, and had an orchard near his house: and the Jews resorted to him, because he was the most honourable of them all.
5 Two elderly men had been selected from the people, that year, to act as judges. Of such the Lord hadsaid, 'Wickedness has come to Babylon through the elders and judges posing as guides to the people.'	5 And there were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges that year, of whom the Lord said: Iniquity came out from Babylon from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people.
6 These men were often at Joakim's house, and all who were engaged in litigation used to come tothem.	6 These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that had any matters of judgment came to them.
7 At midday, when the people had gone away, Susanna would take a walk in her husband's garden.	7 And when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and walked in her husband's orchard.
8 The two elders, who used to watch her every day as she came in to take her walk, gradual y began todesire her.	8 And the old men saw her going in every day, and walking: and they were inflamed with lust towards her:
9 They threw reason aside, making no effort to turn their eyes to Heaven, and forgetting the demands ofvirtue.	9 And they perverted their own mind and turned away their eyes that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.
10 Both were inflamed by passion for her, but they hid their desire from each other,	10 So they were both wounded with the love of her, yet they did not make known their grief one to the other:
11 for they were ashamed to admit the longing to sleep with her,	11 For they were ashamed to declare to one another their lust, being desirous to have to do with her.
12 but they made sure of watching her every day.	12 And they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other:
13 One day, having parted with the words, 'Let us go home, then, it is time for the midday meal,' theywent off in different directions,	13 Let us now go home, for it is dinner time. So going out they departed one from another.
14 only to retrace their steps and find themselves face to face again. Obliged then to explain, theyadmitted their desire and agreed to look for an opportunity of surprising her alone.	14 And turning back again, they came both to the same place: and asking one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust; and then they agreed upon a time, when they might find her alone.
15 So they waited for a favourable moment; and one day Susanna came as usual, accompanied only bytwo young maidservants. The day was hot and she wanted to bathe in the garden.	15 And it fell out, as they watched a fit day, she went in on a time, as yesterday and the day before, with two maids only, and was desirous to wash herself in the orchard: for it was hot weather.
16 There was no one about except the two elders, spying on her from their hiding place.	16 And there was nobody there, but the two old men that had hid themselves and were beholding her.
17 She said to the servants, 'Bring me some oil and balsam and shut the garden door while I bathe.'	17 So she said to the maids: Bring me oil, and washing balls, and shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me.
18 They did as they were told, shutting the garden door and going back to the house by a side entranceto fetch what she had asked for; they knew nothing about the elders, for they had concealed themselves.	18 And they did as she bade them: and they shut the doors of the orchard, and went out by a back door to fetch what she had commanded them, and they knew not that the elders were hid within.
19 Hardly were the maids gone than the two elders sprang up and rushed upon her.	19 Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and ran to her, and said:
20 'Look,' they said, 'the garden door is shut, no one can see us. We want to have you, so give in andlet us!	20 Behold the doors of the orchard are shut, and nobody seeth us, and we are in love with thee: wherefore consent to us, and lie with us.
21 Refuse, and we shal both give evidence that a young man was with you and that this was why yousent your maids away.'	21 But if thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was with thee, and therefore thou didst send away thy maids from thee.
22 Susanna sighed. 'I am trapped,' she said, 'whatever I do. If I agree, it means death for me; if I resist, Icannot get away from you.	22 Susanna sighed, and said: I am straitened on every side: for if I do this thing, it is death to me: and if I do it not, I shall not escape your hands.
23 But I prefer to fal innocent into your power than to sin in the eyes of the Lord.'	23 But it is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.
24 She then cried out as loud as she could. The two elders began shouting too, putting the blame onher,	24 With that Susanna cried out with a loud voice: and the elders also cried out against her.
25 and one of them ran to open the garden door.	25 And one of them ran to the door of the orchard, and opened it.
26 The household, hearing the shouting in the garden, rushed out by the side entrance to see what hadhappened to her.	26 So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the orchard, they rushed in by the back door to see what was the matter.
27 Once the elders had told their story, the servants were thoroughly taken aback, since nothing of thissort had ever been said of Susanna.	27 But after the old men had spoken, the servants were greatly ashamed: for never had there been any such word said of Susanna. And on the next day,
28 Next day a meeting was held at the house of her husband Joakim. The two elders arrived, ful of theirwicked plea against Susanna, to have her put to death.	28 When the people were come to Joakim her husband, the two elders also came full of wicked device against Susanna, to put her to death.
29 They addressed the company, 'Summon Susanna daughter of Hilkiah and wife of Joakim.' She wassent for,	29 And they said before the people: Send to Susanna daughter of Helcias the wife of Joakim. And presently they sent.
30 and came accompanied by her parents, her children and al her relations.	30 And she came with her parents, and children, and all her kindred.
31 Susanna was very graceful and beautiful to look at;	31 Now Susanna was exceeding delicate, and beautiful to behold.
32 she was veiled, so the wretches made her unveil in order to feast their eyes on her beauty.	32 But those wicked men commanded that her face should be uncovered, (for she was covered,) that so at least they might be satisfied with her beauty.
33 Al her own people were weeping, and so were al the others who saw her.	33 Therefore her friends and all her acquaintance wept.
34 The two elders stood up, with al the people round them, and laid their hands on her head.	34 But the two elders rising up in the midst of the people, laid their hands upon her head.
35 Tearful y she turned her eyes to Heaven, her heart confident in God.	35 And she weeping looked up to heaven, for her heart had confidence in the Lord.
36 The elders then spoke, 'While we were walking by ourselves in the garden, this woman arrived withtwo maids. She shut the garden door and then dismissed the servants.	36 And the elders said: As we walked in the orchard alone, this woman came in with two maids, and shut the doors of the orchard, and sent away the maids from her.
37 A young man, who had been hiding, went over to her and they lay together.	37 Then a young man that was there hid came to her, and lay with her.
38 From the end of the garden where we were, we saw this crime taking place and hurried towardsthem.	38 But we that were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this wickedness, ran up to them, and we saw them lie together.
39 Though we saw them together, we were unable to catch the man: he was too strong for us; heopened the door and took to his heels.	39 And him indeed we could not take, because he was stronger than us, and opening the doors be leaped out:
40 We did, however, catch this woman and ask her who the young man was.	40 But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: of this thing we are witnesses.
41 She refused to tel us. That is our evidence.' Since they were elders of the people and judges, theassembly accepted their word: Susanna was condemned to death.	41 The multitude believed them as being the elders and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.
42 She cried out as loud as she could, 'Eternal God, you know all secrets and everything before ithappens;	42 Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said: O eternal God, who knowest hidden things, who knowest all things before they come to pass,
43 you know that they have given false evidence against me. And now I must die, innocent as I am ofeverything their malice has invented against me!'	43 Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me: and behold I must die, whereas I have done none of these things, which these men have maliciously forged against me.
44 The Lord heard her cry	44 And the Lord heard her voice.
45 and, as she was being led away to die, he roused the holy spirit residing in a young boy called Daniel	45 And when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel.
46 who began to shout, 'I am innocent of this woman's death!'	46 And he cried out with a loud voice I am clear from the blood of this woman.
47 At this al the people turned to him and asked, 'What do you mean by that?'	47 Then all the people turning themselves towards him, said: What meaneth this word that thou hast spoken?
48 Standing in the middle of the crowd, he replied, 'Are you so stupid, children of Israel, as to condemna daughter of Israel unheard, and without troubling to find out the truth?	48 But he standing in the midst of them, said: Are ye so foolish, ye children of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth, you have condemned a daughter of Israel?
49 Go back to the scene of the trial: these men have given false evidence against her.'	49 Return to judgment, for they have borne false witness against her.
50 Al the people hurried back, and the elders said to Daniel, 'Come and sit with us and tell us what youmean, since God has given you the gifts that elders have.'	50 So all the people turned again in haste, and the old men said to him: Come, and sit thou down among us, and shew it as: seeing God hath given thee the honour of old age.
51 Daniel said, 'Keep the men wel apart from each other, for I want to question them.'	51 And Daniel said to the people: Separate these two far from one another, and I will examine them.
52 When the men had been separated, Daniel had one of them brought to him. 'You have grown old inwickedness,' he said, 'and now the sins of your earlier days have overtaken you,	52 So when they were put asunder one from the other, he called one of them, and said to him: O thou that art grown old in evil days, now are thy sins come out, which thou hast committed before:
53 you with your unjust judgements, your condemnation of the innocent, your acquittal of the guilty,although the Lord has said, "You must not put the innocent and upright to death."	53 In judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and letting the guilty to go free, whereas the Lord saith: I The innocent and the just thou shalt not kill.
54 Now then, since you saw her so clearly, tel me what sort of tree you saw them lying under.' Hereplied, 'Under an acacia tree.'	54 Now then, if thou sawest her, tell me under what tree thou sawest them conversing together. He said: Under a mastic tree.
55 Daniel said, 'Indeed! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God has already received fromhim your sentence and wil cut you in half.'	55 And Daniel said: Well hast thou lied against thy own head: for behold the angel of God having received the sentence of him, shall cut thee in two.
56 He dismissed the man, ordered the other to be brought and said to him, 'Son of Canaan, not ofJudah, beauty has seduced you, lust has led your heart astray!	56 And having put him aside, he commanded that the other should come, and he said to him: O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thy heart:
57 This is how you have been behaving with the daughters of Israel, and they have been too frightenedto resist; but here is a daughter of Judah who could not stomach your wickedness!	57 Thus did you do to the daughters of Israel, and they for fear conversed with you: but a daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness.
58 Now then, tel me what sort of tree you surprised them under.' He replied, 'Under an aspen tree.'	58 Now therefore tell me, under what tree didst thou take them conversing together., And he answered: Under a holm tree.
59 Daniel said, 'Indeed! Your lie recoils on your own head: the angel of God is waiting with a sword torend you in half, and destroy the pair of you.'	59 And Daniel said to him: Well hast thou also lied against thy own head: for the angel of the Lord waiteth with a sword to cut thee in two, and to destroy you.
60 Then the whole assembly shouted, blessing God, the Saviour of those who trust in him.	60 With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and they blessed God, who saveth them that trust in him.
61 And they turned on the two elders whom Daniel had convicted of false evidence out of their ownmouths.	61 And they rose up against the two elders, (for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth,) and they did to them as they had maliciously dealt against their neighbour,
62 As the Law of Moses prescribes, they were given the same punishment as they had schemed toinflict on their neighbour. They were put to death. And thus, that day, an innocent life was saved.	62 To fulfil the law of Moses: and they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved in that day.
63 Hilkiah and his wife gave thanks to God for their daughter Susanna, and so did her husband Joakimand all his relations, because she had been acquitted of anything dishonourable.	63 But Helcias and his wife praised God, for their daughter Susanna, with Joakim her husband, and all her kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.
64 From that day onwards, Daniel's reputation stood high with the people.	64 And Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, and thenceforward.
	65 And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian received his kingdom.