Giuditta 7

BIBBIA RICCIOTTI	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Il giorno appresso, Oloferne ordinò a' suoi eserciti di muovere contro Betulia.	1 The next day Holofernes commanded all his army, and all his people which were come to take his part, that they should remove their camp against Bethulia, to take aforehand the ascents of the hill country, and to make war against the children of Israel.
2 I fanti suol combattenti erano centoventimila, ed i cavalieri ventiduemila, oltre il rincalzo di quelli stati fatti prigionieri, e condotti via dalle province e dalle città, d'in fra tutta la gioventù.	2 Then their strong men removed their camps in that day, and the army of the men of war was an hundred and seventy thousand footmen, and twelve thousand horsemen, beside the baggage, and other men that were afoot among them, a very great multitude.
3 Tutti egualmente si prepararono a combattere contro i figli d'Israele, e vennero lungo il massiccio della montagna sino alla cima che guarda su Dotain, dal luogo chiamato Belma sino a Chelmon che è di faccia ad Esdrelon.	3 And they camped in the valley near unto Bethulia, by the fountain, and they spread themselves in breadth over Dothaim even to Belmaim, and in length from Bethulia unto Cynamon, which is over against Esdraelon.
4 I figli d'Israele, vista quella moltitudine, si prostraron per terra, spargendosi il capo di cenere, unanimi pregando il Dio d'Israele che mostrasse verso il suo popolo la sua misericordia.	4 Now the children of Israel, when they saw the multitude of them, were greatly troubled, and said every one to his neighbour, Now will these men lick up the face of the earth; for neither the high mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills, are able to bear their weight.
5 Poi, prese le armi di guerra, si disposero pei luoghi che segnavano la via allo stretto passo fra i monti, e giorno e notte vi stavano a guardia.	5 Then every man took up his weapons of war, and when they had kindled fires upon their towers, they remained and watched all that night.
6 Oloferne dal canto suo, girando attorno, trovò che la fontana la quale sgorgava [in città] era alimentata da un acquedotto che passava fuor di città dalla parte di mezzogiorno; e fece tagliare quell'acquedotto.	6 But in the second day Holofernes brought forth all his horsemen in the sight of the children of Israel which were in Bethulia,
7 Non lungi però dalle mura v'erano delle fonti, e si vedeva andarvi gente di nascosto ad attingervi acqua, più per rifocillarsi che per cavarsi la sete.	7 And viewed the passages up to the city, and came to the fountains of their waters, and took them, and set garrisons of men of war over them, and he himself removed toward his people.
8 Allora i figli d'Ammon e di Moab si presentarono ad Oloferne, e gli dissero: «I figli d'Israele non confidano nelle lance e nelle frecce; ma hanno i monti che li difendono, e questi colli a precipizio che li proteggono.	8 Then came unto him all the chief of the children of Esau, and all the governors of the people of Moab, and the captains of the sea coast, and said,
9 Se dunque li vuoi vincere senza venir con loro a battaglia, fa' guardar le fonti, si che non possano attingervi acque, e cosi li ucciderai senz'usare la spada; o stanchi consegneranno essi stessi la loro città che, posta come è sui monti, essi ritengono inespugnabile ».	9 Let our lord now hear a word, that there be not an overthrow in thine army.
10 Piacquero queste parole ad Oloferne ed a' suoi satelliti, e mise cento uomini a guardia di ciascuna fonte.	10 For this people of the children of Israel do not trust in their spears, but in the height of the mountains wherein they dwell, because it is not easy to come up to the tops of their mountains.
11 Essendo durata già venti giorni questa guardia, furon vuote le cisterne e le conserve d'acqua per tutti gli abitanti di Betulia, cosi che non v'era in citta di che dissetarsi nemmeno per un giorno, e l'acqua veniva data a misura al popolo ogni giorno.	11 Now therefore, my lord, fight not against them in battle array, and there shall not so much as one man of thy people perish.
12 Allora si radunarono tutti presso Ozia, uomini e donne, giovani e fanciulli e tutti ad una voce	12 Remain in thy camp, and keep all the men of thine army, and let thy servants get into their hands the fountain of water, which issueth forth of the foot of the mountain:
13 dissero: «Giudichi Dio fra noi e te, che tu ci hai fatto un gran male a non voler trattare la pace con gli Assiri; perciò Iddio ci ha come venduti nelle loro mani.	13 For all the inhabitants of Bethulia have their water thence; so shall thirst kill them, and they shall give up their city, and we and our people shall go up to the tops of the mountains that are near, and will camp upon them, to watch that none go out of the city.
14 Perciò ancora nessuno ci aiuta, mentre siamo gettati a terra sotto i loro occhi dalla sete e dalla calamità.	14 So they and their wives and their children shall be consumed with fire, and before the sword come against them, they shall be overthrown in the streets where they dwell.
15 Ed ora, convocate l'assemblea di tutti quelli che sono nella città, per arrenderci volontariamente a tutta la turba d'Oloferne.	15 Thus shalt thou render them an evil reward; because they rebelled, and met not thy person peaceably.
16 Meglio è infatti esser prigionieri ma vivi, e benedire il Signore, che morire, ed essere l'obbrobrio di tutti gli uomini dopo aver visto morire sotto 1 nostri occhi le nostre mogli ed i nostri figli.	16 And these words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he appointed to do as they had spoken.
17 Davanti al cielo ed alla terra, ed al Dio de' padri nostri che ci punisce oggi secondo i nostri peccati, vi scongiuriamo di consegnar la città ai soldati di Oloferne; e sia breve per mezzo della spada la nostra fine, che ora ci si presenta lunga nell'arsura della sete ».	17 So the camp of the children of Ammon departed, and with them five thousand of the Assyrians, and they pitched in the valley, and took the waters, and the fountains of the waters of the children of Israel.
18 Com'ebbero ciò detto, si levarono da ogni parte nell'assemblea gran pianti e gran grida, e per molte ore tutti insieme gridavano dicendo a Dio:	18 Then the children of Esau went up with the children of Ammon, and camped in the hill country over against Dothaim: and they sent some of them toward the south, and toward the east over against Ekrebel, which is near unto Chusi, that is upon the brook Mochmur; and the rest of the army of the Assyrians camped in the plain, and covered the face of the whole land; and their tents and carriages were pitched to a very great multitude.
19 « Abbiamo peccato, noi ed i padri nostri, abbiamo operato ingiustamente, abbiamo commesso iniquità.	19 Then the children of Israel cried unto the Lord their God, because their heart failed, for all their enemies had compassed them round about, and there was no way to escape out from among them.
20 Tu, che se' buono, abbi pietà di noi, e punisci tu stesso coi tuoi flagelli le nostre iniquità; ma non voler consegnare ad un popolo che non ti conosce quelli che in te confidano,	20 Thus all the company of Assur remained about them, both their footmen, chariots, and horsemen, four and thirty days, so that all their vessels of water failed all the inhibitants of Bethulia.
21 acciò non s'abbia a dire fra le nazioni: - Dov'è il loro Dio? -».	21 And the cisterns were emptied, and they had not water to drink their fill for one day; for they gave them drink by measure.
22 Quando poi, affaticati di queste grida, di questi pianti, si furon chetati,	22 Therefore their young children were out of heart, and their women and young men fainted for thirst, and fell down in the streets of the city, and by the passages of the gates, and there was no longer any strength in them.
23 s'alzò Ozia bagnato di lacrime, e disse: «State di buon animo, fratelli, e per altri cinque giorni aspettiamo la misericordia di Dìo.	23 Then all the people assembled to Ozias, and to the chief of the city, both young men, and women, and children, and cried with a loud voice, and said before all the elders,
24 Forse egli allontanerà da noi la sua collera, e darà gloria al suo nome.	24 God be judge between us and you: for ye have done us great injury, in that ye have not required peace of the children of Assur.
25 Se poi, passati cinque giorni, non ci verrà aiuto, faremo come voi avete detto ».	25 For now we have no helper: but God hath sold us into their hands, that we should be thrown down before them with thirst and great destruction.
	26 Now therefore call them unto you, and deliver the whole city for a spoil to the people of Holofernes, and to all his army.
	27 For it is better for us to be made a spoil unto them, than to die for thirst: for we will be his servants, that our souls may live, and not see the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our wives nor our children to die.
	28 We take to witness against you the heaven and the earth, and our God and Lord of our fathers, which punisheth us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, that he do not according as we have said this day.
	29 Then there was great weeping with one consent in the midst of the assembly; and they cried unto the Lord God with a loud voice.
	30 Then said Ozias to them, Brethren, be of good courage, let us yet endure five days, in the which space the Lord our God may turn his mercy toward us; for he will not forsake us utterly.
	31 And if these days pass, and there come no help unto us, I will do according to your word.
	32 And he dispersed the people, every one to their own charge; and they went unto the walls and towers of their city, and sent the women and children into their houses: and they were very low brought in the city.