Judith 4

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	SAGRADA BIBLIA
1 When the Israelites who dwelt in Judea heard of all that Holofernes, commander-in-chief of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, had done to the nations, and how he had despoiled all their temples and destroyed them,	1 Ouvindo isso, os israelitas de Judá ficaram muito alarmados com a aproximação (de Holofernes).
2 they were in extreme dread of him, and greatly alarmed for Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord, their God.	2 O medo e o terror apoderaram-se deles, temendo que ele fizesse a Jerusalém e ao templo do Senhor o mesmo que ele fizera às outras cidades e aos seus templos.
3 Now, they had lately returned from exile, and only recently had all the people of Judea been gathered together, and the vessels, the altar, and the temple been purified from profanation.	3 Mandaram mensageiros por toda a Samaria e seus arredores até Jericó, e ocuparam todos os cumes dos montes.
4 So they sent word to the whole region of Samaria, to Kona, Beth-horon, Belmain, and Jericho, to Choba and Aesora, and to the valley of Salem.	4 Cercaram de muros todas as suas cidades e armazenaram trigo para poderem sustentar o combate.
5 The people there posted guards on all the summits of the high mountains, fortified their villages, and since their fields had recently been harvested, stored up provisions in preparation for war.	5 De seu lado, o sumo sacerdote Eliacim escreveu a todos os que habitavam defronte de Esdrelon, que está fronteira à grande planície vizinha de Dotain, e a todos os das terras pelas quais havia passagens,
6 Joakim, who was high priest in Jerusalem in those days, wrote to the inhabitants of Bethulia (and Betomesthaim), which is on the way to Esdraelon, facing the plain near Dothan,	6 pedindo-lhes que ocupassem as vertentes montanhosas que davam acesso a Jerusalém, e que pusessem guarnições nos desfiladeiros por onde se pudesse passar.
7 and instructed them to keep firm hold of the mountain passes, since these offered access to Judea. It would be easy to ward off the attacking forces, as the defile was only wide enough for two abreast.	7 Os israelitas executaram todas as ordens de Eliacim, sacerdote do Senhor.
8 The Israelites carried out the orders given them by Joakim, the high priest, and the senate of the whole people of Israel, which met in Jerusalem.	8 Todo o povo orou fervorosamente ao Senhor; humilharam suas almas com jejuns e orações, eles e suas mulheres.
9 All the men of Israel cried to God with great fervor and did penance--	9 Os sacerdotes vestiram-se de cilício, as crianças prostraram-se diante do templo do Senhor, e cobriu-se o altar do Senhor com um cilício.
10 they, along with their wives, and children, and domestic animals. All their resident aliens, hired laborers, and slaves also girded themselves with sackcloth.	10 Unidos de coração e de alma, clamaram ao Senhor que não entregasse seus filhos à rapina do vencedor, suas mulheres à devassidão, suas cidades ao extermínio, seu templo à profanação, e não permitisse que eles próprios se tornassem o opróbrio das nações pagãs.
11 And all the Israelite men, women and children who lived in Jerusalem prostrated themselves in front of the temple building, with ashes strewn on their heads, displaying their sackcloth covering before the Lord.	11 Eliacim, sumo sacerdote do Senhor, percorreu então todo o país de Israel e falou ao povo
12 The altar, too, they draped in sackcloth; and with one accord they cried out fervently to the God of Israel not to allow their children to be seized, their wives to be taken captive, the cities of their inheritance to be ruined, or the sanctuary to be profaned and mocked for the nations to gloat over.	12 nestes termos: Estai certos de que o Senhor vos ouvirá, se perseverardes jejuando e orando em sua presença.
13 The Lord heard their cry and had regard for their distress. For the people observed a fast of many days' duration throughout Judea, and before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty in Jerusalem.	13 Lembrai-vos de Moisés, servo do Senhor: Amalec, que confiava em sua força, em seu poder, em seu exército, em seus escudos, em seus carros e cavaleiros, foi derrotado por ele, não com a força das armas, mas com o poder da santa oração.
14 The high priest Joakim, and all the priests in attendance on the Lord who served his altar, were also girded with sackcloth as they offered the daily holocaust, the votive offerings, and the freewill offerings of the people.	14 Isso mesmo acontecerá a todos os inimigos de Israel, se perseverardes na obra que começastes.
15 With ashes upon their turbans, they cried to the Lord with all their strength to look with favor on the whole house of Israel.	15 Com tais exortações, os israelitas puseram-se a orar diante do Senhor;
	16 mesmo aqueles que ofereciam holocaustos ao Senhor, faziam-no revestidos de sacos e com a cabeça coberta de cinzas.
	17 E todos rogavam a Deus, de todo o seu coração, que visitasse o seu povo de Israel.