Judith 3

DOUAI-RHEIMS	JERUSALEM
1 Then the kings and the princes of all the cities and provinces, of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Syria Sobal, and Libya, and Cilicia sent their ambassadors, who coming to Holofernes, said:	1 Des envoyés, porteurs de messages de paix, furent alors dépêchés vers lui.
2 Let thy indignation towards us cease: for it is better for us to live and serve Nabuchodonosor the great king, and be subject to thee, than to die and to perish, or suffer the miseries of slavery.	2 "Nous sommes, dirent-ils, les serviteurs du grand roi Nabuchodonosor et nous nous prosternonsdevant toi. Fais de nous ce qu'il te plaira.
3 All our cities and our possessions, all mountains and hills, and fields, and herds of oxen, and flocks of cheep, and goats, and horses, and camels, and all our goods, and families are in thy sight:	3 Nos parcs à bestiaux, notre territoire tout entier, tous nos champs de blé, notre menu et gros bétail,tous les enclos de nos campements sont à ta disposition. Uses-en comme bon te semblera.
4 Let all we have be subject to thy law.	4 Nos villes mêmes et leurs habitants sont à ton service. Viens, avance-toi vers elles selon ton bonplaisir."
5 Both we and our children are thy servants.	5 Ces hommes se présentèrent donc devant Holopherne et lui transmirent en ces termes leur message.
6 Come to us a peaceable lord, and use our service as it shall please thee.	6 Avec son armée il descendit ensuite vers la côte, établit des garnisons dans toutes les villes fortifiéeset y préleva des hommes d'élite comme troupes auxiliaires.
7 Then he came down from the mountains with horsemen, in great power, and made himself master of every city, and all the inhabitants of the land.	7 Les habitants de ces cités et de toutes celles d'alentour l'accueillirent parés de couronnes et dansant auson des tambourins.
8 And from all the cities he took auxiliaries valiant men, and chosen for war.	8 Mais il n'en dévasta pas moins leurs sanctuaires et coupa leurs arbres sacrés, conformément à lamission reçue d'exterminer tous les dieux indigènes pour obliger les peuples à ne plus adorer que le seulNabuchodonosor et forcer toute langue et toute race à l'invoquer comme dieu.
9 And so great a fear lay upon all those provinces, that the inhabitants of all the cities, both princes and nobles, as well as the people, went out to meet him at his coming.	9 Il arriva ainsi en face d'Esdrelon, près de Dôtaia, bourgade sise en avant de la grande chaîne de Judée,
10 And received him with garlands, and lights, and dances, and tumbrels, and flutes.	10 campa entre Géba et Scythopolis et y demeura tout un mois pour réapprovisionner ses forces.
11 And though they did these things, they could not for all that mitigate the fierceness of his heart:
12 For he both destroyed their cities and cut down their groves.
13 For Nabuchodonosor the king had commanded him to destroy all the gods of the earth, that he only might be called God by those nations which could be brought under him by the power of Holofernes.
14 And when he had passed through all Syria Sobal, and all Apamea, and all Mesopotamia, he came to the Idumeans into the land of Gabaa,
15 And he took possession of their cities, and stayed there for thirty days, in which days he commanded all the troops of his army to be united.