Giuditta 7

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Crastina autem diepraecepit Holofernes omni militiae suae et omni populo suo, qui affuerunt inauxilium illius, ut pararent se ad Betuliam et ascensus montanae praeoccuparentet facerent pugnam adversus filios Israel.	1 The fol owing day Holofernes issued orders to his whole army and to the whole host of auxiliaries whohad joined him, to break camp and march on Bethulia, to occupy the mountain passes and so open thecampaign against the Israelites.
2 Et paraverunt se in illa die omnisvir potens eorum; et virtus eorum virorum bellatorum erat centum septuagintamilia peditum et equitum duodecim milia, praeter impedimenta et viros, qui erantpedites in eis, multitudo magna valde.	2 The troops broke camp that same day. The actual fighting force numbered one hundred and twentythousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, not to mention the baggage train with the vast number of men onfoot concerned with that.
3 Et castra collocaverunt in convallemiuxta Betuliam ad fontem et praetenderunt in latitudinem contra Dothain usque adAbelmain et in longitudinem a Betulia usque Chyamonem, quae est contra Esdrelon.	3 They penetrated the val ey in the neighbourhood of Bethulia, near the spring, and deployed on a widefront from Dothan to Balbaim and, in depth, from Bethulia to Cyamon, which faces Esdraelon.
4 Filii autem Israel, ut viderunt multitudinem eorum, turbati sunt valde etdixerunt unusquisque ad proximum suum: “ Nunc lingent isti faciem totiusterrae, nec montes alti neque valles neque colles sustinebunt pondus eorum ”.	4 When the Israelites saw this horde, they were al appal ed and said to each other, 'Now they wil lick thewhole country clean. Not even the loftiest peaks, the gorges or the hil s wil be able to stand the weight of them.'
5 Et accipientes unusquisque vasa sua bellica et accendentes ignem in turribusmurorum suorum manebant custodientes per totam noctem illam.	5 Each man snatched up his arms; they lit beacons on their towers and spent the whole night on watch.
6 Altera autem dieeduxit Holofernes omnem equitatum suum contra faciem filiorum Israel, qui erantin Betulia,	6 On the second day Holofernes deployed his entire cavalry in sight of the Israelites in Bethulia.
7 et visitavit ascensus civitatis eorum et fontes aquarumperambulavit et praeoccupavit eos. Et praeposuit eis castra virorum bellatorumet ipse convertit in populum suum.	7 He reconnoitred the slopes leading up to the town, located the water-points, seized them and postedpickets over them and returned to the main body.
8 Et accedentes ad eum omnes principesfiliorum Esau et omnes duces populi Moab et magistratus maritimae dixerunt:	8 The chieftains of the sons of Esau, al the leaders of the Moabites and the generals of the coastal districtthen came to him and said,
9 “ Audiat verbum dominator noster, ne fiat confractio in virtute tua.	9 'If our master wil be pleased to listen to us, his forces wil not sustain a single wound.
10 Populus enim hic filiorum Israel non fidit in lanceis suis sed in altitudinibusmontium, in quibus inhabitant; non enim est facile ascendere vertices montiumipsorum.	10 These Israelites do not rely so much on their spears as on the height of the mountains where they live.And admittedly it is not at all easy to scale these heights of theirs.
11 Et nunc, dominator, noli pugnare ad eos sicut pugna fit belli, etnon cadet ex populo tuo vir unus;	11 'This being the case, master, avoid engaging them in a pitched battle and then you wil not lose a singleman.
12 sed mane in castris tuis custodiens omnemvirum virtutis tuae, et obtineant pueri tui fontem aquarum, qui emanat a radicemontis,	12 Stay in camp, keep al your troops there too, while your servants seize the spring which rises at the footof the mountain,
13 quia inde hauriunt aquas omnes inhabitantes Betuliam. Et interficieteos sitis, et tradent civitatem suam, et nos et populus tuus ascendemus supervertices montium proximos et obsidebimus in eis in custodiam, ut non exeat decivitate vir unus.	13 since that is what provides the population of Bethulia with their water supply. Thirst wil then force themto surrender their town. Meanwhile, we and our men wil climb the nearest mountain tops and form advanceposts there to prevent anyone from leaving the town.
14 Et destilliscent in fame et siti ipsi et mulieres eorum etfilii eorum et, priusquam veniat gladius super eos, prosternentur in plateishabitationis suae,	14 Hunger wil waste them, with their wives and children, and before the sword can reach them they wilalready be lying in the streets outside their houses.
15 et retribues eis retributionem malam, eo quod secesseruntet non obviaverunt faciei tuae in pace ”.	15 And you will make them pay dearly for their defiance and their refusal to meet you peaceably.'
16 Et placuerunt verba eorum coramHoloferne et coram omnibus famulis eius, et constituit facere, ut locuti sunt.	16 Their words pleased Holofernes as wel as al his officers, and he decided to do as they suggested.
17 Et promoverunt castra filii Moab et cum eis quinque milia filiorum Assyriaeet castra constituerunt in convalle et praeoccupaverunt aquas et fontes aquarumfiliorum Israel.	17 Accordingly, a troop of Moabites moved forward with a further five thousand Assyrians. Theypenetrated the val ey and seized the Israelites' waterpoints and springs.
18 Et ascenderunt filii Ammon et filii Esau et castraconstituerunt in montana contra Dothain. Et miserunt ex eis ad austrum etorientem contra Egrebel, quae est iuxta Chus, quae est ad rivum Mochmur. Etreliqua militia Assyriorum castra constituerunt in campo et operuerunt omnemfaciem terrae; et tabernacula et impedimenta eorum constituerunt in turba multa,et erant in multitudinem magnam valde.	18 Meanwhile the Edomites and Ammonites went and took up positions in the highlands opposite Dothan,sending some of their men to the south-east opposite Egrebel near Chous on the Wadi Mochmur. The rest of theAssyrian army took up positions in the plain, covering every inch of the ground; their tents and equipment madean immense encampment, so vast were their numbers.
19 Et filii Israel clamaverunt ad Dominum Deum suum, quoniam minorabaturspiritus eorum, quoniam circumdederant eos omnes inimici eorum, et non poteranteffugere de medio eorum.	19 The Israelites cal ed on the Lord their God, dispirited because the enemy had surrounded them and cutal line of retreat.
20 Et manserunt in circuitu eorum omnia castraAssyriae, pedites et quadrigae et equites eorum per dies triginta quattuor. Etdeficiebant omnibus inhabitantibus Betuliam omnia vasa aquarum eorum,	20 For thirty-four days the Assyrian army, infantry, chariots, cavalrymen, had them surrounded. Everywater-jar the inhabitants of Bethulia had was empty,
21 etcisternae eorum evacuabantur, et non habebant quod biberent in satietatem aquamunam diem, quoniam in mensura dabant eis bibere.	21 their storage-wel s were drying up; on no day could a man drink his fil , since their water was rationed.
22 Et anxiati sunt infanteseorum, et mulieres et iuvenes deficiebant a siti et cadebant in plateiscivitatis et in transitu portarum, et non erat virtus adhuc in eis.	22 Their little children pined away, the women and young men grew weak with thirst; they col apsed in the streets and gateways of the town; they had no strength left.
23 Etcollegit se omnis populus ad Oziam et ad principes civitatis, iuvenes etmulieres et infantes, et clamaverunt voce magna et dixerunt coram omnibussenioribus:	23 Young men, women, children, the whole people thronged clamouring round Uzziah and the chief menof the town, shouting in the presence of the assembled elders,
24 “ Iudicet Deus inter vos et nos, quoniam fecistis in nobisiniquitatem magnam non loquentes pacifica cum filiis Assyriae.	24 'May God be judge between you and us! For you have done us great harm, by not suing for peace withthe Assyrians.
25 Et nunc nonest qui nos adiuvet, sed vendidit nos Deus in manus eorum, ut prosterneremurante eos in siti et perditione magna.	25 And now there is no one to help us. God has delivered us into their hands to be prostrated before themin thirst and utter helplessness.
26 Et nunc convocate eos et traditecivitatem totam in captivitatem populo Holofernis et omni virtuti eius.	26 Cal them in at once; hand the whole town over to be sacked by Holofernes' men and al his army.
27 Melius est enim nos fieri illis in rapinam; erimus enim eis in servos etancillas, et vivet anima nostra, et non videbimus mortem infantium nostrorum inoculis nostris et mulieres et filios nostros deficientes in animabus suis.	27 After al , we should be much better off as their booty than we are now; no doubt we shall be enslaved,but at least we shal be alive and not see our little ones dying before our eyes or our wives and childrenperishing.
28 Contestamur vobis caelum et terram et Deum eorum et Dominum patrum nostrorum,qui ulciscitur in nos secundum peccata nostra et secundum peccata patrumnostrorum, ut non faciat secundum verba haec in hac die ”.	28 By heaven and earth and by our God, the Lord of our fathers, who is punishing us for our sins and thesins of our ancestors, we implore you to take this course now, today.'
29 Et factus estfletus magnus in medio ecclesiae omnium unanimiter, et clamaverunt ad DominumDeum voce magna.	29 Bitter lamentations rose from the whole assembly, and they all cried loudly to the Lord God.
30 Et dixit ad eos Ozias: “ Aequo animo estote, fratres, et sustineamus adhucdies quinque, in quibus convertet Dominus Deus noster misericordiam suam supernos; non enim derelinquet nos in consummationem.	30 Then Uzziah spoke to them, 'Take heart, brothers! Let us hold out five days more. By then the Lord ourGod will take pity on us, for he wil not desert us altogether.
31 Si autem transierint istiquinque dies, et non fuerit super nos adiutorium, faciam secundum verba vestra”.	31 At the end of this time, if no help is forthcoming, I shall do as you have said.'
32 Et dispersit plebem unumquemque in castra sua, et super muros et turrescivitatis abierunt, et mulieres et filios in domus suas dimiserunt; et erant inmagna humilitate valde.	32 With that he dismissed the people to their various quarters. The men went to man the wal s and towersof the town, sending the women and children home. The town was ful of despondency.