Livro de Judite 4

SAGRADA BIBLIA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Ouvindo isso, os israelitas de Judá ficaram muito alarmados com a aproximação (de Holofernes).	1 Then, upon hearing these things, the sons of Israel, who dwelt in the land of Judah, were very afraid before his face.
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.	2 Trembling and horror invaded their senses, lest he should do the same thing to Jerusalem and to the temple of the Lord that he had done to other cities and their temples.
3 Mandaram mensageiros por toda a Samaria e seus arredores até Jericó, e ocuparam todos os cumes dos montes.	3 And they sent into all of Samaria, and by an indirect route even to Jericho, and they seized in advance all the tops of the mountains.
4 Cercaram de muros todas as suas cidades e armazenaram trigo para poderem sustentar o combate.	4 And they surrounded their villages with walls, and they gathered together grain in preparation for the fight.
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,	5 And then Eliachim the priest wrote to all who were opposite Esdrelon, which is opposite the face of the great plain near Dothain, and to all whom he would be able to reach through a passable way:
6 pedindo-lhes que ocupassem as vertentes montanhosas que davam acesso a Jerusalém, e que pusessem guarnições nos desfiladeiros por onde se pudesse passar.	6 that they should hold the ascents of the mountains, through which there might be any passage able to reach Jerusalem, and that they should keep watch where the passage was narrow, wherever possible, between the mountains.
7 Os israelitas executaram todas as ordens de Eliacim, sacerdote do Senhor.	7 And the sons of Israel did just as Eliachim, the priest of the Lord, had appointed them.
8 Todo o povo orou fervorosamente ao Senhor; humilharam suas almas com jejuns e orações, eles e suas mulheres.	8 And all the people cried out to the Lord with great urgency, and they humbled their souls with fastings, and prayers, both they and their wives.
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.	9 And the priests clothed themselves with haircloths, and they prostrated the little children opposite the face of the temple of the Lord, and they covered the altar of the Lord with haircloth.
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.	10 And they cried out to the Lord God of Israel with one accord, lest their children should be given over as prey, and their wives into distribution, and their cities into extermination, and their holy things into defilement, and so that they might not become the disgrace of the Gentiles.
11 Eliacim, sumo sacerdote do Senhor, percorreu então todo o país de Israel e falou ao povo	11 Then Eliachim, the high priest of the Lord, traveled all around Israel, and he was talking to them,
12 nestes termos: Estai certos de que o Senhor vos ouvirá, se perseverardes jejuando e orando em sua presença.	12 saying: “Know that the Lord will heed your prayers, if you continue to persevere in fastings and prayers in the sight of the Lord.
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.	13 Recall that Moses, the servant of the Lord, overcame Amalek, who trusted in his own strength, and in his power, and in his army, and in his bronze shields, and in his swift chariots, and in his horsemen. He overcame him, not by fighting with iron, but by pleading with holy prayers.
14 Isso mesmo acontecerá a todos os inimigos de Israel, se perseverardes na obra que começastes.	14 So will it be with all the enemies of Israel, if you persevere in this work that you have begun.”
15 Com tais exortações, os israelitas puseram-se a orar diante do Senhor;	15 Therefore, by this exhortation and his prayer to the Lord, they continued in the sight of the Lord,
16 mesmo aqueles que ofereciam holocaustos ao Senhor, faziam-no revestidos de sacos e com a cabeça coberta de cinzas.	16 so that even those who offered holocausts to the Lord, offered the sacrifices to the Lord girded with haircloths, and there were ashes upon their heads.
17 E todos rogavam a Deus, de todo o seu coração, que visitasse o seu povo de Israel.	17 And they all begged God with their whole heart, that he would visit his people Israel.