यूदीत 6

1And it came to pass when they had left off speaking, that Holofernes being in a violent passion, said to Achior:

2Because thou hast prophesied unto us, saying: That the nation of Israel is defended by their God, to shew thee that there is no God, but Nabuchodonosor:

3When we shall slay them all as one man, then thou also shalt die with them by the sword of the Assyrians, and all Israel shall perish with thee:

4And thou shalt find that Nabuchodonosor is lord of the whole earth: and then the sword of my soldiers shall pass through thy sides, and thou shalt be stabbed and fall among the wounded of Israel, and thou shalt breathe no more till thou be destroyed with them.

5But if thou think thy prophecy true, let not thy countenance sink, and let the paleness that is in thy face, depart from thee, if thou imaginest these my words cannot be accomplished.

6And that thou mayst know that thou shalt experience these things together with them, behold from this hour thou shalt be associated to their people, that when they shall receive the punishment they deserve from my sword, thou mayst fall under the same vengeance.

7Then Holofernes commanded his servants to take Achior, and to lead him to Bethulia, and to deliver him into the hands of the children of Israel.

8And the servants of Holofernes taking him, went through the plains: but when they came near the mountains, the slingers came out against them.

9Then turning out of the way by the side of the mountain, they tied Achior to a tree hand and foot, and so left him bound with ropes, and returned to their master.

10And the children of Israel coming down from Bethulia, came to him, and loosing him they brought him to Bethulia, and setting him in the midst of the people, asked him what was the matter, that the Assyrians had left him bound.

11In those days the rulers there, were Ozias the son of Micha of the tribe of Simeon, and Charmi, called also Gothoniel.

12And Achior related in the midst of the ancients, and in the presence of all the people, all that he had said being asked by Holofernes: and how the people of Holofernes would have killed him for this word,

13And how Holofernes himself being angry had commanded him to be delivered for this cause to the Israelites: that when he should overcome the children of Israel, then he might command Achior also himself to be put to death by diverse torments, for having said: The God of heaven is their defender.

14And when Achior had declared all these things, all the people fell upon their faces, adoring the Lord, and all of them together mourning and weeping poured out their prayers with one accord to the Lord,

15Saying: O Lord God of heaven and earth, behold their pride, and look on our low condition, and have regard to the face of thy saints, and shew that thou forsakes not them that trust on thee, and that thou humblest them that presume of themselves, and glory in their own strength.

16So when their weeping was ended, and the peoples prayer, in which they continued all the day, was concluded, they comforted Achior,

17Saying: the God of our fathers, whose power thou hast set forth, will make this return to thee, that thou rather shalt see their destruction.

18And when the Lord our God shall give this liberty to his servants, let God be with thee also in the midst of us: that as it shall please thee, so thou with all thine mayst converse with us.

19Then Ozias, after the assembly was broken up, received him into his house, and made him a great supper.

20And all the ancients were invited, and they refreshed themselves together after their fast was over.

21And afterwards all the people were called together, and they prayed all the night long within the church, desiring help of the God of Israel.

1Factum est autem cum cessassent loqui, indignatus Holofernes vehementer, dixit ad Achior:

2Quoniam prophetasti nobis, dicens quod gens Israël defendatur a Deo suo, ut ostendam tibi quoniam non est deus nisi Nabuchodonosor,

3cum percusserimus eos omnes, sicut hominem unum, tunc et ipse cum illis Assyriorum gladio interibis, et omnis Israël tecum perditione disperiet:

4et probabis quoniam Nabuchodonosor dominus sit universæ terræ: tuncque gladius militiæ meæ transiet per latera tua, et confixus cades inter vulneratos Israël, et non respirabis ultra, donec extermineris cum illis.

5Porro autem si prophetiam tuam veram existimas, non concidat vultus tuus: et pallor qui faciem tuam obtinet abscedat a te, si verba mea hæc putas impleri non posse.

6Ut autem noveris quia simul cum illis hæc experieris, ecce ex hac hora illorum populo sociaberis, ut, dum dignas mei gladii pœnas exceperint, ipse simul ultioni subjaceas.

7Tunc Holofernes præcepit servis suis ut comprehenderent Achior, et perducerent eum in Bethuliam, et traderent eum in manus filiorum Israël.

8Et accipientes eum servi Holofernis, profecti sunt per campestria: sed cum appropinquassent ad montana, exierunt contra eos fundibularii.

9Illi autem divertentes a latere montis, ligaverunt Achior ad arborem manibus et pedibus, et sic vinctum restibus dimiserunt eum, et reversi sunt ad dominum suum.

10Porro filii Israël descendentes de Bethulia, venerunt ad eum: quem solventes, duxerunt ad Bethuliam, atque in medium populi illum statuentes, percunctati sunt quid rerum esset quod illum vinctum Assyrii reliquissent.

11In diebus illis erant illic principes Ozias filius Micha de tribu Simeon, et Charmi, qui et Gothoniel.

12In medio itaque seniorum, et in conspectu omnium, Achior dixit omnia quæ locutus ipse fuerat ab Holoferne interrogatus: et qualiter populus Holofernis voluisset propter hoc verbum interficere eum,

13et quemadmodum ipse Holofernes iratus jusserit eum Israëlitis hac de causa tradi, ut dum vicerit filios Israël, tunc et ipsum Achior diversis jubeat interire suppliciis, propter hoc quod dixisset: Deus cæli defensor eorum est.

14Cumque Achior universa hæc exposuisset, omnis populus cecidit in faciem, adorantes Dominum, et communi lamentatione et fletu unanimes preces suas Domino effuderunt,

15dicentes: Domine Deus cæli et terræ, intuere superbiam eorum, et respice ad nostram humilitatem, et faciem sanctorum tuorum attende, et ostende quoniam non derelinquis præsumentes de te: et præsumentes de se, et de sua virtute gloriantes, humilias.

16Finito itaque fletu, et per totam diem oratione populorum completa, consolati sunt Achior,

17dicentes: Deus patrum nostrorum, cujus tu virtutem prædicasti, ipse tibi hanc dabit vicissitudinem, ut eorum magis tu interitum videas.

18Cum vero Dominus Deus noster dederit hanc libertatem servis suis, sit et tecum Deus in medio nostri: ut sicut placuerit tibi, ita cum tuis omnibus converseris nobiscum.

19Tunc Ozias, finito consilio, suscepit eum in domum suam, et fecit ei cœnam magnam.

20Et vocatis omnibus presbyteris, simul expleto jejunio refecerunt.

21Postea vero convocatus est omnis populus, et per totam noctem intra ecclesiam oraverunt, petentes auxilium a Deo Israël.

1But when they had ceased speaking, it happened that Holofernes, being very indignant, said to Achior:

2“Because you have prophesied to us, saying that the people of Israel may be defended by their God, and so as to reveal to you that there is no God, except Nebuchadnezzar:

3when we will have struck them all as one man, then you also will pass away with them by the sword of the Assyrians, and all Israel will perish into perdition with you.

4And you will be shown that Nebuchadnezzar is the lord of the whole earth. And then, the sword of my army will pass through your sides, and, being stabbed, you will fall among the wounded of Israel, and you will breathe no longer, when you have been destroyed with them.

5And furthermore, if you consider your prophecy to be true, do not let your countenance fall, and let the paleness that has taken hold of your face depart from you, if you claim that these my words cannot be fulfilled.

6But so that you may know that you will experience these things together with them, behold, from this hour you will be associated with their people, so that, when they receive the punishment that they deserve from my sword, you will fall under the same vengeance.”

7Then Holofernes instructed his servants to apprehend Achior, and to lead him through to Bethulia, and to deliver him into the hands of the sons of Israel.

8And, taking him, the servants of Holofernes traveled through the plains. But when they approached close to the mountains, the slingers of stones went forth against them.

9Then, diverting by the side of the mountain, they tied Achior, hands and feet, to a tree, and so they abandoned him, bound with ropes, and they returned to their lord.

10Thereafter, the sons of Israel, descending from Bethulia, came to him. Releasing him, they brought him to Bethulia. And so, standing him in the midst of the people, they interrogated him as to what event caused the Assyrians to abandon him, bound.

11In those days, the rulers of that place were Uzziah, the son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, and Chabris, also called Gothoniel.

12And so, in the midst of the elders and in the sight of everyone, Achior explained all that he had said in reply to the questioning of Holofernes, and in what manner the people of Holofernes wanted to have him killed because of this word,

13and how Holofernes himself, being angry, had ordered him to be handed over to the Israelites, for this reason: so that when he would prevail over the sons of Israel, then he would also command Achior himself to be executed by diverse torments, because he had said that the God of heaven is their defender.

14And when Achior had declared all these things, all the people fell on their faces, adoring the Lord, and, communing together with mourning and weeping, they poured out their prayers with one mind to the Lord,

15saying: “O Lord, God of heaven and earth, behold their arrogance, and gaze upon our humility, and attend to the face of your holy ones, and reveal that you do not abandon those who rely on you, and that those who rely on themselves and who glory in their own strength, you humble.”

16And so, when their weeping was ended, and the prayer of the people throughout the entire day was completed, they consoled Achior,

17saying: “The God of our fathers, whose power you have predicted, will give to you this in return: that you, instead, will see the destruction of them.

18Truly, when the Lord our God will give this freedom to his servants, may God also be with you in our midst, so that, just as it pleases you, everyone who is with you may keep company with us.”

19Then Uzziah, after the council was ended, received him into his own house, and he made him a great supper.

20And all the elders were invited; together they refreshed themselves at the completion of their fast.

21In truth, after this, all the people were called together, and they prayed throughout the entire night within the assembly, petitioning help from the God of Israel.