Judith 7

1On the next day, Holofernes commanded his entire army and all his allies who joined with him to move against Bethulia and occupy the passes up in the hill country, and to attack the Israelites.

τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον παρήγγειλεν Ολοφέρνης πάσῃ τῇ στρατιᾷ αὐτοῦ καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ οἳ παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὴν συμμαχίαν αὐτοῦ ἀναζευγνύειν ἐπὶ Βαιτυλουα καὶ τὰς ἀναβάσεις τῆς ὀρεινῆς προκαταλαμβάνεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖν πόλεμον πρὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ

2So their soldiers broke camp, and their army numbered a hundred seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry (not including the baggage handlers), a great multitude.

καὶ ἀνέζευξεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ πᾶς ἀνὴρ δυνατὸς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν χιλιάδες πεζῶν ἑκατὸν ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ ἱππέων χιλιάδες δέκα δύο χωρὶς τῆς ἀποσκευῆς καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν οἳ ἦσαν πεζοὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς πλῆθος πολὺ σφόδρα

3They camped beside the spring in the valley near Bethulia. They were spread out in width over Dothan as far as Belbaim and in length from Bethulia to Cyamon, facing Esdraelon.

καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι πλησίον Βαιτυλουα ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς καὶ παρέτειναν εἰς εὖρος ἐπὶ Δωθαϊμ ἕως Βελβαιμ καὶ εἰς μῆκος ἀπὸ Βαιτυλουα ἕως Κυαμωνος ἥ ἐστιν ἀπέναντι τοῦ Εσδρηλων

4When the Israelites saw their great numbers, they were exceedingly distressed, each saying to his neighbor, 'Now they will ravage the entire land. Neither the high hills, nor the valleys, nor the foothills will support their weight.'

οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ὡς εἶδον αὐτῶν τὸ πλῆθος ἐταράχθησαν σφόδρα καὶ εἶπαν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ νῦν ἐκλείξουσιν οὗτοι τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς πάσης καὶ οὔτε τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλὰ οὔτε αἱ φάραγγες οὔτε οἱ βουνοὶ ὑποστήσονται τὸ βάρος αὐτῶν

5Still each one took up his weapons, and having lit fires on the their watchtowers, they stood guard that whole night.

καὶ ἀναλαβόντες ἕκαστος τὰ σκεύη τὰ πολεμικὰ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀνακαύσαντες πυρὰς ἐπὶ τοὺς πύργους αὐτῶν ἔμενον φυλάσσοντες ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην

6Then on the second day, Holofernes brought all his cavalry out in full view of the Israelites in Bethulia.

τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἐξήγαγεν Ολοφέρνης πᾶσαν τὴν ἵππον αὐτοῦ κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ οἳ ἦσαν ἐν Βαιτυλουα

7He carefully inspected the approaches leading to the city, and then he came upon the springs which were their water source and seized them. He placed soldiers there to guard over them, and returned to his encampment.

καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο τὰς ἀναβάσεις τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων ἐφώδευσεν καὶ προκατελάβετο αὐτὰς καὶ ἐπέστησεν αὐταῖς παρεμβολὰς ἀνδρῶν πολεμιστῶν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνέζευξεν εἰς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ

8Then all the chief men of the sons of Edom, and all the leaders of the people of Moab, and the commanders of the seacoast region came to him, saying,

καὶ προσελθόντες αὐτῷ πάντες ἄρχοντες υἱῶν Ησαυ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἡγούμενοι τοῦ λαοῦ Μωαβ καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ τῆς παραλίας εἶπαν

9'Let our lord now hear our word, that there be no losses in your army.

ἀκουσάτω δὴ λόγον ὁ δεσπότης ἡμῶν ἵνα μὴ γένηται θραῦσμα ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου

10For this people, the Israelites, do not put their trust in spears, but in the height of the mountains where they dwell, since it is not easy to reach their mountain peaks.

ὁ γὰρ λαὸς οὗτος τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ οὐ πέποιθαν ἐπὶ τοῖς δόρασιν αὐτῶν ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὕψεσι τῶν ὀρέων ἐν οἷς αὐτοὶ ἐνοικοῦσιν ἐν αὐτοῖς οὐ γάρ ἐστιν εὐχερὲς προσβῆναι ταῖς κορυφαῖς τῶν ὀρέων αὐτῶν

11Indeed, master, do not engage them in battle formation, and not one man of your forces will fall.

καὶ νῦν δέσποτα μὴ πολέμει πρὸς αὐτοὺς καθὼς γίνεται πόλεμος παρατάξεως καὶ οὐ πεσεῖται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ σου ἀνὴρ εἷς

12Stay instead in your camp, and keep all the men of your army there. Have your servants take control of the spring which comes from the base of the mountain,

ἀνάμεινον ἐπὶ τῆς παρεμβολῆς σου διαφυλάσσων πάντα ἄνδρα ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεώς σου καὶ ἐπικρατησάτωσαν οἱ παῖδές σου τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος ἣ ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης τοῦ ὄρους

13for this is where the citizens of Bethulia draw their water. Their thirst will consume them, and they will surrender their city. Then we and our forces will go up to the peaks of the mountains nearby and camp there to make sure no one departs from the city.

διότι ἐκεῖθεν ὑδρεύονται πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες Βαιτυλουα καὶ ἀνελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἡ δίψα καὶ ἐκδώσουσι τὴν πόλιν αὐτῶν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἡμῶν ἀναβησόμεθα ἐπὶ τὰς πλησίον κορυφὰς τῶν ὀρέων καὶ παρεμβαλοῦμεν ἐπ᾿ αὐταῖς εἰς προφυλακὴν τοῦ μὴ ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἄνδρα ἕνα

14They and their wives and their children will waste away from starvation, and before the sword can come against them they will already be struck down in the streets where they live.

καὶ τακήσονται ἐν τῷ λιμῷ αὐτοὶ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὴν ῥομφαίαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καταστρωθήσονται ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τῆς οἰκήσεως αὐτῶν

15So you will repay them an evil recompense, because they rebelled and did not meet with you in peace.'

καὶ ἀνταποδώσεις αὐτοῖς ἀνταπόδομα πονηρὸν ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐστασίασαν καὶ οὐκ ἀπήντησαν τῷ προσώπῳ σου ἐν εἰρήνῃ

16And their words pleased Holofernes and all his servants, and he gave command that they do just as they said.

καὶ ἤρεσαν οἱ λόγοι αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον Ολοφέρνου καὶ ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ καὶ συνέταξε ποιεῖν καθὰ ἐλάλησαν

17So the forces of the Ammonites departed, along with five thousand Assyrians, and they set up camp in the valley and captured the springs, the water supply for the Israelites.

καὶ ἀπῆρεν παρεμβολὴ υἱῶν Αμμων καὶ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν χιλιάδες πέντε υἱῶν Ασσουρ καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι καὶ προκατελάβοντο τὰ ὕδατα καὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ

18Then the Edomites and the Ammonites came up and camped in the hills facing Dothan, and from there they dispatched some of their troops to the south and east, toward Egrebeh, near Chusi beside the brook Mochmur. The remainder of the Assyrian forces camped on the plain and spread out over the whole countryside, and their tents and the supply lines expanded everywhere, an enormous array.

καὶ ἀνέβησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ησαυ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Αμμων καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐν τῇ ὀρεινῇ ἀπέναντι Δωθαϊμ καὶ ἀπέστειλαν ἐξ αὐτῶν πρὸς νότον καὶ ἀπηλιώτην ἀπέναντι Εγρεβηλ ἥ ἐστιν πλησίον Χους ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ χειμάρρου Μοχμουρ καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ στρατιὰ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων παρενέβαλον ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ἐκάλυψαν πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς καὶ αἱ σκηναὶ καὶ αἱ ἀπαρτίαι αὐτῶν κατεστρατοπέδευσαν ἐν ὄχλῳ πολλῷ καὶ ἦσαν εἰς πλῆθος πολὺ σφόδρα

19Then the children of Israel were disheartened, and they cried out to the Lord their God. Their enemies had them surrounded, and there was no way for them to escape.

καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ἀνεβόησαν πρὸς κύριον θεὸν αὐτῶν ὅτι ὠλιγοψύχησεν τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν ὅτι ἐκύκλωσαν πάντες οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἦν διαφυγεῖν ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν

20The entire army of Assyrians—their infantry, chariots, and their cavalry—encircled them for thirty-four days, and all the water containers of the citizens of Bethulia stood empty.

καὶ ἔμεινεν κύκλῳ αὐτῶν πᾶσα παρεμβολὴ Ασσουρ οἱ πεζοὶ καὶ ἅρματα καὶ οἱ ἱππεῖς αὐτῶν ἡμέρας τριάκοντα τέσσαρας καὶ ἐξέλιπεν πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Βαιτυλουα πάντα τὰ ἀγγεῖα αὐτῶν τῶν ὑδάτων

21Their cisterns were dried up, and there was not one day in which there was enough water to drink, for the water was rationed.

καὶ οἱ λάκκοι ἐξεκενοῦντο καὶ οὐκ εἶχον πιεῖν εἰς πλησμονὴν ὕδωρ ἡμέραν μίαν ὅτι ἐν μέτρῳ ἐδίδοσαν αὐτοῖς πιεῖν

22Their children became listless, and their women and youths fainted from thirst and collapsed in the city streets and in the gateways, for there was no longer any strength in them.

καὶ ἠθύμησεν τὰ νήπια αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ἐξέλιπον ἀπὸ τῆς δίψης καὶ ἔπιπτον ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐν ταῖς διόδοις τῶν πυλῶν καὶ οὐκ ἦν κραταίωσις ἔτι ἐν αὐτοῖς

23Then all the people, the youths, the women, and the children, crowded around Uzziah and the leaders of the city. With loud voices they cried out before all the elders, saying,

καὶ ἐπισυνήχθησαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ Οζιαν καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς πόλεως οἱ νεανίσκοι καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ τὰ παιδία καὶ ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπαν ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων

24'May God judge between you and us! For you have done us a great wrong by not making peace with the Assyrians.

κρίναι ὁ θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐποιήσατε ἐν ἡμῖν ἀδικίαν μεγάλην οὐ λαλήσαντες εἰρηνικὰ μετὰ υἱῶν Ασσουρ

25For now there is none to help us. And God has delivered us into the hands of them who laid us low in thirst and in great destruction.

καὶ νῦν οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ βοηθὸς ἡμῶν ἀλλὰ πέπρακεν ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν τοῦ καταστρωθῆναι ἐναντίον αὐτῶν ἐν δίψῃ καὶ ἀπωλείᾳ μεγάλῃ

26So call to them and surrender the whole city to be plunder to the army of Holofernes and all his forces.

καὶ νῦν ἐπικαλέσασθε αὐτοὺς καὶ ἔκδοσθε τὴν πόλιν πᾶσαν εἰς προνομὴν τῷ λαῷ Ολοφέρνου καὶ πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ

27For it is better for us to be plunder to them, for we shall become their slaves, but our lives will be saved, and we will not have to watch our infants die before our eyes, and our wives and children breathing their last.

κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἡμῖν γενηθῆναι αὐτοῖς εἰς διαρπαγήν ἐσόμεθα γὰρ εἰς δούλους καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν καὶ οὐκ ὀψόμεθα τὸν θάνατον τῶν νηπίων ἡμῶν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν ἐκλειπούσας τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν

28We call all of heaven and earth to witness against you and entreat our God, the Lord of our fathers, who is punishing us according to our sins and the sins of our fathers, do according to these words spoken this very day.'

μαρτυρόμεθα ὑμῖν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν καὶ κύριον τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ὃς ἐκδικεῖ ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἵνα μὴ ποιήσῃ κατὰ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ σήμερον

29And with one accord, a great mourning broke out in the midst of the whole assembly, and with a loud voice they cried out to the Lord God.

καὶ ἐγένετο κλαυθμὸς μέγας ἐν μέσῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πάντων ὁμοθυμαδόν καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεὸν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ

30But Uzziah spoke to them, 'Brothers, take courage, and let us endure yet five more days, in which the Lord our God will return His mercy to us. He will not utterly forsake us.

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς Οζιας θαρσεῖτε ἀδελφοί διακαρτερήσωμεν ἔτι πέντε ἡμέρας ἐν αἷς ἐπιστρέψει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς οὐ γὰρ ἐγκαταλείψει ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος

31But if these days come and go, and no help reaches us, I will do as you say.'

ἐὰν δὲ διέλθωσιν αὗται καὶ μὴ ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς βοήθεια ποιήσω κατὰ τὰ ῥήματα ὑμῶν

32Then he dismissed the people to their various posts, and they went up on the walls and watchtowers of their city, and he sent the women and children home. And they were in great misery in the city.

καὶ ἐσκόρπισεν τὸν λαὸν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρεμβολήν καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ τοὺς πύργους τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα εἰς τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀπέστειλαν καὶ ἦσαν ἐν ταπεινώσει πολλῇ ἐν τῇ πόλει