Apo

1 Now at that time Judith heard thereof, which was the daughter of Merari, the son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Ozel, the son of Elcia, the son of Ananias, the son of Gedeon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Acitho, the son of Eliu, the son of Eliab, the son of Nathanael, the son of Samael, the son of Salasadal, the son of Israel.

2 And Manasses was her husband, of her tribe and kindred, who died in the barley harvest.

3 For as he stood overseeing them that bound sheaves in the field, the heat came upon his head, and he fell on his bed, and died in the city of Bethulia: and they buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothaim and Balamo.

4 So Judith was a widow in her house three years and four months.

5 And she made her a tent upon the top of her house, and put on sackcloth upon her loins and ware her widow's apparel.

6 And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, save the eves of the sabbaths, and the sabbaths, and the eves of the new moons, and the new moons and the feasts and solemn days of the house of Israel.

7 She was also of a goodly countenance, and very beautiful to behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and menservants and maidservants, and cattle, and lands; and she remained upon them.

8 And there was none that gave her an ill word; ar she feared God greatly.

9 Now when she heard the evil words of the people against the governor, that they fainted for lack of water; for Judith had heard all the words that Ozias had spoken unto them, and that he had sworn to deliver the city unto the Assyrians after five days;

10 Then she sent her waitingwoman, that had the government of all things that she had, to call Ozias and Chabris and Charmis, the ancients of the city.

11 And they came unto her, and she said unto them, Hear me now, O ye governors of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your words that ye have spoken before the people this day are not right, touching this oath which ye made and pronounced between God and you, and have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these days the Lord turn to help you.

12 And now who are ye that have tempted God this day, and stand instead of God among the children of men?

13 And now try the Lord Almighty, but ye shall never know any thing.

14 For ye cannot find the depth of the heart of man, neither can ye perceive the things that he thinketh: then how can ye search out God, that hath made all these things, and know his mind, or comprehend his purpose? Nay, my brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger.

15 For if he will not help us within these five days, he hath power to defend us when he will, even every day, or to destroy us before our enemies.

16 Do not bind the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as man, that he may be threatened; neither is he as the son of man, that he should be wavering.

17 Therefore let us wait for salvation of him, and call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice, if it please him.

18 For there arose none in our age, neither is there any now in these days neither tribe, nor family, nor people, nor city among us, which worship gods made with hands, as hath been aforetime.

19 For the which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a spoil, and had a great fall before our enemies.

20 But we know none other god, therefore we trust that he will not dispise us, nor any of our nation.

21 For if we be taken so, all Judea shall lie waste, and our sanctuary shall be spoiled; and he will require the profanation thereof at our mouth.

22 And the slaughter of our brethren, and the captivity of the country, and the desolation of our inheritance, will he turn upon our heads among the Gentiles, wheresoever we shall be in bondage; and we shall be an offence and a reproach to all them that possess us.

23 For our servitude shall not be directed to favour: but the Lord our God shall turn it to dishonour.

24 Now therefore, O brethren, let us shew an example to our brethren, because their hearts depend upon us, and the sanctuary, and the house, and the altar, rest upon us.

25 Moreover let us give thanks to the Lord our God, which trieth us, even as he did our fathers.

26 Remember what things he did to Abraham, and how he tried Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, when he kept the sheep of Laban his mother's brother.

27 For he hath not tried us in the fire, as he did them, for the examination of their hearts, neither hath he taken vengeance on us: but the Lord doth scourge them that come near unto him, to admonish them.

28 Then said Ozias to her, All that thou hast spoken hast thou spoken with a good heart, and there is none that may gainsay thy words.

29 For this is not the first day wherein thy wisdom is manifested; but from the beginning of thy days all the people have known thy understanding, because the disposition of thine heart is good.

30 But the people were very thirsty, and compelled us to do unto them as we have spoken, and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we will not break.

31 Therefore now pray thou for us, because thou art a godly woman, and the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall faint no more.

32 Then said Judith unto them, Hear me, and I will do a thing, which shall go throughout all generations to the children of our nation.

33 Ye shall stand this night in the gate, and I will go forth with my waitingwoman: and within the days that ye have promised to deliver the city to our enemies the Lord will visit Israel by mine hand.

34 But enquire not ye of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, till the things be finished that I do.

35 Then said Ozias and the princes unto her, Go in peace, and the Lord God be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies.

36 So they returned from the tent, and went to their wards.

Sep

1 καὶ ἤκουσεν ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις Ιουδιθ θυγάτηρ Μεραρι υἱοῦ Ωξ υἱοῦ Ιωσηφ υἱοῦ Οζιηλ υἱοῦ Ελκια υἱοῦ Ανανιου υἱοῦ Γεδεων υἱοῦ Ραφαϊν υἱοῦ Αχιτωβ υἱοῦ Ηλιου υἱοῦ Χελκιου υἱοῦ Ελιαβ υἱοῦ Ναθαναηλ υἱοῦ Σαλαμιηλ υἱοῦ Σαρασαδαι υἱοῦ Ισραηλ

2 καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς Μανασσης τῆς φυλῆς αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς πατριᾶς αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν ἡμέραις θερισμοῦ κριθῶν

3 ἐπέστη γὰρ ἐπὶ τοὺς δεσμεύοντας τὰ δράγματα ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ὁ καύσων ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν κλίνην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν ἐν Βαιτυλουα τῇ πόλει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ τῷ ἀνὰ μέσον Δωθαϊμ καὶ Βαλαμων

4 καὶ ἦν Ιουδιθ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτῆς χηρεύουσα ἔτη τρία καὶ μῆνας τέσσαρας

5 καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῇ σκηνὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτῆς σάκκον καὶ ἦν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς χηρεύσεως αὐτῆς

6 καὶ ἐνήστευε πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς χηρεύσεως αὐτῆς χωρὶς προσαββάτων καὶ σαββάτων καὶ προνουμηνιῶν καὶ νουμηνιῶν καὶ ἑορτῶν καὶ χαρμοσυνῶν οἴκου Ισραηλ

7 καὶ ἦν καλὴ τῷ εἴδει καὶ ὡραία τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα καὶ ὑπελίπετο αὐτῇ Μανασσης ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ παῖδας καὶ παιδίσκας καὶ κτήνη καὶ ἀγρούς καὶ ἔμενεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῶν

8 καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὃς ἐπήνεγκεν αὐτῇ ῥῆμα πονηρόν ὅτι ἐφοβεῖτο τὸν θεὸν σφόδρα

9 καὶ ἤκουσεν τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ λαοῦ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐπὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα ὅτι ὠλιγοψύχησαν ἐν τῇ σπάνει τῶν ὑδάτων καὶ ἤκουσεν πάντας τοὺς λόγους Ιουδιθ οὓς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς Οζιας ὡς ὤμοσεν αὐτοῖς παραδώσειν τὴν πόλιν μετὰ ἡμέρας πέντε τοῖς Ἀσσυρίοις

10 καὶ ἀποστείλασα τὴν ἅβραν αὐτῆς τὴν ἐφεστῶσαν πᾶσιν τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτῆς ἐκάλεσεν Χαβριν καὶ Χαρμιν τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς πόλεως αὐτῆς

11 καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτήν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς ἀκούσατε δή μου ἄρχοντες τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν Βαιτυλουα ὅτι οὐκ εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ὃν ἐλαλήσατε ἐναντίον τοῦ λαοῦ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ καὶ ἐστήσατε τὸν ὅρκον τοῦτον ὃν ἐλαλήσατε ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ εἴπατε ἐκδώσειν τὴν πόλιν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν ἐὰν μὴ ἐν αὐταῖς ἐπιστρέψῃ κύριος βοήθειαν ὑμῖν

12 καὶ νῦν τίνες ἐστὲ ὑμεῖς οἳ ἐπειράσατε τὸν θεὸν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ σήμερον καὶ ἵστατε ὑπὲρ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν μέσῳ υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων

13 καὶ νῦν κύριον παντοκράτορα ἐξετάζετε καὶ οὐθὲν ἐπιγνώσεσθε ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος

14 ὅτι βάθος καρδίας ἀνθρώπου οὐχ εὑρήσετε καὶ λόγους τῆς διανοίας αὐτοῦ οὐ διαλήμψεσθε καὶ πῶς τὸν θεόν ὃς ἐποίησεν πάντα ταῦτα ἐρευνήσετε καὶ τὸν νοῦν αὐτοῦ ἐπιγνώσεσθε καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν αὐτοῦ κατανοήσετε μηδαμῶς ἀδελφοί μὴ παροργίζετε κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν

15 ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ βούληται ἐν ταῖς πέντε ἡμέραις βοηθῆσαι ἡμῖν αὐτὸς ἔχει τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἐν αἷς θέλει σκεπάσαι ἡμέραις ἢ καὶ ὀλεθρεῦσαι ἡμᾶς πρὸ προσώπου τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν

16 ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ ἐνεχυράζετε τὰς βουλὰς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὁ θεὸς ἀπειληθῆναι οὐδ᾽ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου διαιτηθῆναι

17 διόπερ ἀναμένοντες τὴν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ σωτηρίαν ἐπικαλεσώμεθα αὐτὸν εἰς βοήθειαν ἡμῶν καὶ εἰσακούσεται τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν ἐὰν ᾖ αὐτῷ ἀρεστόν

18 ὅτι οὐκ ἀνέστη ἐν ταῖς γενεαῖς ἡμῶν οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ σήμερον οὔτε φυλὴ οὔτε πατριὰ οὔτε δῆμος οὔτε πόλις ἐξ ἡμῶν οἳ προσκυνοῦσι θεοῖς χειροποιήτοις καθάπερ ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς πρότερον ἡμέραις

19 ὧν χάριν ἐδόθησαν εἰς ῥομφαίαν καὶ εἰς διαρπαγὴν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν καὶ ἔπεσον πτῶμα μέγα ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν

20 ἡμεῖς δὲ ἕτερον θεὸν οὐκ ἔγνωμεν πλὴν αὐτοῦ ὅθεν ἐλπίζομεν ὅτι οὐχ ὑπερόψεται ἡμᾶς οὐδ᾽ ἀπὸ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν

21 ὅτι ἐν τῷ λημφθῆναι ἡμᾶς οὕτως καὶ λημφθήσεται πᾶσα ἡ Ιουδαία καὶ προνομευθήσεται τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν καὶ ἐκζητήσει τὴν βεβήλωσιν αὐτῶν ἐκ τοῦ αἵματος ἡμῶν

22 καὶ τὸν φόνον τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τῆς γῆς καὶ τὴν ἐρήμωσιν τῆς κληρονομίας ἡμῶν ἐπιστρέψει εἰς κεφαλὴν ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὗ ἐὰν δουλεύσωμεν ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐσόμεθα εἰς πρόσκομμα καὶ εἰς ὄνειδος ἐναντίον τῶν κτωμένων ἡμᾶς

23 ὅτι οὐ κατευθυνθήσεται ἡ δουλεία ἡμῶν εἰς χάριν ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἀτιμίαν θήσει αὐτὴν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν

24 καὶ νῦν ἀδελφοί ἐπιδειξώμεθα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐξ ἡμῶν κρέμαται ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ ἅγια καὶ ὁ οἶκος καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐπεστήρισται ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν

25 παρὰ ταῦτα πάντα εὐχαριστήσωμεν κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν ὃς πειράζει ἡμᾶς καθὰ καὶ τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν

26 μνήσθητε ὅσα ἐποίησεν μετὰ Αβρααμ καὶ ὅσα ἐπείρασεν τὸν Ισαακ καὶ ὅσα ἐγένετο τῷ Ιακωβ ἐν Μεσοποταμίᾳ τῆς Συρίας ποιμαίνοντι τὰ πρόβατα Λαβαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ

27 ὅτι οὐ καθὼς ἐκείνους ἐπύρωσεν εἰς ἐτασμὸν τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἐξεδίκησεν ἀλλ᾽ εἰς νουθέτησιν μαστιγοῖ κύριος τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας αὐτῷ

28 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν Οζιας πάντα ὅσα εἶπας ἐν ἀγαθῇ καρδίᾳ ἐλάλησας καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀντιστήσεται τοῖς λόγοις σου

29 ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῇ σήμερον ἡ σοφία σου πρόδηλός ἐστιν ἀλλ᾽ ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ἡμερῶν σου ἔγνω πᾶς ὁ λαὸς τὴν σύνεσίν σου καθότι ἀγαθόν ἐστιν τὸ πλάσμα τῆς καρδίας σου

30 ἀλλὰ ὁ λαὸς δεδίψηκεν σφόδρα καὶ ἠνάγκασαν ἡμᾶς ποιῆσαι καθὰ ἐλαλήσαμεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐπαγαγεῖν ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ὅρκον ὃν οὐ παραβησόμεθα

31 καὶ νῦν δεήθητι περὶ ἡμῶν ὅτι γυνὴ εὐσεβὴς εἶ καὶ ἀποστελεῖ κύριος τὸν ὑετὸν εἰς πλήρωσιν τῶν λάκκων ἡμῶν καὶ οὐκ ἐκλείψομεν ἔτι

32 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ιουδιθ ἀκούσατέ μου καὶ ποιήσω πρᾶγμα ὃ ἀφίξεται εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν υἱοῖς τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν

33 ὑμεῖς στήσεσθε ἐπὶ τῆς πύλης τὴν νύκτα ταύτην καὶ ἐξελεύσομαι ἐγὼ μετὰ τῆς ἅβρας μου καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μεθ᾽ ἃς εἴπατε παραδώσειν τὴν πόλιν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν ἐπισκέψεται κύριος τὸν Ισραηλ ἐν χειρί μου

34 ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐξερευνήσετε τὴν πρᾶξίν μου οὐ γὰρ ἐρῶ ὑμῖν ἕως τοῦ τελεσθῆναι ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ

35 καὶ εἶπεν Οζιας καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες πρὸς αὐτήν πορεύου εἰς εἰρήνην καὶ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἔμπροσθέν σου εἰς ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν

36 καὶ ἀποστρέψαντες ἐκ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐπορεύθησαν ἐπὶ τὰς διατάξεις αὐτῶν

Vul

1 Et factum est cum audisset hæc verba Judith vidua, quæ erat filia Merari filii Idox filii Joseph filii Oziæ filii Elai filii Jamnor filii Gedeon filii Raphaim filii Achitob filii Melchiæ filii Enan filii Nathaniæ filii Salathiel filii Simeon filii Ruben,

2 et vir ejus fuit Manasses, qui mortuus est in diebus messis hordeaceæ:

3 instabat enim super alligantes manipulos in campo, et venit æstus super caput ejus, et mortuus est in Bethulia civitate sua, et sepultus est illic cum patribus suis.

4 Erat autem Judith relicta ejus vidua jam annis tribus et mensibus sex.

5 Et in superioribus domus suæ fecit sibi secretum cubiculum, in quo cum puellis suis clausa morabatur,

6 et habens super lumbos suos cilicium, jejunabat omnibus diebus vitæ suæ, præter sabbata et neomenias et festa domus Israël.

7 Erat autem eleganti aspectu nimis, cui vir suus reliquerat divitias multas, et familiam copiosam, ac possessiones armentis boum, et gregibus ovium plenas.

8 Et erat hæc in omnibus famosissima, quoniam timebat Dominum valde, nec erat qui loqueretur de illa verbum malum.

9 Hæc itaque cum audisset quoniam Ozias promisisset quod transacto quinto die traderet civitatem, misit ad presbyteros Chabri et Charmi.

10 Et venerunt ad illam, et dixit illis: Quod est hoc verbum, in quo consensit Ozias, ut tradat civitatem Assyriis si intra quinque dies non venerit vobis adjutorium?

11 et qui estis vos, qui tentatis Dominum?

12 non est iste sermo qui misericordiam provocet, sed potius qui iram excitet, et furorem accendat.

13 Posuistis vos tempus miserationis Domini, et in arbitrium vestrum, diem constituistis ei.

14 Sed quia patiens Dominus est, in hoc ipso pœniteamus, et indulgentiam ejus fusis lacrimis postulemus:

15 non enim quasi homo sic Deus comminabitur, neque sicut filius hominis ad iracundiam inflammabitur.

16 Et ideo humiliemus illi animas nostras, et in spiritu constituti humiliato, servientes illi

17 dicamus flentes Domino, ut secundum voluntatem suam sic faciat nobiscum misericordiam suam: ut sicut conturbatum est cor nostrum in superbia eorum, ita etiam de nostra humilitate gloriemur:

18 quoniam non sumus secuti peccata patrum nostrorum, qui dereliquerunt Deum suum, et adoraverunt deos alienos,

19 pro quo scelere dati sunt in gladium, et in rapinam, et in confusionem inimicis suis: nos autem alterum deum nescimus præter ipsum.

20 Expectemus humiles consolationem ejus, et exquiret sanguinem nostrum de afflictionibus inimicorum nostrorum, et humiliabit omnes gentes, quæcumque insurgunt contra nos, et faciet illas sine honore Dominus Deus noster.

21 Et nunc fratres, quoniam vos estis presbyteri in populo Dei, et ex vobis pendet anima illorum, ad eloquium vestrum corda eorum erigite, ut memores sint quia tentati sunt patres nostri, ut probarentur si vere colerent Deum suum.

22 Memores esse debent quomodo pater noster Abraham tentatus est, et per multas tribulationes probatus, Dei amicus effectus est.

23 Sic Isaac, sic Jacob, sic Moyses, et omnes qui placuerunt Deo, per multas tribulationes transierunt fideles.

24 Illi autem qui tentationes non susceperunt cum timore Domini, et impatientiam suam et improperium murmurationis suæ contra Dominum protulerunt,

25 exterminati sunt ab exterminatore, et a serpentibus perierunt.

26 Et nos ergo non ulciscamur nos pro his quæ patimur,

27 sed reputantes peccatis nostris hæc ipsa supplicia minora esse flagella Domini, quibus quasi servi corripimur ad emendationem, et non ad perditionem nostram evenisse credamus.

28 Et dixerunt illi Ozias et presbyteri: Omnia quæ locuta es, vera sunt, et non est in sermonibus tuis ulla reprehensio.

29 Nunc ergo ora pro nobis, quoniam mulier sancta es, et timens Deum.

30 Et dixit illis Judith: Sicut quod potui loqui, Dei esse cognoscitis,

31 ita quod facere disposui, probate si ex Deo est, et orate ut firmum faciat Deus consilium meum.

32 Stabitis vos ad portam nocte ista, et ego exeam cum abra mea: et orate, ut sicut dixistis, in diebus quinque respiciat Dominus populum suum Israël.

33 Vos autem nolo ut scrutemini actum meum, et usque dum renuntiem vobis, nihil aliud fiat, nisi oratio pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum.

34 Et dixit ad eam Ozias princeps Juda: Vade in pace, et Dominus sit tecum in ultionem inimicorum nostrorum. Et revertentes abierunt.