The Book of Judith, Chapter 8ΙΟΥΔΙΘ Η′

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

In those days Judith daughter of Merari, son of Ox, son of Joseph, son of Uzziel, son of Elkiah, son of Ananias, son of Gideon, son of Raphaim, son of Ahitub, son of Eli, son of Helkias, son of Eliab, son of Nathanael, son of Salamiel, son of Sarasadai, son of Israel, heard what had happened.

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

Her husband Manasseh, who was of her tribe and her clan, had died in the days of the barley harvest.

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

For he had stood over those binding the sheaves in the field, and the scorching heat came upon his head; he fell upon his bed and died in Bethulia his city, and they buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothaim and Balamon.

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

Judith had been living in her house as a widow for three years and four months.

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

She made for herself a tent on the roof of her house, put sackcloth around her waist, and wore the garments of her widowhood upon her.

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

She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the eves of Sabbaths and the Sabbaths, the eves of new moons and the new moons, and the feasts and days of rejoicing of the house of Israel.

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

She was very beautiful in appearance and lovely to behold, and Manasseh her husband had left her gold and silver and male and female servants and livestock and fields, and she remained over them.

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

No one brought an evil word against her, because she feared God exceedingly.

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

She heard the evil words of the people against the ruler, because they had lost heart through the scarcity of water; and Judith heard all the words that Uzziah had spoken to them, how he had sworn to hand over the city to the Assyrians after five days.

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

So she sent her maidservant who was set over all her possessions and summoned Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her city.

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

When they came to her, she said to them, “Hear me, rulers of those who dwell in Bethulia: your word that you spoke today before the people is not straight, when you set this oath between God and yourselves and said that you would hand over the city to our enemies if the Lord did not turn back to give you help within those days.

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

And now who are you, that you have put God to the test today and have stationed yourselves in the place of God in the midst of the sons of men?

καὶ νῦν κύριον παντοκράτορα ἐξετάζετε καὶ οὐθὲν ἐπιγνώσεσθε ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος

You are examining the Lord Almighty, and you will never know anything to the age.

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

If you cannot discover the depth of a human heart or discern the arguments of a human mind, how will you search out God, who made all these things, and know his mind and understand his purpose? No, brothers, do not provoke the Lord our God.

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

For if he does not will to help us within these five days, he has authority to shelter us on whatever days he chooses, or even to destroy us before the face of our enemies.

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

But you must not hold the counsels of the Lord our God in pledge, because God is not like a man to be threatened, nor like a son of man to be bargained with.

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

Therefore, while we wait for the salvation that comes from him, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice if it is pleasing to him.

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

For no tribe or clan or people or city from among us has arisen in our generations, nor is there today any among us who worship gods made by hands, as happened in former days.

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

For that reason our fathers were given over to the sword and to plunder, and they fell in a great downfall before our enemies.

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

But we know no other god besides him; therefore we hope that he will not disregard us, nor anyone from our race.

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

For if we are taken, all Judea will be taken too, our holy things will be plundered, and he will require their profanation from our blood.

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

And he will return the slaughter of our brothers, the captivity of the land, and the desolation of our inheritance upon our own heads among the nations where we may become slaves; there we shall become an offense and a reproach before those who acquire us.

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

For our slavery will not be directed toward favor; rather, the Lord our God will turn it into dishonor.

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

And now, brothers, let us show our brothers that their lives hang on us, and that the holy things and the house and the altar rest upon us.

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

Besides all this, let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is testing us just as he also tested our fathers.

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

Remember what he did with Abraham, how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria while he was shepherding the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother.

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

For he has not tried us with fire to probe our hearts as he did them, nor has he taken vengeance on us; but the Lord scourges those who draw near to him as a warning.

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

Then Uzziah said to her, “Everything you have said, you have spoken with a good heart, and there is no one who will oppose your words.

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

For your wisdom is not newly apparent today; rather, from the beginning of your days all the people have known your understanding, because the formation of your heart is good.

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

But the people are exceedingly thirsty and compelled us to do as we said to them and to bring upon ourselves an oath that we will not break.

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

Now then pray for us, because you are a devout woman, and the Lord will send rain to fill our cisterns, and we will fail no more.”

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

Judith said to them, “Hear me, and I will do a deed that will reach to generation after generation among the sons of our race.

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

You must stand at the gate tonight, and I will go out with my maidservant; and within the days after which you said you would hand over the city to our enemies, the Lord will visit Israel by my hand.

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

But you must not investigate what I am doing, for I will not tell you until the things I am doing are completed.”

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

Then Uzziah and the rulers said to her, “Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you for vengeance against our enemies.”

καὶ ἀποστρέψαντες ἐκ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐπορεύθησαν ἐπὶ τὰς διατάξεις αὐτῶν

So they turned away from the tent and went to their assigned posts.