¹Holofernes autem altera die præcepit exercitibus suis ut ascenderent contra Bethuliam.But Holofernes, on another day, instructed his army to ascend against Bethulia.

¹Holofernes autem altera die præcepit exercitibus suis ut ascenderent contra Bethuliam.But Holofernes, on another day, instructed his army to ascend against Bethulia.

²Erant autem pedites bellatorum centum viginti millia,Moreover,et equites viginti duo millia,there were one hundred and twenty thousand foot-soldiers,præter præparationes virorum illorum quos occupaverat captivitas,and twenty-two thousand horsemen,et abducti fuerant de provinciisbesides the contingents of those men who had been taken captive,et urbibus universæ juventutis.and all the youths who had been abducted from the provinces and the cities.

²Erant autem pedites bellatorum centum viginti millia,Moreover,et equites viginti duo millia,there were one hundred and twenty thousand foot-soldiers,præter præparationes virorum illorum quos occupaverat captivitas,and twenty-two thousand horsemen,et abducti fuerant de provinciisbesides the contingents of those men who had been taken captive,et urbibus universæ juventutis.and all the youths who had been abducted from the provinces and the cities.

³Omnes paraverunt se pariter ad pugnam contra filios Israël,All these prepared themselves together to fight against the sons of Israel,et venerunt per crepidinem montis usque ad apicem,and they came through the foothills of the mountain, even to the apex,qui respicit super Dothain,which looks down upon Dothain,a loco qui dicitur Belma usque ad Chelmon,from the place which is called Belma, up to Chelmon,qui est contra Esdrelon.which is opposite Esdrelon.

³Omnes paraverunt se pariter ad pugnam contra filios Israël,All these prepared themselves together to fight against the sons of Israel,et venerunt per crepidinem montis usque ad apicem,and they came through the foothills of the mountain, even to the apex,qui respicit super Dothain,which looks down upon Dothain,a loco qui dicitur Belma usque ad Chelmon,from the place which is called Belma, up to Chelmon,qui est contra Esdrelon.which is opposite Esdrelon.

⁴Filii autem Israël,But the sons of Israel,ut viderunt multitudinem illorum,when they saw the multitude of them,prostraverunt se super terram,prostrated themselves upon the ground,mittentes cinerem super capita sua,scattering ashes over their heads,unanimes orantes ut Deus Israël misericordiam suam ostenderet super populum suum.praying with one accord that the God of Israel would show his mercy upon his people.

⁴Filii autem Israël,But the sons of Israel,ut viderunt multitudinem illorum,when they saw the multitude of them,prostraverunt se super terram,prostrated themselves upon the ground,mittentes cinerem super capita sua,scattering ashes over their heads,unanimes orantes ut Deus Israël misericordiam suam ostenderet super populum suum.praying with one accord that the God of Israel would show his mercy upon his people.

⁵Et assumentes arma sua bellica,And,sederunt per loca quæ ad angusti itineris tramitem dirigunt inter montosa,taking up their arms of war,et erant custodientes ea tota diethey set up positions at the places that lead along a narrow footpath between the mountains,et nocte.and they guarded them all day and night.

⁵Et assumentes arma sua bellica,And,sederunt per loca quæ ad angusti itineris tramitem dirigunt inter montosa,taking up their arms of war,et erant custodientes ea tota diethey set up positions at the places that lead along a narrow footpath between the mountains,et nocte.and they guarded them all day and night.

⁶Porro Holofernes,Now Holofernes,dum circuit per gyrum,while circling around,reperit quod fons qui influebat,discovered that the fountain that flowed in to them,aquæductum illorum a parte australi extra civitatem dirigeret:led directly through an aqueduct on the south side, beyond the city.et incidi præcepit aquæductum illorum.And he instructed their aqueduct to be cut off.

⁶Porro Holofernes,Now Holofernes,dum circuit per gyrum,while circling around,reperit quod fons qui influebat,discovered that the fountain that flowed in to them,aquæductum illorum a parte australi extra civitatem dirigeret:led directly through an aqueduct on the south side, beyond the city.et incidi præcepit aquæductum illorum.And he instructed their aqueduct to be cut off.

⁷Erant tamen non longe a muris fontes,Even so, there were springs not far from the walls,ex quibus furtim videbantur haurire aquam ad refocillandum potius quam ad potandum.from which they were seen to draw water secretly, to refresh themselves a little rather than to drink their fill.

⁷Erant tamen non longe a muris fontes,Even so, there were springs not far from the walls,ex quibus furtim videbantur haurire aquam ad refocillandum potius quam ad potandum.from which they were seen to draw water secretly, to refresh themselves a little rather than to drink their fill.

⁸Sed filii AmmonBut the sons of Ammon and Moab approached Holofernes,et Moab accesserunt ad Holofernem,saying:dicentes:“The sons of Israel do not trust in their lances,Filii Israël non in lancea nec in sagitta confidunt,nor in their arrows,sed montes defendunt illos,but the mountains are their defense,et muniunt illos colles in præcipitio constituti.and the steep hills and precipices constitute their fortifications.

⁸Sed filii AmmonBut the sons of Ammon and Moab approached Holofernes,et Moab accesserunt ad Holofernem,saying:dicentes:“The sons of Israel do not trust in their lances,Filii Israël non in lancea nec in sagitta confidunt,nor in their arrows,sed montes defendunt illos,but the mountains are their defense,et muniunt illos colles in præcipitio constituti.and the steep hills and precipices constitute their fortifications.

⁹Ut ergo sine congressione pugnæ possis superare eos,Therefore, so that you may be able to overcome them without joining battle,pone custodes fontium, ut non hauriant aquam ex eis,set guards at the springs so that they may not draw water from them,et sine gladio interficies eos,and you will put them to death without the sword,vel certe fatigati tradent civitatem suam,or at least, being weary, they will hand over their city,quam putant in montibus positam superari non posse.which they suppose to be, by its position in the mountains, unable to be conquered.”

⁹Ut ergo sine congressione pugnæ possis superare eos,Therefore, so that you may be able to overcome them without joining battle,pone custodes fontium, ut non hauriant aquam ex eis,set guards at the springs so that they may not draw water from them,et sine gladio interficies eos,and you will put them to death without the sword,vel certe fatigati tradent civitatem suam,or at least, being weary, they will hand over their city,quam putant in montibus positam superari non posse.which they suppose to be, by its position in the mountains, unable to be conquered.”

¹⁰Et placuerunt verba hæc coram Holoferne et coram satellitibus ejus,And these words were pleasing before Holofernes and before his attendants,et constituit per gyrum centenarios per singulos fontes.and so he stationed a hundred men around every spring.

¹⁰Et placuerunt verba hæc coram Holoferne et coram satellitibus ejus,And these words were pleasing before Holofernes and before his attendants,et constituit per gyrum centenarios per singulos fontes.and so he stationed a hundred men around every spring.

¹¹Cumque ista custodia per dies viginti fuisset expleta,And when they had kept this watch through twenty full days,defecerunt cisternæ et collectiones aquarum omnibus habitantibus Bethuliam,the cisterns and collections of waters failed among all the inhabitants of Bethulia,ita ut non esset intra civitatem unde satiarentur vel una die,so that there was within the city not enough to satisfy them for even one day,quoniam ad mensuram dabatur populis aqua quotidie.because water was given out to the people daily by measure.

¹¹Cumque ista custodia per dies viginti fuisset expleta,And when they had kept this watch through twenty full days,defecerunt cisternæ et collectiones aquarum omnibus habitantibus Bethuliam,the cisterns and collections of waters failed among all the inhabitants of Bethulia,ita ut non esset intra civitatem unde satiarentur vel una die,so that there was within the city not enough to satisfy them for even one day,quoniam ad mensuram dabatur populis aqua quotidie.because water was given out to the people daily by measure.

¹²Tunc ad Oziam congregati omnes viri feminæque,Then, all the men and women, youths and little ones,juvenes et parvuli,gathering together before Uzziah,omnes simul una voceall with one voice together,

¹²Tunc ad Oziam congregati omnes viri feminæque,Then, all the men and women, youths and little ones,juvenes et parvuli,gathering together before Uzziah,omnes simul una voceall with one voice together,

¹³dixerunt:said:Judicet Deus inter nos“May God be judge between us and you,et te,for you have done evil with us,quoniam fecisti in nos mala,in not being willing to speak peacefully with the Assyrians,nolens loqui pacifice cum Assyriis,and because of this,et propter hoc vendidit nos Deus in manibus eorum.God has sold us into their hands.

¹³dixerunt:said:Judicet Deus inter nos“May God be judge between us and you,et te,for you have done evil with us,quoniam fecisti in nos mala,in not being willing to speak peacefully with the Assyrians,nolens loqui pacifice cum Assyriis,and because of this,et propter hoc vendidit nos Deus in manibus eorum.God has sold us into their hands.

¹⁴Et ideo non est qui adjuvet,And therefore,cum prosternamur ante oculos eorum in siti,there is no one to help us,et perditione magna.while we are prostrated before their eyes with thirst and great destruction.

¹⁴Et ideo non est qui adjuvet,And therefore,cum prosternamur ante oculos eorum in siti,there is no one to help us,et perditione magna.while we are prostrated before their eyes with thirst and great destruction.

¹⁵Et nunc congregate universos qui in civitate sunt,And now, gather together all who are in the city,ut sponte tradamus nos omnes populo Holofernis.so that we may willingly deliver every one of us to the people of Holofernes.

¹⁵Et nunc congregate universos qui in civitate sunt,And now, gather together all who are in the city,ut sponte tradamus nos omnes populo Holofernis.so that we may willingly deliver every one of us to the people of Holofernes.

¹⁶Melius est enim ut captivi benedicamus Dominum viventes,For it is better that as captives,quam moriamur,being alive,et simus opprobrium omni carni,we should bless the Lord,cum viderimus uxores nostrasthan that we should die and become a disgrace to all flesh,et infantes nostros mori ante oculos nostros.after we have seen our wives and our children die before our eyes.

¹⁶Melius est enim ut captivi benedicamus Dominum viventes,For it is better that as captives,quam moriamur,being alive,et simus opprobrium omni carni,we should bless the Lord,cum viderimus uxores nostrasthan that we should die and become a disgrace to all flesh,et infantes nostros mori ante oculos nostros.after we have seen our wives and our children die before our eyes.

¹⁷Contestamur hodie cælumWe call to witness this day heaven and earth,et terram,and the God of our fathers,et Deum patrum nostrorum,who takes vengeance upon us according to our sins,qui ulciscitur nos secundum peccata nostra,so that now you may deliver the city into the hand of the military of Holofernes.ut jam tradatis civitatem in manu militiæ Holofernis,And may our end be brief,et sit finis noster brevis in ore gladii,by the edge of the sword,qui longior efficitur in ariditate sitis.that would be made longer by the dryness of thirst.”

¹⁷Contestamur hodie cælumWe call to witness this day heaven and earth,et terram,and the God of our fathers,et Deum patrum nostrorum,who takes vengeance upon us according to our sins,qui ulciscitur nos secundum peccata nostra,so that now you may deliver the city into the hand of the military of Holofernes.ut jam tradatis civitatem in manu militiæ Holofernis,And may our end be brief,et sit finis noster brevis in ore gladii,by the edge of the sword,qui longior efficitur in ariditate sitis.that would be made longer by the dryness of thirst.”

¹⁸Et cum hæc dixissent,And when they had said these things,factus est fletus et ululatus magnus in ecclesia ab omnibus,there happened a great weeping and a loud lamentation within the assembly.et per multas horas una voce clamaverunt ad Deum,From everyone and for many hours, with one voice, they cried out to God,dicentes:saying:

¹⁸Et cum hæc dixissent,And when they had said these things,factus est fletus et ululatus magnus in ecclesia ab omnibus,there happened a great weeping and a loud lamentation within the assembly.et per multas horas una voce clamaverunt ad Deum,From everyone and for many hours, with one voice, they cried out to God,dicentes:saying:

¹⁹Peccavimus cum patribus nostris:“We have sinned like our fathers,injuste egimus,we have acted unjustly,iniquitatem fecimus.we have committed iniquity.

¹⁹Peccavimus cum patribus nostris:“We have sinned like our fathers,injuste egimus,we have acted unjustly,iniquitatem fecimus.we have committed iniquity.

²⁰Tu, quia pius es,May you have mercy on us,miserere nostri,for you are pious,aut in tuo flagello vindica iniquitates nostras, et noli tradere confitentes te populo qui ignorat te,or with your own scourges avenge our iniquities, but do not be willing to deliver those trusting in you to a people who are ignorant of you,

²⁰Tu, quia pius es,May you have mercy on us,miserere nostri,for you are pious,aut in tuo flagello vindica iniquitates nostras, et noli tradere confitentes te populo qui ignorat te,or with your own scourges avenge our iniquities, but do not be willing to deliver those trusting in you to a people who are ignorant of you,

²¹ut non dicant inter gentes:so that they may not say among the Gentiles,Ubi est Deus eorum?‘Where is their God?’”

²¹ut non dicant inter gentes:so that they may not say among the Gentiles,Ubi est Deus eorum?‘Where is their God?’”

²²Et cum fatigati ex his clamoribus et his fletibus lassati siluissent,And when, being weary from these outcries, and tired from these weepings, they became silent,

²²Et cum fatigati ex his clamoribus et his fletibus lassati siluissent,And when, being weary from these outcries, and tired from these weepings, they became silent,

²³exsurgens Ozias infusus lacrimis,Uzziah, rising up covered in tears,dixit:said:Æquo animo estote,“Be steadfast in soul,fratres,brothers,et hos quinque dies expectemus a Domino misericordiam.and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord.

²³exsurgens Ozias infusus lacrimis,Uzziah, rising up covered in tears,dixit:said:Æquo animo estote,“Be steadfast in soul,fratres,brothers,et hos quinque dies expectemus a Domino misericordiam.and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord.

²⁴Forsitan enim indignationem suam abscindet,For perhaps he will break off his indignationet dabit gloriam nomini suo.and give glory to his own name.

²⁴Forsitan enim indignationem suam abscindet,For perhaps he will break off his indignationet dabit gloriam nomini suo.and give glory to his own name.

²⁵Si autem transactis quinque diebus non venerit adjutorium,But if, with five days passing, help does not arrive,faciemus hæc verba quæ locuti estis.we will accomplish the words that you have spoken.”

²⁵Si autem transactis quinque diebus non venerit adjutorium,But if, with five days passing, help does not arrive,faciemus hæc verba quæ locuti estis.we will accomplish the words that you have spoken.”