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Judith 1 The following day Holofernes ordered his whole army, and all the allied troops that had come to his support, to move against Bethulia, seize the mountain passes, and engage the Israelites in battle. 次日，敖罗斐乃下令全军和前来与他联盟的队伍，拔营向拜突里雅进发，先占领通往山地的隘口，向以色列子民挑战。 2 That same day all their fighting men went into action. Their forces numbered a hundred and seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand horsemen, not counting the baggage train or the men who accompanied it on foot-a very great army. 那天，军队全体出发；作战的队伍有步兵十七万，骑兵一万二千；此外还有辎重队，和随军步行的人，多得不可胜数； 3 They encamped at the spring in the valley near Bethulia, and spread out in breadth toward 在靠近拜突里雅的山谷中，在水泉旁安营。营幕绵延，长度由多堂到贝耳玛因，宽度由拜突里雅到厄斯得隆对面的夸孟。 4 When the Israelites saw how many there were, they said to one another in great dismay: ＂Soon they will devour the whole country. Neither the high mountains nor the valleys and hills can support the mass of them.＂ 以色列子民一见如此众多的军队，惊慌非常，都彼此说：＂如今他们必将全地面一扫而光，连高山、幽谷、丘陵都担负不了他们的压力。＂ 5 1 Yet they all seized their weapons, lighted fires on their bastions, and kept watch throughout the night. 但以色列人还是各自拿着武器，在碉楼上点起烽火，那一整夜留守戒备。 6 On the second day Holofernes led out all his cavalry in the sight of the Israelites who were in Bethulia. 第二天，敖罗斐乃把全部马队，开到住在拜突里雅的以色列子民面前， 7 He reconnoitered the approaches to their city and located their sources of water; these he seized, stationing armed detachments around them, while he himself returned to his troops. 也探明了通往该城的山路，寻得了水泉，派兵占据把守，然后回到自己部队那里去了。 8 All the commanders of the Edomites and all the leaders of the Ammonites, together with the generals of the seacoast, came to Holofernes and said: 厄撒乌子民的众长官，摩阿布民族的众首领，和沿海一带的司令，都来向敖罗斐乃说： 9 ＂Sir, listen to what we have to say, that there may be no losses among your troops. ＂愿我们的主帅听取一个建议，免得你的军队受害。 10 These Israelites do not rely on their spears, but on the height of the mountains where they dwell; it is not easy to reach the summit of their mountains. 以色列这个民族，原不依仗枪矛，惟独依靠所住的高山，因为攀登他们的山顶，并不是一件易事。 11 Therefore, sir, do not attack them in regular formation; thus not a single one of your troops will fall. 主帅！如今不要同他们列阵交战，如此你的军人一个也不会伤亡。 12 Stay in your camp, and spare all your soldiers. Have some of your servants keep control of the source of water that flows out at the base of the mountain, 你可留在营中，督守你军中所有的人马，只让你的仆役去占领山麓下涌出来的水泉， 13 for that is where the inhabitants of Bethulia get their water. Then thirst will begin to carry them off, and they will surrender their city. Meanwhile, we and our men will go up to the summits of the nearby mountains, and encamp there to guard against anyone's leaving the city. 因为凡住在拜突里雅的人，都从那里汲水。他们没有水喝，势必将城交出。同时我们率领我们的军人，上到附近的山顶上安营，监视他们不许一人走出城来。 14 They and their wives and children will languish with hunger, and even before the sword strikes them they will be laid low in the streets of their city. 他们和妻子儿女必饥渴得衰弱无力，刀剑还未临到身上，他们已躺卧在靠近家门的街道上了。 15 Thus you will render them dire punishment for their rebellion and their refusal to meet you peacefully.＂ 16 Their words pleased Holofernes and all his ministers, and he ordered their proposal to be carried out. 他们的建议，大得敖罗斐乃和他众官员的欢心。于是下令依照这建议办理。 17 Thereupon the Moabites moved camp, together with five thousand Assyrians. They encamped in the valley, and held the water supply and the springs of the Israelites. 摩阿布子民就移营出发，与他们同去的还有五千亚述人，驻扎在山谷中，占据了以色列子民的水渠和水泉。 18 The Edomites and the Ammonites went up and encamped in the mountain region opposite 厄撒乌的子孙及阿孟子民。也与一万二千亚述人上去，驻扎在多堂对面的山地。又从他们中派遣人，往厄格勒贝耳对面的东南方去，——厄格勒贝耳是在摩客慕尔河旁的雇士附近——其余的亚述军队，驻扎在平原上，遮遍了地面；帐幕和辎重，堆集如山，多得不可胜数。 19 The Israelites cried to the Lord, their God, for they were disheartened, since all their enemies had them surrounded, and there was no way of slipping through their lines. 以色列子民见自己四面受敌，不能逃出，都提心吊胆，遂向上主他们的天主哀号。 20 The whole Assyrian camp, infantry, chariots, and cavalry, kept them thus surrounded for thirty-four days. All the reservoirs of water failed the inhabitants of Bethulia, 这时，亚述大军，即所有步兵战车、马队、包围他们，已经三十四天了。拜突里雅居民所有的蓄水器都已空了，蓄水池都干了。 21 and the cisterns ran dry, so that on no day did they have enough to drink, but their drinking water was rationed. 人没有一天可得畅饮，因为水是分配给人喝的。 22 Their children fainted away, and the women and youths were consumed with thirst and were collapsing in the streets and gateways of the city, with no strength left in them. 23 All the people, therefore, including youths, women, and children, went in a crowd to Uzziah and the rulers of the city. They set up a great clamor and said before the elders: 于是全体民众、青年、妇女和幼童，都聚集在敖齐雅及城中首长那里，大声疾呼，当着众长老说： 24 ＂God judge between you and us! You have done us grave injustice in not making peace with the Assyrians. ＂愿天主在你们与我们之间，施行审判！因为你们不同亚述人说和，使我们遭此大祸。 25 There is no help for us now! Instead, God has sold us into their power by laying us prostrate before them in thirst and utter exhaustion. 如今我们不但没有救援，连天主也将我们交在他们手中，叫我们饥渴而死，都倒毙在他们面前。 26 Therefore, summon them and deliver the whole city as booty to the troops of Holofernes and to all his forces; 现今你们就叫他们进来把全城交给敖罗斐乃的人民和大军，任凭他们抢掠。 27 we would be better off to become their prey. We should indeed be made slaves, but at least we should live, and not have to behold our little ones dying before our eyes and our wives and children breathing out their souls. 我们更好当他们的战利品，因为我们虽然身为奴隶，但可保全性命，不至于眼看着我们的幼童夭亡，我们的妻子儿女断送性命。 28 We adjure you by heaven and earth, and by our God, the Lord of our forefathers, who is punishing us for our sins and those of our forefathers, to do as we have proposed, this very day.＂ 我们当着上天下地，因着我们的天主，即因惩罚我们的罪过，及我们祖先过犯的我们祖先的上主，恳求你们设法，别叫天主今日按照这些话来处置我们！＂ 29 All in the assembly with one accord broke into shrill wailing and loud cries to the Lord their God. 集会的民众遂不约而同，都放声痛哭，向上主天主大声哀号。 30 But Uzziah said to them, ＂Courage, my brothers! Let us wait five days more for the Lord our God, to show his m, ercy toward us; he will not utterly forsake us. 敖齐雅遂对他们说：＂弟兄们！振作精神，再忍耐五天，也许上主我们的天主，在这个时期内向我们再施行他的仁慈，因为他决不会永远抛弃我们！ 31 But if those days pass without help coming to us, I will do as you say.＂ 如果过了这日期，仍得不到救援，我就依照你们的话办理。 32 Then he dispersed the men to their posts, and they returned to the walls and towers of the city; the women and children he sent to their homes. Throughout the city they were in great misery. 遂遣散众人各归本营、城墙和城楼上；归女幼童一一遣送回家；当时全城陷于沮丧与绝望。 Footnotes（注解） 1 [5] Lighted fires on their bastions: to serve as signals for alerting the neighboring towns. Reference to fire signals in time of siege is made in the |
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