Judith:Chapter 4

Index

Judith:Chapter 4

友弟德傳	Judith
¹住在猶太的以色列子民，聽說亞述王拿步高的統帥敖羅斐乃對異民所行的一切，如何搶劫破壞了他們的一切廟宇，	¹Then the children of Israel, who dwelt in the land of Juda, hearing these things, were exceedingly afraid of him.
²就萬分害怕，為耶路撒冷與上主他們的天主的聖殿十分擔心，	²Dread and horror seized upon their minds, lest he should do the same to Jerusalem and to the temple of the Lord, that he had done to other cities and their temples.
³因為他們纔從充軍之地歸來，全猶太人民重新聚合不久，剛把器皿、祭壇、聖殿在經過褻瀆之後，從新祝聖。	³And they sent into all Samaria round about, as far as Jericho, and seized upon all the tops of the mountains:
⁴因此，他們便打發使者到撒瑪黎雅全境，到科納、貝特曷龍、貝耳瑪因、耶里哥、苛巴、愛索辣與撒冷山谷一帶，	⁴And they compassed their towns with walls, and gathered together corn for provision for war.
⁵囑咐他們先要佔據各高山的山頂，在山上的村莊，修築防禦工事，儲蓄糧食，準備應戰，好在他們的田園纔收穫不久。	⁵And Eliachim the priest wrote to all that were over against Esdrelon, which faceth the great plain near Dothain, and to all by whom there might be a passage of way, that they should take possession of the ascents of the mountains, by which there might be any way to Jerusalem, and should keep watch where the way was narrow between the mountains.
⁶當時正在耶路撒冷當大司祭的約雅金，給在拜突里雅及位於厄斯得隆前，多堂附近平原對面的拜托默斯坦城的人民，寫了一封信，	⁶And the children of Israel did as the priest of the Lord Eliachim had appointed them,
⁷吩咐他們應把守上山進入猶太的道路，因為這道路狹隘，只能通過兩人，很容易阻止敵人進攻。	⁷And all the people cried to the Lord with great earnestness, and they humbled their souls in fastings, and prayers, both they and their wives.
⁸以色列子民就遵照大司祭約雅金，以及位於耶路撒冷全以色列人民的長老院的吩咐辦了。	⁸And the priests put on haircloths, and they caused the little children to lie prostrate before the temple of the Lord, and the altar of the Lord they covered with haircloth.
⁹全以色列人，都熱切呼號天主，極力自卑自謙。	⁹And they cried to the Lord the God of Israel with one accord, that their children might not be made a prey, and their wives carried off, and their cities destroyed, and their holy things profaned, and that they might not be made a reproach to the Gentiles.
¹⁰他們和妻子兒女，牲畜旅客，傭工奴婢，都腰束苦衣。	¹⁰Then Eliachim the high priest of the Lord went about all Israel and spoke to them,
¹¹凡住在耶路撒冷的以色列男女及幼童，都俯伏在聖殿前，頭上撒灰，在上主面前，展開苦衣；	¹¹Saying: Know ye that the Lord will hear your prayers, if you continue with perseverance in fastings and prayers in the sight of the Lord.
¹²即是祭壇，也圍上苦衣，誠心熱切一同呼求以色列的天主，不讓敵人來劫掠自己的幼童，擄掠自己的婦女，毀滅自己產業中的城邑，輕蔑污辱自己的聖所，而使異民得意歡騰。	¹²Remember Moses the servant of the Lord, who overcame Amalec that trusted in his own strength, and in his power, and in his army, and in his shields, and in his chariots, and in his horsemen, not by fighting with the sword, but by holy prayers:
¹³上主俯聽了他們的哀聲，憐視了他們的苦難。全猶太和耶路撒冷境內的百姓，在全能上主的聖所前，禁食多日。	¹³So shall all the enemies of Israel be, if you persevere in this work which you have begun.
¹⁴大司祭約雅金，以及一切侍立在上主面前的人，司祭與上主的僕役，都腰束苦衣，奉獻恒常的全燔祭，奉獻人民許願和自願獻上的供物，	¹⁴So they being moved by this exhortation of his, prayed to the Lord, and continued in the sight of the Lord.
¹⁵在頭巾上撒灰，高聲呼求上主，眷顧以色列全家。	¹⁵So that even they who offered the holocausts to the Lord, offered the sacrifices to the Lord girded with haircloths, and with ashes upon their head.
¹⁶	¹⁶And they all begged of God with all their heart, that he would visit his people Israel.

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