Judith:Chapter 8

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Judith:Chapter 8

友弟德傳	Judith
¹在那幾天，默辣黎的女兒友弟德也聽說了這些事。──默辣黎是敖克斯的兒子，敖克斯是若瑟的兒子，若瑟是敖齊耳的兒子，敖齊耳是厄耳基雅的兒子，厄耳基雅是阿納尼雅的兒子，阿納尼雅是基德紅的兒子，基德紅是辣法因的兒子，辣法因是阿希托布的兒子，阿希托布是厄里雅的兒子，厄里雅是希耳基雅的兒子，希耳基雅是厄里雅布的兒子，厄里雅布是納塔納耳的兒子，納塔納耳是撒拉米耳的兒子，撒拉米耳是撒辣撒待的兒子，撒辣撒待是西默盎的兒子，西默盎是以色列的兒子。──	¹Now it came to pass, when Judith a widow had heard these words, who was the daughter of Merari, the son of Idox, the son of Joseph, the son of Ozias, the son of Elai, the son of Jamnor, the son of Gedeon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Achitob, the son of Melehias, the son of Enan, the son of Nathanias, the son of Salathiel, the son of Simeon, the son of Ruben:
²她的丈夫默納舍與她同支派又同家族，是在收割大麥時死的；	²And her husband was Manasses, who died in the time of the barley harvest:
³他在田間監督工人綑麥穗時，不料頭部中暑，一病不起，死在拜突里雅本城；人將他葬在多堂及巴拉孟之間的祖塋裏。	³For he was standing over them that bound sheaves in the field; and the heat came upon his head, and he died in Bethulia his own city, and was buried there with his fathers.
⁴這時友弟德居家守寡，已有三年零四個月。	⁴And Judith his relict was a widow now three years and six months.
⁵她在屋頂上，搭了一個帳幕，腰束苦帶，身穿寡婦衣飾。	⁵And she made herself a private chamber in the upper part of her house, in which she abode shut up with her maids.
⁶除了安息前日與安息日，月朔前日與月朔，以及以色列家的節期與慶典外，在她居寡期內，天天禁食。	⁶And she wore haircloth upon her loins, and fasted all the days of her life, except the sabbaths, and new moons, and the feasts of the house of Israel.
⁷她的容貌姣美，艷麗好看。她的丈夫默納舍，留下了不少金銀、奴婢、牲畜與田產，她堅守遺業，	⁷And she was exceedingly beautiful, and her husband left her great riches, and very many servants, and large possessions of herds of oxen, and flocks of sheep.
⁸很敬畏天主，所以說她一句壞話的人也沒有。	⁸And she was greatly renowned among all, because she feared the Lord very much, neither was there any one that spoke an ill word of her.
⁹她聽說百姓因為缺水，精神頹唐，向首長提出了嚴重的抗議。友弟德又聽說，敖齊雅向他們所說的話，如何向他們發誓，五天以後，必將城池交給亞述人。	⁹When therefore she had heard that Ozias had promised that he would deliver up the city after the fifth day, she sent to the ancients Chabri and Charmi.
¹⁰她便打發自己管家的使女，去召請城裏的長老加布黎和加爾米來。	¹⁰And they came to her, and she said to them: What is this word, by which Ozias hath consented to give up the city to the Assyrians, if within five days there come no aid to us?
¹¹他們一來到，友弟德就對他們說：「拜突里雅居民的首長，請聽我說！你們今天在百姓前說的話，實在不對；同時竟然對天主發誓，說五天以後，上主若不來援救，就將城池交給敵人。	¹¹And who are you that tempt the Lord?
¹²你們是什麼人，今日竟敢試探天主，在人類中竟居天主之上？	¹²This is not a word that may draw down mercy, but rather that may stir up wrath, and enkindle indignation.
¹³如今你們儘管試驗全能的上主罷！可是你們始終一無所知！	¹³You have set a time for the mercy of the Lord, and you have appointed him a day, according to your pleasure.
¹⁴你們既不能探究人的心曲，又不能明悉人明悟中的思念，如何能探究那創造萬有的天主，知道他的心思，認清他的旨意？斷乎不能！兄弟們，不可觸怒上主我們的天主！	¹⁴But forasmuch as the Lord is patient, let us be penitent for this same thing, and with many tears let us beg his pardon:
¹⁵如果他在五天內，不肯前來施救，他仍有權力在他願意的時日保護我們，或在我們仇敵前將我們消滅。	¹⁵For God will not threaten like man, nor be inflamed to anger like the son of man.
¹⁶你們沒有要求保證的權利，而強迫上主，我們的天主，改變旨意，因為天主不同人一樣可以受威脅，或如人子一樣可以受支配。	¹⁶And therefore let us humble our souls before him, and continuing in an humble spirit, in his service:
¹⁷為此，我們只有等待他的救援，呼求他來援助；如果他願意，必會俯聽我們的呼聲。	¹⁷Let us ask the Lord with tears, that according to his will so he would shew his mercy to us: that as our heart is troubled by their pride, so also we may glorify in our humility.
¹⁸何況，我們這一代從來沒有，且今日我們也沒有一支派，一家族，一村莊，一城市，像昔日一樣敬拜人造的神像。	¹⁸For we have not followed the sins of our fathers, who forsook their God, and worshipped strange gods.
¹⁹昔日為了這事，我們的祖先曾被刀斬、劫掠，在敵人前，慘遭滅亡。	¹⁹For which crime they were given up to their enemies, to the sword, and to pillage, and to confusion: but we know no other God but him.
²⁰如今我們除了恭敬天主外，不認識別的神，所以也盼望他不會忽略我們，及我們同族的任何人。	²⁰Let us humbly wait for his consolation, and the Lord our God will require our blood of the afflictions of our enemies, and he will humble all the nations that shall rise up against us, and bring them to disgrace.
²¹如果我們投降，全猶太也必投降，我們的聖所必遭搶掠。對他們受的污辱，上主必向我們追討血債；	²¹And now, brethren, as you are the ancients among the people of God, and their very soul resteth upon you: comfort their hearts by your speech, that they may be mindful how our fathers were tempted that they might be proved, whether they worshipped their God truly.
²²同胞被屠殺，國土被掠奪，祖業遭廢棄，都要歸咎於將散居在異民中為奴的我們，我們就成為那主宰我們者的譏笑凌辱的對象了。	²²They must remember how our father Abraham was tempted, and being proved by many tribulations, was made the friend of God.
²³因為我們投降，並不會轉禍為福，上主我們的天主，必因此使我們蒙受羞辱。	²³So Isaac, so Jacob, so Moses, and all that have pleased God, passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful.
²⁴兄弟們！如今我們應為同胞做好榜樣，因為他們的性命繫於我們，聖所、聖殿和祭壇，也賴我們來維護；	²⁴But they that did not receive the trials with the fear of the Lord, but uttered their impatience and the reproach of their murmuring against the Lord,
²⁵為了這一切，我們要感謝上主，我們的天主，因為他考驗我們，像考驗我們的祖先一樣。	²⁵Were destroyed by the destroyer, and perished by serpents.
²⁶請你們回憶他對亞巴郎所作的，又怎樣考驗了依撒格；看看雅各伯在敘利亞的美索不達米亞替他舅父放羊時，有了什麼遭遇。	²⁶As for us therefore let us not revenge ourselves for these things which we suffer.
²⁷原來他鍛鍊他們，乃是為考驗他們的心；上主也這樣鞭責我們，並不是為懲罰，乃是為警戒與他親近的人。」	²⁷But esteeming these very punishments to be less than our sins deserve, let us believe that these scourges of the Lord, with which like servants we are chastised, have happened for our amendment, and not for our destruction.
²⁸敖齊雅對她說：「你說的這一切，都是出於好心，誰也不會反對你的話。	²⁸And Ozias and the ancients said to her: All things which thou hast spoken are true, and there is nothing to be reprehended in thy words.
²⁹你的智慧，並不是今天初次纔顯露出來，而是自你幼年，眾百姓就已賞識你的見解，知道你的心怎樣良善。	²⁹Now therefore pray for us, for thou art a holy woman, and one fearing God.
³⁰無奈，百姓渴得要命，逼迫我們，要按我們對他們所說的去行，而且還脅迫我們，發了我們不可違犯的誓。	³⁰And Judith said to them: As you know that what I have been able to say is of God:
³¹如今請你為我們祈禱，因為你是虔誠的婦女，上主必降甘霖，注滿我們的池沼，使我們不再渴得發暈。	³¹So that which I intend to do prove ye if it be of God, and pray that God may strengthen my design.
³²友弟德對他們說：「請聽我說，我要作一件在我們民族的子孫中萬世流芳的事。	³²You shall stand at the gate this night, and I will go out with my maidservant: and pray ye, that as you have said, in five days the Lord may look down upon his people Israel.
³³今夜，你們應站在城門口，我要同我的使女出城，在你們所定要把城池交給敵人的日期內，上主會藉着我的手，眷顧以色列。	³³But I desire that you search not into what I am doing, and till I bring you word let nothing else be done but to pray for me to the Lord our God.
³⁴你們不要偵查我的行動，因為在我要作的事情未完成以前，我不告訴你們。」	³⁴And Ozias the prince of Juda said to her: Go in peace, and the Lord be with thee to take revenge of our enemies. So returning they departed.
³⁵敖齊雅與首長對她說：「你平安去罷！願上主天主引導你報復我們的敵人！」	³⁵
³⁶然後他們離開帳幕，回到自己的地方去了，	³⁶

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