| 友弟德傳 |
Judith |
| 1十八年正月二十二日，在亞述王拿步高宮內，舉行會議，商討如何依照王的吩咐，向各國復仇雪恨之事。 |
1In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, there was a discussion in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, about taking revenge on the whole world, as he had threatened. |
| 2君王召集了所有的臣僕和公卿，向他們說明自己暗懷的心願，決意親口下令滅絕那些國家； |
2He summoned all his ministers and nobles, laid before them his secret plan, and urged the total destruction of those countries. |
| 3大家一致表決，凡不聽從君王號召的人，都應剷除。 |
3They decided to do away with all those who had refused to comply with the order he had issued. |
| 4開會議決後，亞述王拿步高就將他的總司令，兼居全國次位的敖羅斐乃召來，對他說： |
4When he had completed his plan, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, summoned Holofernes, general in chief of his forces, second to himself in command, and said to him: |
| 5「大王，全世界之主這樣說：看，你應離我出征，率領驍勇善戰的人，步兵十二萬，一萬二千戰馬及騎士， |
5"Thus says the great king, the lord of all the earth: Go forth from my presence, take with you men of proven valor, a hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, |
| 6去攻打西方各國，因為他們沒有聽從我的命令； |
6and proceed against all the land of the West, because they did not comply with the order I issued. |
| 7通知他們準備好山河，因為我要滿懷盛怒來攻打他們，以我軍的腳掌，遮遍他們的地面，使他們遭受浩劫， |
7 Tell them to have earth and water ready, for I will come against them in my wrath; I will cover all the land with the feet of my soldiers, to whom I will deliver them as spoils. |
| 8使傷者填滿溝壑，死者充塞江河，致使河水泛濫。 |
8Their slain shall fill their ravines and wadies, the swelling torrent shall be choked with their dead; 9 and I will deport them as exiles to the very ends of the earth. |
| 9將他們的俘虜，放逐到大地四極。 |
9"You go before me and take possession of all their territories for me. If they surrender to you, guard them for me till the day of their punishment. |
| 10今你出征，首先代我佔據那所有的領土；如果人自願向你請降，你就給我保留，等懲治他們的日子來到。 |
10As for those who resist, show them no quarter, but deliver them up to slaughter and plunder in each country you occupy. |
| 11對不投降的，你的眼不用顧惜，在你佔領區內，任人屠殺搶掠。 |
11 For as I live, and by the strength of my kingdom, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my power. |
| 12我既以我的性命作擔保，以帝國的權威下令，也必親手執行。 |
12Do not disobey a single one of the orders of your lord; fulfill them exactly as I have commanded you, and do it without delay." |
| 13至於你，不可違犯你主上的任何命令，但應照我吩咐你的，盡心辦理，切勿怠慢！」 |
13So Holofernes left the presence of his lord, and summoned all the princes, and the generals and officers of the Assyrian army. |
| 14敖羅斐乃辭別主上出來，就召集亞述的眾將領、司令和武官， |
14He mustered a hundred and twenty thousand picked troops, as his lord had commanded, and twelve thousand mounted archers, |
| 15依照主上所命的，數點了出征的精兵，約十二萬人，騎兵射手一萬二千， |
15and grouped them into a complete combat force. |
| 16將他們分編成為作戰的隊伍。 |
16He took along a very large number of camels, asses, and mules for their baggage; innumerable sheep, cattle, and goats for their food supply; |
| 17後又牽來許多駱駝驢騾，載運輜重，趕來無數的綿羊、牛和山羊，充當軍需； |
17abundant provisions for each man, and much gold and silver from the royal palace. |
| 18又給眾人分發了大批給養，再由王庫，支取了大批的金銀， |
18Then he and his whole army proceeded on their expedition in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, to cover all the western region with their chariots and cavalry and regular infantry. |
| 19然後率領大軍出發，作拿步高王的先鋒，以戰車馬隊和精兵，遮蔽西方的地面。 |
19A huge, irregular force, too many to count, like locusts or the dust of the earth, went along with them. |
| 20另有很多混合的軍人，多如蝗蟲塵沙，也跟隨出征，人數眾多，無法統計。 |
20After a three-day march from Nineveh, they reached the plain of Bectileth, and from Bectileth they next encamped near the mountains to the north of Upper Cilicia. |
| 21他們出了尼尼微城，行軍三日，到了貝克提肋特平原，便靠近貝克提肋特，在上基里基雅北邊的山嶺安營。 |
21From there Holofernes took his whole force, the infantry, cavalry, and chariots, and marched into the mountain region. |
| 22敖羅斐乃後又率領大軍：步兵、騎兵、戰車，由那裏往山地進發， |
22 He devastated Put and Lud, and plundered all the Rassisites and the Ishmaelites on the border of the desert toward the south of Chaldea. |
| 23擊敗了普特和路得，掠奪了辣息斯的眾子民，以及住在赫肋人以南的曠野對面的依市瑪耳子民。 |
23Then, following the Euphrates, he went through Mesopotamia, and battered down every fortified city along the Wadi Abron, until he reached the sea. |
| 24渡過幼發拉的河，穿過美索不達米亞，破壞了沿哈波爾河至海一帶的堅城。 |
24He seized the territory of Cilicia, and cut down everyone who resisted him. Then he proceeded to the southern borders of Japheth, toward Arabia. |
| 25以後佔領了基里基雅的地方，粉碎一切抵抗，來到位於阿剌伯對面南部的雅敖斐特邊境， |
25He surrounded all the Midianites, burned their tents, and plundered their sheepfolds. |
| 26圍攻了米德楊的眾子民，焚毀了他們的帳幕，劫奪了他們的羊圈。 |
26Descending to the plain of Damascus at the time of the wheat harvest, he set fire to all their fields, destroyed their flocks and herds, despoiled their cities, devastated their plains, and put all their youths to the sword. |
| 27到了收割麥子的時候，便下到大馬士革平原，放火燒田，搜殺牛羊，劫掠城市，破壞莊田，刀斬青年。 |
27The fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the coastland, upon those in Sidon and Tyre, and those who dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and the inhabitants of Jamnia. Those in Azotus and Ascalon also feared him greatly. |
| 28因此，凡住在海邊、漆冬、提洛、穌爾、敖基納、雅木尼雅的人都戰兢害怕，阿左托及阿市刻隆各地的居民，對他更是萬分恐懼害怕。 |
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