| 友弟德傳 |
Judith |
| 1會議廳周圍的人怨聲一停止，亞述軍隊總司令敖羅斐乃，在全體外邦民族前，向阿希約爾及一切阿孟子民說： |
1When the noise of the crowd surrounding the council had subsided, Holofernes, commander-in-chief of the Assyrian army, said to Achior, in the presence of the whole throng of coastland peoples, of the Moabites, and of the Ammonite mercenaries: |
| 2「你這阿希約爾，你們這些厄弗辣因的傭兵，算得什麼？今日竟對我們說預言，勸我們不要攻打以色列民族，說他們的天主會庇護他們！拿步高外，還有誰是天主？他打發他的兵力，要從地面上將他們消滅，這不是他們的天主所能施救的！ |
2"Who are you, Achior, to prophesy among us as you have done today, and to tell us not to fight against the Israelites because their God protects them? What god is there beside Nebuchadnezzar? He will send his force and destroy them from the face of the earth. Their God will not save them; |
| 3我們當他僕人的，攻打他們就像打一個人，他們決抵抗不住我們馬隊的威力。 |
3but we, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, will strike them down as one man, for they will be unable to withstand the force of our cavalry. |
| 4我們的馬隊要將他們踏碎，使他們的山嶺飲他們的血，使他們的平原充滿他們的屍首；他們在我們跟前決不能立足，必要完全滅亡；這是全世之主拿步高說的。他既如此說了，他的話，決不會落空。 |
4We will overwhelm them with it, and the mountains shall be drunk with their blood, and their plains filled with their corpses. Not a trace of them shall survive our attack: they shall utterly perish, says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of all the earth; for he has spoken, and his words shall not remain unfulfilled. |
| 5至於你，阿孟人的傭工阿希約爾！你說這樣的話，是存心不良，從今天起，直到我向這逃出埃及的民族復了仇，你不要再見我的面。 |
5As for you, Achior, you Ammonite mercenary, for saying these things in a moment of perversity you shall not see my face after today, until I have taken revenge on this race of people from Egypt. |
| 6當我回來時，我軍隊的刀劍，我僕從的長槍，要刺穿你的肋膀，你要倒臥在傷亡者中。 |
6Then at my return, the sword of my army or the spear of my servants will pierce your sides, and you shall fall among their slain. |
| 7我的僕人如今要送你到山地，將你棄置在一座位於隘道上的城中， |
7My servants will now conduct you to the mountain region, and leave you at one of the towns along the ascent. |
| 8你暫不會死，直到你與他們同歸於盡！ |
8You shall not die till you are destroyed together with them. |
| 9如果你心裏真希望這些城池不陷落，那又何必垂頭喪氣！我已說了，我的話一句也不會落空！」 |
9If you still cherish the hope that they will not be taken, then there is no need for you to be downcast. I have spoken, and my words shall not prove false in any respect." |
| 10敖羅斐乃遂吩咐侍立在營幕內的僕人，捉住阿希約爾，送到拜突里雅，交給以色列子民。 |
10Then Holofernes ordered the servants who were standing by in his tent to seize Achior, conduct him to Bethulia, and hand him over to the Israelites. |
| 11他的僕人就捉住他，領到營外平原，再由平原帶到山上，直到拜突里雅城下的水泉旁。 |
11So the servants took him in custody and brought him out of the camp into the plain. From there they led him into the mountain region till they reached the springs below Bethulia. |
| 12那在山頂城中的人一見他們，就拿起武器，由山頂的城出來，同時所有的彈石射手，向他們拋石，擋住他們上來的路。 |
12When the men of the city saw them, they seized their weapons and ran out of the city to the crest of the ridge; and all the slingers blocked the ascent of Holofernes' servants by hurling stones upon them. |
| 13那些人伏在山下，將阿希約爾綑了，拋棄在山麓，然後回到自己主帥那裏。 |
13So they took cover below the mountain, where they bound Achior and left him lying at the foot of the mountain; then they returned to their lord. |
| 14以色列子民由城中下來，走到他跟前，將他解開，帶到拜突里雅，引他去見城中首長。 |
14The Israelites came down to him from their city, loosed him, and brought him into Bethulia. They haled him before the rulers of the city, |
| 15那時城中首長，有西默盎支派的米加的兒子敖齊雅，還有哥托尼耳的兒子加布黎，默耳基耳的兒子加爾米。 |
15who in those days were Uzziah, son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, Chabris, son of Gothoniel, and Charmis, son of Melchiel. |
| 16他們遂召集城裏所有的長老；眾青年和婦女也都趕來參加集會。阿希約爾站在民眾中間，敖齊雅就問他發生了什麼事。 |
16They then convened all the elders of the city; and all their young men, as well as the women, gathered in haste at the place of assembly. They placed Achior in the center of the throng, and Uzziah questioned him about what had happened. |
| 17他立即回答，將敖羅斐乃會議中的議案，將自己在亞述子民首領中所說的，以及敖羅斐乃對以色列家所說的大話，都一一告訴了他們。 |
17He replied by giving them an account of what was said in the council of Holofernes, and of all his own words among the Assyrian officers, and of all the boasting threats of Holofernes against the house of Israel. |
| 18在場的人民於是俯伏在地，朝拜天主，呼喊說： |
18At this the people fell prostrate and worshiped God; and they cried out: |
| 19「上主，天上的大主！你看看他們的驕傲，可憐我們民族所受的苦辱，請你今日眷顧那奉獻於你的人民！」 |
19 "Lord, God of heaven, behold their arrogance! Have pity on the lowliness of our people, and look with favor this day on those who are consecrated to you." |
| 20他們遂安慰阿希約爾，對他大加稱讚。 |
20Then they reassured Achior and praised him highly. |
| 21敖齊雅以後由會場中，引他到自己家裏，且設宴款待長老。那一夜，他們終夜呼求以色列的天主救助。 |
21Uzziah brought him from the assembly to his home, where he gave a banquet for the elders. That whole night they called upon the God of Israel for help. |
