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In diebus illis: Et erat vir habitans in Babylone, et
nomen ejus Joakim: et accepit uxorem nomine Susannam, filiam
Helciæ pulchram nimis, et timentem Deum: parentes enim
illius, cum essent justi, erudierunt filiam suam secundum
legem Moysi. Erat autem Joakim dives valde, et erat ei
pomarium vicinum domui suæ: et ad ipsum confluebant Judæi,
eo quod esset honorabilior omnium. Et constituti sunt de
populo duo senes judices in illo anno: de quibus locutus est
Dominus: Quia egressa est iniquitas de Babylone a senioribus
judicibus, qui videbantur regere populum. Isti frequentabant
domum Joakim, et veniebant ad eos omnes, qui habebant
judicia. Cum autem populus revertisset per meridiem,
ingrediebatur Susanna, et deambulabat in pomario viri sui.
Et videbant eam senes quotidie ingredientem, et
deambulantem: et exarserunt in concupiscentiam ejus: et
everterunt sensum suum, et declinaverunt oculos suos ut non
viderent cælum, neque recordarentur judiciorum justorum.
Factum est autem, cum observarent diem aptum, ingressa est
aliquando sicut heri et nudiustertius, cum duabus solis
puellis, voluitque lavari in pomario: æstus quippe erat: et
non erat ibi quisquam, præter duos senes absconditos, et
contemplantes eam. Dixit ergo puellis: Afferte mihi oleum,
et smigmata, et ostia pomarii claudite, ut laver. Cum autem
egressæ essent puellæ, surrexerunt duo senes, et accurrerunt
ad eam, et dixerunt: Ecce ostia pomarii clausa sunt, et nemo
nos videt, et nos in concupiscentia tui sumus: quam ob rem
assentire nobis, et commiscere nobiscum: quod si nolueris,
dicemus contra te testimonium, quod fuerit tecum juvenis, et
ob hanc causam emiseris puellas a te. Ingemuit Susanna, et
ait: Angustiæ sunt mihi undique: si enim hoc egero, mors
mihi est: si autem non egero, non effugiam manus vestras.
Sed melius est mihi absque opere incidere in manus vestras,
quam peccare in conspectu Domini. Et exclamavit voce magna
Susanna: exclamaverunt autem et senes adversus eam. Et
cucurrit unus ad ostia pomarii, et aperuit. Cum ergo
audissent clamorem famuli domus in pomario, irruerunt per
posticum ut viderent quidnam esset. Postquam autem senes
locuti sunt, erubuerunt servi vehementer: quia numquam
dictus fuerat sermo huiuscemodi de Susanna. Et facta est
dies crastina. Cumque venisset populus ad Joakim virum ejus,
venerunt et duo presbyteri pleni iniqua cogitatione adversus
Susannam ut interficerent eam. Et dixerunt coram populo:
Mittite ad Susannam filiam Helciæ uxorem Joakim. Et statim
miserunt. Et venit cum parentibus, et filiis, et universis
cognatis suis. Flebant igitur sui, et omnes qui noverant
eam. Consurgentes autem duo presbyteri in medio populi,
posuerunt manus suas super caput ejus. Quæ flens suspexit ad
cælum: erat enim cor ejus fiduciam habens in Domino. Et
dixerunt presbyteri: Cum deambularemus in pomario soli,
ingressa est hæc cum duabus puellis: et clausit ostia
pomarii, et dimisit a se puellas. Venitque ad eam
adolescens, qui erat absconditus, et concubuit cum ea. Porro
nos cum essemus in angulo pomarii, videntes iniquitatem,
cucurrimus ad eos, et vidimus eos pariter commisceri. Et
illum quidem non quivimus comprehendere, quia fortior nobis
erat, et apertis ostiis exilivit: hanc autem cum
apprehendissemus, interrogavimus, quisnam esset adolescens,
et noluit indicare nobis: hujus rei testes sumus. Credidit
eis multitudo quasi senibus et judicibus populi, et
condemnaverunt eam ad mortem. Exclamavit autem voce magna
Susanna, et dixit: Deus æterne, qui absconditorum es
cognitor, qui nosti omnia antequam fiant, tu scis quoniam
falsum testimonium tulerunt contra me: et ecce morior, cum
nihil horum fecerim, quæ isti malitiose composuerunt
adversum me. Exaudivit autem Dominus vocem ejus. Cumque
duceretur ad mortem, suscitavit Dominus spiritum sanctum
pueri junioris, cujus nomen Daniel: et exclamavit voce
magna: Mundus ego sum a sanguine hujus. Et conversus omnis
populus ad eum, dixit: Quis est iste sermo, quem tu locutus
es? Qui cum staret in medio eorum, ait: Sic fatui filii
Israël, non judicantes, neque quod verum est cognoscentes,
condemnastis filiam Israël? Revertimini ad judicium, quia
falsum testimonium locuti sunt adversus eam. Reversus est
ergo populus cum festinatione, et dixerunt ei senes: Veni,
et sede in medio nostrum, et indica nobis: quia tibi Deus
dedit honorem senectutis. Et dixit ad eos Daniel: Separate
illos ab invicem procul, et dijudicabo eos. Cum ergo divisi
essent alter ab altero, vocavit unum de eis, et dixit ad
eum: Inveterate dierum malorum, nunc venerunt peccata tua,
quæ operabaris prius: judicans judicia injusta, innocentes
opprimens, et dimittens noxios, dicente Domino: Innocentem
et justum non interficies. Nunc ergo si vidisti eam, dic sub
qua arbore videris eos colloquentes sibi. Qui ait: Sub
schino. Dixit autem Daniel: Recte mentitus es in caput tuum:
Ecce enim Angelus Dei accepta sententia ab eo, scindet te
medium. Et, amoto eo, jussit venire alium, et dixit ei:
Semen Chanaan, et non Juda, species decepit te, et
concupiscentia subvertit cor tuum: sic faciebatis filiabus
Israel, et illæ timentes loquebantur vobis: sed filia Juda
non sustinuit iniquitatem vestram. Nunc ergo dic mihi, sub
qua arbore comprehenderis eos loquentes sibi. Qui ait: Sub
prino. Dixit autem ei Daniel: Recte mentitus es et tu in
caput tuum: manet enim Angelus Domini, gladium habens, ut
secet te medium, et interficiat vos. Exclamavit itaque omnis
cœtus voce magna, et benedixerunt Deum, qui salvat sperantes
in se. Et consurrexerunt adversus duos presbyteros
(convicerat enim eos Daniel ex ore suo falsum dixisse
testimonium) feceruntque eis sicut male egerant adversus
proximum, ut facerent secundum legem Moysi: et interfecerunt
eos, et salvatus est sanguis innoxius in die illa.
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In those days there
was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was Joakim:
And he took a wife whose name was Susanna, the daughter of
Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God.
For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter
according to the law of Moses. Now Joakim was very rich, and
had an orchard near his house: and the Jews resorted to him,
because he was the most honourable of them all. And there
were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges that
year, of whom the Lord said: Iniquity came out from Babylon
from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people.
These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that had
any matters of judgment came to them. And when the people
departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and walked in her
husband's orchard. And the old men saw her going in every
day, and walking: and they were inflamed with lust towards
her: And they perverted their own mind and turned away their
eyes that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just
judgments. And it fell out, as they watched a fit day, she
went in on a time, as yesterday and the day before, with two
maids only, and was desirous to wash herself in the orchard:
for it was hot weather. And there was nobody there, but the
two old men that had hid themselves and were beholding her.
So she said to the maids: Bring me oil, and washing balls,
and shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me. Now
when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and
ran to her, and said: Behold the doors of the orchard are
shut, and nobody seeth us, and we are in love with thee:
wherefore consent to us, and lie with us. But if thou wilt
not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was
with thee, and therefore thou didst send away thy maids from
thee. Susanna sighed, and said: I am straitened on every
side: for if I do this thing, it is death to me: and if I do
it not, I shall not escape your hands. But it is better for
me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in
the sight of the Lord. With that Susanna cried out with a
loud voice: and the elders also cried out against her. And
one of them ran to the door of the orchard, and opened it.
So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the
orchard, they rushed in by the back door to see what was the
matter. But after the old men had spoken, the servants were
greatly ashamed: for never had there been any such word said
of Susanna. And on the next day, When the people were come
to Joakim her husband, the two elders also came full of
wicked device against Susanna, to put her to death. And they
said before the people: Send to Susanna daughter of Helcias
the wife of Joakim. And presently they sent. . And she came
with her parents, and children, and all her kindred.
Therefore her friends and all her acquaintance wept. But the
two elders rising up in the midst of the people, laid their
hands upon her head. And she weeping looked up to heaven,
for her heart had confidence in the Lord. And the elders
said: As we walked in the orchard alone, this woman came in
with two maids, and shut the doors of the orchard, and sent
away the maids from her. Then a young man that was there hid
came to her, and lay with her. But we that were in a corner
of the orchard, seeing this wickedness, ran up to them, and
we saw them lie together. And him indeed we could not take,
because he was stronger than us, and opening the doors be
leaped out: But having taken this woman, we asked who the
young man was, but she would not tell us: of this thing we
are witnesses. The multitude believed them as being the
elders and the judges of the people, and they condemned her
to death. Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and
said: O eternal God, who knowest hidden things, who knowest
all things before they come to pass, Thou knowest that they
have borne false witness against me: and behold I must die,
whereas I have done none of these things, which these men
have maliciously forged against me. And the Lord heard her
voice. And when she was led to be put to death, the Lord
raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was
Daniel. And he cried out with a loud voice I am clear from
the blood of this woman. Then all the people turning
themselves towards him, said: What meaneth this word that
thou hast spoken? But he standing in the midst of them,
said: Are ye so foolish, ye children of Israel, that without
examination or knowledge of the truth, you have condemned a
daughter of Israel? Return to judgment, for they have borne
false witness against her. So all the people turned again in
haste, and the old men said to him: Come, and sit thou down
among us, and shew it as: seeing God hath given thee the
honour of old age. And Daniel said to the people: Separate
these two far from one another, and I will examine them. So
when they were put asunder one from the other, he called one
of them, and said to him: O thou that art grown old in evil
days, now are thy sins come out, which thou hast committed
before: In judging unjust judgments, oppressing the
innocent, and letting the guilty to go free, whereas the
Lord saith: I The innocent and the just thou shalt not kill.
Now then, if thou sawest her, tell me under what tree thou
sawest them conversing together. He said: Under a mastic
tree. And Daniel said: Well hast thou lied against thy own
head: for behold the angel of God having received the
sentence of him, shall cut thee in two. And having put him
aside, he commanded that the other should come, and he said
to him: O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath
deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thy heart: Thus did
you do to the daughters of Israel, and they for fear
conversed with you: but a daughter of Juda would not abide
your wickedness. Now therefore tell me, under what tree
didst thou take them conversing together. And he answered:
Under a holm tree. And Daniel said to him: Well hast thou
also lied against thy own head: for the angel of the Lord
waiteth with a sword to cut thee in two, and to destroy you.
With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and
they blessed God, who saveth them that trust in him. And
they rose up against the two elders, (for Daniel had
convicted them of false witness by their own mouth,) and
they did to them as they had maliciously dealt against their
neighbour, To fulfill the law of Moses: and they put them to
death, and innocent blood was saved in that day. |
