Daniel 13

¹And there was a man living in Babylon, and his name was Joakim.

²And he received a wife named Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, who was very beautiful and God-fearing.

³For her parents, because they were righteous, had educated their daughter according to the law of Moses.

⁴But Joakim was very wealthy, and he had an orchard near his house, and the Jews flocked to him, because he was the most honorable of them all.

⁵And two elder judges had been appointed among the people that year, about whom the Lord has said, “Iniquity has come out of Babylon, from the elder judges, who seemed to govern the people.”

⁶These frequented the house of Joakim, and all came to them, who had need of judgment.

⁷But when the people departed at noontime, Susanna went in and walked around in her husband’s orchard.

⁸And the elders saw her entering and walking around every day, and they were inflamed with desire towards her.

⁹And they perverted their reason and turned away their eyes, so that they would not look to heaven, nor call to mind just judgments.

¹⁰And so they were both wounded by the love of her, yet they did not reveal their grief to one another.

¹¹For they were ashamed to reveal to each other their desire, wanting to lie with her.

¹²And so they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other,

¹³“Let us go home, for it is lunch time.” And going out, they departed one from another.

¹⁴And returning again, they came to the same place, and, each asking the other the reason, they admitted their desire. And then they agreed to set a time when they would be able to find her alone.

¹⁵But it happened, while they watched for an opportune day, that she entered at a particular time, just as yesterday and the day before, with only two maids, and she wanted to wash in the orchard, because it was so hot.

¹⁶And there was no one there, except the two elders in hiding, and they were studying her.

¹⁷And so she said to the maids, “Bring me oil and ointments, and shut the doors of the orchard, so that I may wash.”

¹⁸And they did as she ordered them. And they shut the doors of the orchard and left through a back door to fetch what she required, and they did not know that the elders were hiding within.

¹⁹But when the maids had departed, the two elders arose and hurried to her, and they said,

²⁰“Behold, the doors of the orchard are closed, and no one can see us, and we are in desire for you. Because of these things, consent to us and lie with us.

²¹But if you will not, we will bear witness against you that a young man was with you and, for this reason, you sent your maids away from you.”

²²Susanna sighed and said, “I am closed in on every side. For if I do this thing, it is death to me; yet if I do not do it, I will not escape your hands.

²³But it is better for me to fall unavoidably into your hands, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.”

²⁴And Susanna cried out with a loud voice, but the elders also cried out against her.

²⁵And one of them hurried to the door of the orchard and opened it.

²⁶And so, when the servants of the house heard the outcry in the orchard, they rushed in by the back door to see what was happening.

²⁷But after the old men had spoken, the servants were greatly ashamed, for there had never been anything of this kind said about Susanna. And it happened on the next day,

²⁸when the people came to Joakim her husband, that the two appointed elders also came, full of wicked plans against Susanna, in order to put her to death.

²⁹And they said before the people, “Send for Susanna, daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim.” And immediately they sent for her.

³⁰And she arrived with her parents, and sons, and all her relatives.

³¹Moreover, Susanna was exceedingly delicate and beautiful in appearance.

³²But those wicked ones commanded that her face should be uncovered, (for she was covered,) so that at least they might be satisfied with her beauty.

³³Therefore, her own and all who knew her wept.

³⁴Yet the two appointed elders, rising up in the midst of the people, set their hands upon her head.

³⁵And weeping, she gazed up to heaven, for her heart had faith in the Lord.

³⁶And the appointed elders said, “While we were taking a walk in the orchard alone, this one came in with two maids, and she shut the doors of the orchard, and she sent the maids away from her.

³⁷And a young man came to her, who was in hiding, and he lay down with her.

³⁸Furthermore, since we were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this wickedness, we ran up to them, and we saw them consorting together.

³⁹And, indeed, we were unable to catch him, because he was stronger than us, and opening the doors, he leaped out.

⁴⁰But, since we had apprehended this one, we demanded to know who the young man was, but she was unwilling to tell us. On this matter, we are witnesses.”

⁴¹The multitude believed them, just as if they were elders and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.

⁴²But Susanna cried out with a loud voice and said, “Eternal God, who knows what is hidden, who knows all things before they happen,

⁴³you know that they have borne false witness against me, and behold, I must die, though I have done none of these things, which these men have maliciously invented against me.”

⁴⁴But the Lord heeded her voice.

⁴⁵And when she was led away to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel.

⁴⁶And he cried out with a loud voice, “I am clean of the blood of this one.”

⁴⁷And all the people, turning back towards him, said, “What is this word that you are saying?”

⁴⁸But he, while standing in the midst of them, said, “Are you so foolish, sons of Israel, that without judging and without knowing what the truth is, you have condemned a daughter of Israel?

⁴⁹Return to judgment, because they have spoken false witness against her.”

⁵⁰Therefore, the people returned with haste, and the old men said to him, “Come and sit down in our midst and show us, since God has given you the honor of old age.”

⁵¹And Daniel said to them, “Separate these at a distance from one another, and I will judge between them.”

⁵²And so, when they were divided, one from the other, he called one of them, and he said to him, “You deep-rooted ancient evil, now your sins have come out, which you have committed before,

⁵³judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and setting free the guilty, though the Lord declares, ‘The innocent and the just you must not put to death.’

⁵⁴Now then, if you saw her, declare under which tree you saw them conversing together.” He said, “Under an evergreen mastic tree.”

⁵⁵But Daniel said, “Truly, you have lied against your own head. For behold, the angel of God, having received the sentence from him, will split you down the middle.

⁵⁶And, having put him aside, he commanded the other to approach, and he said to him, “You offspring of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you, and desire has perverted your heart.

⁵⁷Thus did you do to the daughters of Israel, and they, out of fear, consorted with you, but a daughter of Judah would not tolerate your iniquity.

⁵⁸Now then, declare to me, under which tree you caught them conversing together.” He said, “Under an evergreen oak tree.”

⁵⁹And Daniel said to him, “Truly, you also have lied against your own head. For the angel of the Lord waits, holding a sword, to cut you down the middle and put you to death.”

⁶⁰And then the entire assembly cried out in a loud voice, and they blessed God, who saves those who hope in him.

⁶¹And they rose up against the two appointed elders, (for Daniel had convicted them, by their own mouth, of bearing false witness,) and they did to them just as they had wickedly done against their neighbor,

⁶²so as to act according to the law of Moses. And they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved on that day.

⁶³But Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter, Susanna, with Joakim, her husband, and all her relatives, because there had been found in her no disgrace.

⁶⁴And so Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, and thereafter.

⁶⁵And king Astyages was laid to rest with his fathers. And Cyrus the Persian received his kingdom.

Daniel 13

¹Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was Joakim:

²And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God.

³For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter according to the law of Moses.

⁴Now 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.

⁵And there were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges that year, of whom the Lord said: That iniquity came out from Babylon, from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people.

⁶These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that hand any matters of judgment came to them.

⁷And when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and walked in her husband's orchard.

⁸And the old men saw her going in every day, and walking: and they were inflamed with lust towards her:

⁹And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.

¹⁰So they were both wounded with the love of her, yet they did not make known their grief one to the other.

¹¹For they were ashamed to declare to one another their lust, being desirous to have to do with her:

¹²And they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other:

¹³Let us now go home, for it is dinner time. So going out, they departed one from another.

¹⁴And turning back again, they came both to the same place: and asking one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: and then they agreed together upon a time, when they might find her alone.

¹⁵And 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.

¹⁶And there was nobody there, but the two old men that had hid themselves, and were beholding her.

¹⁷So she said to the maids: Bring me oil, and washing balls, and shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me.

¹⁸And they did as she bade them: and they shut the doors of the orchard, and went out by a back door to fetch what she had commanded them, and they knew not that the elders were hid within.

¹⁹Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and ran to her, and said:

²⁰Behold 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.

²¹But 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.

²²Susanna 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.

²³But it is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.

²⁴With that Susanna cried out with a loud voice: and the elders also cried out against her.

²⁵And one of them ran to the door of the orchard, and opened it.

²⁶So 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.

²⁷But 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,

²⁸When the people were come to Joakim, her husband, the two elders also came full of wicked device against Susanna, to put her to death.

²⁹And they said before the people: Send to Susanna, daughter of Helcias, the wife of Joakim. And presently they sent.

³⁰And she came with her parents, and children and all her kindred.

³¹Now Susanna was exceeding delicate, and beautiful to behold.

³²But those wicked men commanded that her face should be uncovered, (for she was covered) that so at least they might be satisfied with her beauty.

³³Therefore her friends, and all her acquaintance wept.

³⁴But the two elders rising up in the midst of the people, laid their hands upon her head.

³⁵And she weeping, looked up to heaven, for her heart had confidence in the Lord.

³⁶And 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.

³⁷Then a young man that was there hid came to her, and lay with her.

³⁸But we that were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this wickedness, ran up to them, and we saw them lie together.

³⁹And him indeed we could not take, because he was stronger than us, and opening the doors, he leaped out:

⁴⁰But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: of this thing we are witnesses.

⁴¹The multitude believed them, as being the elders, and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.

⁴²Then 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,

⁴³Thou 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.

⁴⁴And the Lord heard her voice.

⁴⁵And when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel:

⁴⁶And he cried out with a loud voice: I am clear from the blood of this woman.

⁴⁷Then all the people turning themselves towards him, said: What meaneth this word that thou hast spoken?

⁴⁸But 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?

⁴⁹Return to judgment, for they have borne false witness against her.

⁵⁰So all the people turned again in haste, and the old men said to him: Come, and sit thou down among us, and shew it us: seeing God hath given thee the honour of old age.

⁵¹And Daniel said to the people: Separate these two far from one another, and I will examine them.

⁵²So 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:

⁵³In judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and letting the guilty to go free, whereas the Lord saith: The innocent and the just thou shalt not kill.

⁵⁴Now then if thou sawest her, tell me under what tree thou sawest them conversing together: He said: Under a mastic tree.

⁵⁵And 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.

⁵⁶And 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:

⁵⁷Thus 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.

⁵⁸Now, therefore, tell me, under what tree didst thou take them conversing together. And he answered: Under a holm tree.

⁵⁹And 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.

⁶⁰With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and they blessed God, who saveth them that trust in him.

⁶¹And 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,

⁶²To fulfil the law of Moses: and they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved in that day.

⁶³But Helcias, and his wife, praised God, for their daughter, Susanna, with Joakim, her husband, and all her kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.

⁶⁴And Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, and thence forward.

⁶⁵And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers; and Cyrus, the Persian, received his kingdom.