Susanna and the Elders¹

Daniel Invokes "The Rule"

(from the Book of Daniel, Chapter 13:1-65.)

Douay-Rheims

Vulgate

1 Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was Joakim: 2 And he took a wife whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helcias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God. 3 For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter according to the law of Moses. 4 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. 5 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. 6 These men frequented the house of Joakim, and all that had any matters of judgment came to them. 7 And when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went in, and walked in her husband's orchard. 8 And the old men saw her going in every day, and walking: and they were inflamed with lust towards her: 9 And they perverted their own mind and turned away their eyes that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments. 10 So they were both wounded with the love of her, yet they did not make known their grief one to the other: 11 For they were ashamed to declare to one another their lust, being desirous to have to do with her. 12 And they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other: 13 Let us now go home, for it is dinner time. So going out they departed one from another. 14 And turning back again, they came both to the same place: and asking one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust; and then they agreed upon a time, when they might find her alone. 15 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. 16 And there was nobody there, but the two old men that had hid themselves and were beholding her. 17 So she said to the maids: Bring me oil, and washing balls, and shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash me. 18 And 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. 19 Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders arose, and ran to her, and said: 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 But it is better for me to fall into your hands without doing it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord. 24 With that Susanna cried out with a loud voice: and the elders also cried out against her. 25 And one of them ran to the door of the orchard, and opened it. 26 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. 27 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, 28 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. 29 And they said before the people: Send to Susanna daughter of Helcias the wife of Joakim. And presently they sent. 30 And she came with her parents, and children, and all her kindred. 31 Now Susanna was exceeding delicate, and beautiful to behold. 32 But 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. 33 Therefore her friends and all her acquaintance wept. 34 But the two elders rising up in the midst of the people, laid their hands upon her head. 35 And she weeping looked up to heaven, for her heart had confidence in the Lord. 36 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. 37 Then a young man that was there hid came to her, and lay with her. 38 But we that were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this wickedness, ran up to them, and we saw them lie together. 39 And him indeed we could not take, because he was stronger than us, and opening the doors be leaped out: 40 But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: of this thing we are witnesses. 41 The multitude believed them as being the elders and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death. 42 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, 43 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. 44 And the Lord heard her voice. 45 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. 46 And he cried out with a loud voice I am clear from the blood of this woman. 47 Then all the people turning themselves towards him, said: What meaneth this word that thou hast spoken? 48 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? 49 Return to judgment, for they have borne false witness against her. 50 So all the people turned again in haste, and the old men said to him: Come, and sit thou down among us, and show it as: seeing God hath given thee the honour of old age. 51 And Daniel said to the people: Separate these two far from one another, and I will examine them. 52 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: 53 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. 54 Now then, if thou sawest her, tell me under what tree thou sawest them conversing together. He said: Under a mastic tree. 55 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. 56 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: 57 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. 58 Now therefore tell me, under what tree didst thou take them conversing together. And he answered: Under a holm tree. 59 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. 60 With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and they blessed God, who saveth them that trust in him. 61 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, 62 To fulfill the law of Moses: and they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved in that day. 63 But 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. 64 And Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, and thenceforward. 65 And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian received his kingdom.

1 et erat vir habitans in Babylone et nomen eius Ioakim 2 et accepit uxorem nomine Susannam filiam Helciae pulchram nimis et timentem Deum 3 parentes enim illius cum essent iusti erudierunt filiam suam secundum legem Moysi 4 erat autem Ioakim dives valde et erat ei pomarium vicinum domui suae et ad ipsum confluebant Iudaei eo quod esset honorabilior omnium 5 et constituti sunt de populo duo senes iudices in illo anno de quibus locutus est Dominus Quia egressa est iniquitas de Babylone a senioribus iudicibus qui videbantur regere populum 6 isti frequentabant domum Ioakim et veniebant ad eos omnes qui habebant iudicia 7 cum autem populus revertisset per meridiem ingrediebatur Susanna et deambulabat in pomario viri sui 8 et videbant eam senes quotidie ingredientem et deambulantem et exarserunt in concupiscentiam eius 9 et everterunt sensum suum et declinaverunt oculos suos ut non viderent caelum neque recordarentur iudiciorum iustorum 10 erant ergo ambo vulnerati amore eius nec indicaverunt sibi vicissim dolorem suum 11 erubescebant enim indicare sibi concupiscentiam suam volentes concumbere cum ea 12 et observabant quotidie solicitius videre eam Dixitque alter ad alterum 13 eamus domum quia hora prandii est Et egressi recesserunt a se 14 cumque revertissent venerunt in unum et sciscitantes ab invicem causam confessi sunt concupiscentiam suam et tunc in communi statuerunt tempus quando eam possent invenire solam 15 ractum est autem cum observarent diem aptum ingressa est aliquando sicut heri et nudiustertius cum duabus solis puellis voluitque lavari in pomario aestus quippe erat 16 et non erat ibi quisquam praeter duos senes absconditos et contemplantes eam 17 dixit ergo puellis Afferte mihi oleum et smigmata et ostia pomarii claudite ut laver 18 et fecerunt sicut praeceperat clauseruntque ostia pomarii et egressae sunt per posticum ut afferrent quae iusserat nesciebantque senes intus esse absconditos 19 cum autem egressae essent puellae surrexerunt duo senes et accurrerunt ad eam et dixerunt 20 ecce ostia pomarii clausa sunt et nemo nos videt et nos in concupiscentia tui sumus quam ob rem assentire nobis et commiscere nobiscum 21 quod si nolueris dicemus contra te testimonium quod fuerit tecum iuvenis et ob hanc causam emiseris puellas a te 22 ingemuit Susanna et ait Angustiae sunt mihi undique si enim hoc egero mors mihi est si autem non egero non effugiam manus vestras 23 sed melius est mihi absque opere incidere in manus vestras quam peccare in conspectu Domini 24 et exclamavit voce magna Susanna exclamaverunt autem et senes adversus eam 25 et cucurrit unus ad ostia pomarii et aperuit 26 cum ergo audissent clamorem famuli domus in pomario irruerunt per posticum ut viderent quidnam esset 27 postquam autem senes locuti sunt erubuerunt servi vehementer quia numquam dictus fuerat sermo huiuscemodi de Susanna Et facta est dies crastina 28 cumque venisset populus ad Ioakim virum eius venerunt et duo presbyteri pleni iniqua cogitatione adversus Susannam ut interficerent eam 29 et dixerunt coram populo Mittite ad Susannam filiam Helciae uxorem Ioakim Et statim miserunt 30 et venit cum parentibus et filiis et universis cognatis suis 31 porro Susanna erat delicata nimis et pulchra specie 32 at iniqui illi iusserunt ut discooperiretur erat enim cooperta ut vel sic satiarentur decore eius 33 flebant igitur sui et omnes qui noverant eam 34 consurgentes autem duo presbyteri in medio populi posuerunt manus suas super caput eius 35 quae flens suspexit ad caelum erat enim cor eius fiduciam habens in Domino 36 et dixerunt presbyteri Cum deambularemus in pomario soli ingressa est haec cum duabus puellis et clausit ostia pomarii et dimisit a se puellas 37 venitque ad eam adolescens qui erat absconditus et concubuit cum ea 38 porro nos cum essemus in angulo pomarii videntes iniquitatem cucurrimus ad eos et vidimus eos pariter commisceri 39 et illum quidem non quivimus comprehendere quia fortior nobis erat et apertis ostiis exilivit 40 hanc autem cum apprehendissemus interrogavimus quisnam esset adolescens et noluit indicare nobis huius rei testes sumus 41 credidit eis multitudo quasi senibus et iudicibus populi et condemnaverunt eam ad mortem 42 exclamavit autem voce magna Susanna et dixit Deus aeterne qui absconditorum es cognitor qui nosti omnia antequam fiant 43 tu scis quoniam falsum testimonium tulerunt contra me et ecce morior cum nihil horum fecerim quae isti malitiose composuerunt adversum me 44 exaudivit autem Dominus vocem eius 45 cumque duceretur ad mortem suscitavit Dominus spiritum sanctum pueri iunioris cuius nomen Daniel 46 et exclamavit voce magna Mundus ego sum a sanguine huius 47 et conversus omnis populus ad eum dixit Quis est iste sermo quem tu locutus es 48 qui cum staret in medio eorum ait Sic fatui filii Israel non iudicantes neque quod verum est cognoscentes condemnastis filiam Israel 49 revertimini ad iudicium quia falsum testimonium locuti sunt adversus eam 50 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 51 et dixit ad eos Daniel Separate illos ab invicem procul et diiudicabo eos 52 cum ergo divisi essent alter ab altero vocavit unum de eis et dixit ad eum Inveterate dierum malorum nunc venerunt peccata tua quae operabaris prius 53 iudicans iudicia iniusta innocentes opprimens et dimittens noxios dicente Domino Innocentem et iustum non interficies 54 nunc ergo si vidisti eam dic sub qua arbore videris eos colloquentes sibi Qui ait Sub schino 55 dixit autem Daniel Recte mentitus es in caput tuum Ecce enim Angelus Dei accepta sententia ab eo scindet te medium 56 et amoto eo iussit venire alium et dixit ei Semen Chanaan et non Iuda species decepit te et concupiscentia subvertit cor tuum 57 sic faciebatis filiabus Israel et illae timentes loquebantur vobis sed filia Iuda non sustinuit iniquitatem vestram 58 nunc ergo dic mihi sub qua arbore comprehenderis eos loquentes sibi Qui ait Sub prino 59 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 60 exclamavit itaque omnis coetus voce magna et benedixerunt Deum qui salvat sperantes in se 61 et consurrexerunt adversus duos presbyteros convicerat enim eos Daniel ex ore suo falsum dixisse testimonium feceruntque eis sicut male egerant adversus proximum 62 ut facerent secundum legem Moysi et interfecerunt eos et salvatus est sanguis innoxius in die illa 63 Helcias autem et uxor eius laudaverunt Deum pro filia sua Susanna cum Ioakim marito eius et cognatis omnibus quia non esset inventa in ea res turpis 64 Daniel autem factus est magnus in conspectu populi a die illa et deinceps 65 et rex Astyages appositus est ad patres suos et suscepit Cyrus Perses regnum eius

Endnotes

¹ Daniel Chapter 13 (English is Douay-Rheims and Latin is Vulgate. This excerpt is considered Apocryphal by the Protestants, but Canonical by Catholics. ⇑