And it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Ezechias, that Sennacherib king of the Assyrians came up against all the fenced cities of Juda, and took them.

Et factum est in quartodecimo anno regis Ezechiæ, ascendit Sennacherib, rex Assyriorum, super omnes civitates Juda munitas, et cepit eas.

It was in the fourteenth year of Ezechias’ reign that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, marched on the fortified cities of Juda, and took them.

And the king of the Assyrians sent Rabsaces from Lachis to Jerusalem, to king Ezechias with a great army, and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the way of the fuller’s field.

Et misit rex Assyriorum Rabsacen de Lachis in Jerusalem, ad regem Ezechiam in manu gravi: et stetit in aquæductu piscinæ superioris in via Agri fullonis.

And the king of Assyria, who was then at Lachis, sent Rabsaces at the head of a strong force to Jerusalem, where king Ezechias was. This Rabsaces took up his stand on the aqueduct that fed the upper pool, on the way that brings you to the Fuller’s Field,

And there went out to him Eliacim the son of Helcias, who was over the house, and Sobna the scribe, and Joahe the son of Asaph the recorder.

Et egressus est ad eum Eliacim, filius Helciæ, qui erat super domum, et Sobna scriba, et Joahe filius Asaph, a commentariis.

and there he was met by Eliacim, son of Helcias, the controller of the royal household, and Sobna, the scribe, and Joahe, son of Asaph, the recorder.

And Rabsaces said to them: Tell Ezechias: Thus saith the great king, the king of the Assyrians: What is this confidence wherein thou trustest?

Et dixit ad eos Rabsaces: Dicite Ezechiæ: Hæc dicit rex magnus, rex Assyriorum: Quæ est ista fiducia qua confidis?

So he bade them tell Ezechias, Here is a message to thee from the great king, the king of Assyria. What confidence is this that makes thee so bold?

Or with what counsel or strength dost thou prepare for war? on whom dost thou trust, that thou art revolted from me?

aut quo consilio vel fortitudine rebellare disponis? super quem habes fiduciam, quia recessisti a me?

By what cunning or what force dost thou hope to meet me in arms? On whose help dost thou rely, that thou wouldst throw off my allegiance?

Lo thou trustest upon this broken staff of a reed, upon Egypt: upon which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

Ecce confidis super baculum arundineum confractum istum, super Ægyptum; cui si innixus fuerit homo, intrabit in manum ejus, et perforabit eam: sic Pharao, rex Ægypti, omnibus qui confidunt in eo.

What, wilt thou rely on Egypt? That is to support thyself on a broken staff of cane, that will run into a man’s hand, if he presses on it, and pierce him through; such does Pharao, king of Egypt, prove himself to all those who rely on him.

But if thou wilt answer me: We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he whose high places and altars Ezechias hath taken away, and hath said to Juda and Jerusalem: You shall worship before this altar?

Quod si responderis mihi: In Domino Deo nostro confidimus; nonne ipse est cujus abstulit Ezechias excelsa et altaria, et dixit Judæ et Jerusalem: Coram altari isto adorabitis?

Or wilt thou answer, We trust, I and my people, in the Lord our God? Tell me, who is he? Is he not the God whose hill-shrines and altars their king, Ezechias, has cleared away, bidding Juda and Jerusalem worship at one altar here?

And now deliver thyself up to my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give thee two thousand horses, and thou wilt not be able on thy part to find riders for them.

Et nunc trade te domino meo, regi Assyriorum, et dabo tibi duo millia equorum, nec poteris ex te præbere ascensores eorum:

Come now, if thou wert to make terms with my master, the king of Assyria, by which I must hand over to thee two thousand horses, wouldst thou be able to do thy part by putting riders on them?

And how wilt thou stand against the face of the judge of one place, of the least of my master’s servants? But if thou trust in Egypt, in chariots and in horsemen:

et quomodo sustinebis faciem judicis unius loci ex servis domini mei minoribus? Quod si confidis in Ægypto, in quadrigis et in equitibus,

Why, thou art no match even for a city prefect, the least of my master’s servants. Trust if thou wilt in Egypt, its chariots and its horsemen;

And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me: Go up against this land, and destroy it.

et nunc numquid sine Domino ascendi ad terram istam, ut disperderem eam? Dominus dixit ad me: Ascende super terram istam, et disperde eam.

but dost thou doubt that I have the Lord’s warrant to come and subdue this land? It was the Lord himself who sent word to me, Make war on this land, and subdue it.

And Eliacim, and Sobna, and Joahe said to Rabsaces: Speak to thy servants in the Syrian tongue: for we understand it: speak not to us in the Jews’ language in the hearing of the people, that are upon the wall.

Et dixit Eliacim, et Sobna, et Joahe, ad Rabsacen: Loquere ad servos tuos syra lingua; intelligimus enim; ne loquaris ad nos judaice in auribus populi qui est super murum.

At this, Eliacim and Sobna and Joahe said to Rabsaces, My lord, pray talk to us in Syriac; we know it well. Do not talk to us in the Hebrew language, while all these folks are standing on the walls within hearing.

And Rabsaces said to them: Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee, to speak all these words; and not rather to the men that sit on the wall; that they may eat their own dung, and drink their urine with you?

Et dixit ad eos Rabsaces: Numquid ad dominum tuum et ad te misit me dominus meus, ut loquerer omnia verba ista? et non potius ad viros qui sedent in muro, ut comedant stercora sua, et bibant urinam pedum suorum vobiscum?

What, said Rabsaces, dost thou think my master hath sent me with this message for thee only, and for that master of thine? It is for the folk who man the walls, these companions of yours that have nothing left to eat or drink but the ventings of their own bodies.

Then Rabsaces stood, and cried out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said: Hear the words of the great king, the king of the Assyrians.

Et stetit Rabsaces, et clamavit voce magna judaice, et dixit: Audite verba regis magni, regis Assyriorum!

Then Rabsaces stood up and cried aloud, in Hebrew, Here is a message to you from the great king, the king of Assyria!

Thus saith the king: Let not Ezechias deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you.

Hæc dicit rex: Non seducat vos Ezechias, quia non poterit eruere vos.

This is the king’s warning, Do not be deluded by Ezechias, he is powerless to save you;

And let not Ezechias make you trust in the Lord, saying: The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hands of the king of the Assyrians.

Et non vobis tribuat fiduciam Ezechias super Domino, dicens: Eruens liberabit nos Dominus: non dabitur civitas ista in manu regis Assyriorum.

do not let Ezechias put you off by telling you to trust in God; that the Lord is certain to bring you aid, he cannot allow the king of Assyria to become master of your city.

Do not hearken to Ezechias: for thus said the king of the Assyrians: Do with me that which is for your advantage, and come out to me, and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the water of his cistern,

Nolite audire Ezechiam; hæc enim dicit rex Assyriorum: Facite mecum benedictionem, et egredimini ad me, et comedite unusquisque vineam suam, et unusquisque ficum suam, et bibite unusquisque aquam cisternæ suæ,

No, do not listen to Ezechias; here are the terms the king of Assyria offers to you. Earn my good will by surrendering to me, and you shall live unmolested; to each the fruit of his own vine and fig-tree, to each the water from his own cistern.

Till I come and take you away to a land, like to your own, a land of corn and of wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

donec veniam, et tollam vos ad terram quæ est ut terra vestra, terram frumenti et vini, terram panum et vinearum.

Then, when I come back, I will transplant you into a land like your own, which will grudge you neither wheat nor wine, so rich is it in cornfields and vineyards.

Neither let Ezechias trouble you, saying: The Lord will deliver us. Have any of the gods of the nations delivered their land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?

Nec conturbet vos Ezechias, dicens: Dominus liberabit nos. Numquid liberaverunt dii gentium unusquisque terram suam de manu regis Assyriorum?

No, do not let Ezechias stir you to action by telling you that the Lord will deliver you. What of other nations? Were their countries delivered, by this god or that, when the king of Assyria threatened them?

Where is the god of Emath and of Arphad? where is the god of Sepharvaim? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

Ubi est deus Emath et Arphad? ubi est deus Sepharvaim? numquid liberaverunt Samariam de manu mea?

What gods had Emath and Arphad, what god had Sepharvaim? Did any power rescue Samaria from my attack?

Who is there among all the gods of these lands, that hath delivered his country out of my hand, that the Lord may deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

Quis est ex omnibus diis terrarum istarum qui eruerit terram suam de manu mea, ut eruat Dominus Jerusalem de manu mea?

Which of all the gods in the world has delivered his country when I threatened it, that you should trust in the Lord’s deliverance, when I threaten Jerusalem?

And they held their peace, and answered him not a word. For the king had commanded, saying: Answer him not.

Et siluerunt, et non responderunt ei verbum. Mandaverat enim rex, dicens: Ne respondeatis ei.

But all kept silence, and gave him no word in answer; the king had sent orders that they were not to answer him.

And Eliacim the son of Helcias, that was over the house, and Sobna the scribe, and Joahe the son of Asaph the recorder, went in to Ezechias with their garments rent, and told him the words of Rabsaces.

Et ingressus est Eliacim, filius Helciæ, qui erat super domum, et Sobna scriba, et Joahe filius Asaph, a commentariis, ad Ezechiam, scissis vestibus, et nuntiaverunt ei verba Rabsacis.

So Eliacim, son of Helcias, the controller of the royal household, and Sobna, the scribe, and Joahe, son of Asaph, the recorder, went back to Ezechias, with their garments torn about them, to let him know what Rabsaces had said.