Judith 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	BIBBIA TINTORI
1 In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, there was a discussion in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, about taking revenge on the whole world, as he had threatened.	1 L'anno decimoterzo del re Nabucodonosor, ai ventidue del primo mese, Nabucodonosor, nella sua reggia d'Assiria, fece decidere la guerra,
2 He summoned all his ministers and nobles, laid before them his secret plan, and urged the total destruction of those countries.	2 e, convocati tutti gli anziani, tutti i capi e i suoi guerrieri, tenuto con essi un consiglio segreto,
3 They decided to do away with all those who had refused to comply with the order he had issued.	3 disse essere sua intenzione di assoggettare al suo impero tutta la terra.
4 When he had completed his plan, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, summoned Holofernes, general in chief of his forces, second to himself in command, and said to him:	4 Essendo piaciute a tutti queste parole, Nabucodonosor, chiamato a sè Oloferne, capo dei suoi eserciti,
5 "Thus says the great king, the lord of all the earth: Go forth from my presence, take with you men of proven valor, a hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry,	5 gli disse: « Mettiti in marcia, contro tutti i regni d'occidente, specialmente contro quelli che han disprezzato il mio comando;
6 and proceed against all the land of the West, because they did not comply with the order I issued.	6 il tuo occhio non risparmierà alcun regno, e mi sottometterai tutte le città forti ».
7 Tell them to have earth and water ready, for I will come against them in my wrath; I will cover all the land with the feet of my soldiers, to whom I will deliver them as spoils.	7 Allora Oloferne chiamò a sè i capi e gli ufficiali dell'esercito assiro, e secondo l'ordine del re arruolò gli uomini per la spedizione: centoventi mila combattenti a piedi, e dodici mila arcieri a cavallo.
8 Their slain shall fill their ravines and wadies, the swelling torrent shall be choked with their dead; 9 and I will deport them as exiles to the very ends of the earth.	8 Ratta andare innanzi tutta la sua armata, una moltitudine innumerevole di cammelli, con abbondanti provvisioni per l'esercito, e innumerevoli armenti di buoi e greggi di pecore,
	9 fatto preparare del grano da tutta la Siria, pel suo passaggio,
10 "You go before me and take possession of all their territories for me. If they surrender to you, guard them for me till the day of their punishment.	10 presa dalla cassa del re gran quantità d'oro e d'argento,
11 As for those who resist, show them no quarter, but deliver them up to slaughter and plunder in each country you occupy.	11 Oloferne si mise in marcia con tutto l'esercito, colle quadrighe, i cavalieri, gli arcieri, i quali, come locuste, coprirono la faccia della terra.
12 For as I live, and by the strength of my kingdom, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my power.	12 Passati i confini dell'Assiria, giunse alle grandi montagne d'Ange, che sono a sinistra della Cilicia, e prese tutti i loro castelli, e s'impadronì di tutte le piazze forti.
13 Do not disobey a single one of the orders of your lord; fulfill them exactly as I have commanded you, and do it without delay."	13 Espugnò la famosissima città di Meloti, predò tutti i figli di Tarsis, i figli d'Ismaele ch'orano in faccia al deserto e a mezzogiorno del paese di Cellon.
14 So Holofernes left the presence of his lord, and summoned all the princes, and the generals and officers of the Assyrian army.	14 Poi passato l'Eufrate, andò nella Mesopotamia, ove forzò tutte le città poste sulle alture, dal torrente Mambre fino al mare.
15 He mustered a hundred and twenty thousand picked troops, as his lord had commanded, and twelve thousand mounted archers,	15 In seguito ne occupò i paesi limitrofi, dalla Cilicia fino al territorio di Iafet che è a mezzogiorno,
16 and grouped them into a complete combat force.	16 e menò via tutti i figli di Madian, predando tutte le loro ricchezze, e passò a fìl di spada tutti quelli che gli facevano resistenza.
17 He took along a very large number of camels, asses, and mules for their baggage; innumerable sheep, cattle, and goats for their food supply;	17 Finalmente scese nelle campagne di Damasco, nei giorni della messe, e diede fuoco a tutte le biade, fece tagliare tutti gli alberi e le viti.
18 abundant provisions for each man, and much gold and silver from the royal palace.	18 Il terrore di lui invase tutti gli abitanti della terra.
19 Then he and his whole army proceeded on their expedition in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, to cover all the western region with their chariots and cavalry and regular infantry.
20 A huge, irregular force, too many to count, like locusts or the dust of the earth, went along with them.
21 After a three-day march from Nineveh, they reached the plain of Bectileth, and from Bectileth they next encamped near the mountains to the north of Upper Cilicia.
22 From there Holofernes took his whole force, the infantry, cavalry, and chariots, and marched into the mountain region.
23 He devastated Put and Lud, and plundered all the Rassisites and the Ishmaelites on the border of the desert toward the south of Chaldea.
24 Then, following the Euphrates, he went through Mesopotamia, and battered down every fortified city along the Wadi Abron, until he reached the sea.
25 He seized the territory of Cilicia, and cut down everyone who resisted him. Then he proceeded to the southern borders of Japheth, toward Arabia.
26 He surrounded all the Midianites, burned their tents, and plundered their sheepfolds.
27 Descending to the plain of Damascus at the time of the wheat harvest, he set fire to all their fields, destroyed their flocks and herds, despoiled their cities, devastated their plains, and put all their youths to the sword.