Judith 14

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Judith said, 'Listen to me, brothers. Take this head and hang it on your battlements.	1 And Judith said to all the people: Hear me, my brethren, hang ye up this head upon our walls.
2 When morning comes and the sun is up, let every man take his arms and every able-bodied man leavethe town. Appoint a leader for them, as if you meant to march down to the plain against the Assyrian advancedpost. But you must not do this.	2 And as soon as the sun shall rise, let every man take his arms, and rush ye out, not as going down beneath, but as making an assault.
3 The Assyrians wil gather up their equipment, make for their camp and wake up their commanders; theyin turn will rush to the tent of Holofernes and not be able to find him. They will then be seized with panic and fleeat your advance.	3 Then the watchmen must needs run to awake their prince for the battle.
4 Al you and the others who live in the territory of Israel wil have to do is to give chase and slaughterthem as they retreat.	4 And when the captains of them shall run to the tent of Holofernes, and shall find him without his head wallowing in his blood, fear shall fall upon them.
5 'But before you do this, cal me Achior the Ammonite, for him to see and identify the man who held theHouse of Israel in contempt, the man who sent him to us as someone already doomed to die.'	5 And when you shall know that they are fleeing, go after them securely, for the Lord will destroy them under your feet.
6 So they had Achior brought from Uzziah's house. No sooner had he arrived and seen the head ofHolofernes held by a member of the people's assembly than he fel on his face in a faint.	6 Then Achior seeing the power that the God of Israel had wrought, leaving the religion of the gentiles, he believed God, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined to the people of Israel, with all the succession of his kindred until this present day.
7 They lifted him up. He then threw himself at Judith's feet and, prostrate before her, exclaimed: May yoube blessed in al the tents of Judah and in every nation; those who hear your name wil be seized with dread!	7 And immediately at break of day, they hung up the head of Holofernes upon the walls, and every man took his arms, and they sent out with a great noise and shouting.
8 'Now tel me everything that you have done in these past few days.' And surrounded by the people,Judith told him everything she had done from the day she left Bethulia to the moment when she was speaking.	8 And the watchmen seeing this, ran to the tent of Holofernes.
9 When she came to the end, the people cheered at the top of their voices until the town echoed.	9 And they that were in the tent came, and made a noise before the door of the chamber to awake him, endeavoring by art to break his rest, that Holofernes might awake, not by their calling him, but by their noise.
10 Achior, recognising al that the God of Israel had done, believed ardently in him and, acceptingcircumcision, was permanently incorporated into the House of Israel.	10 For no man durst knock, or open and go into the chamber of the general of the Assyrians.
11 At daybreak they hung the head of Holofernes on the ramparts. Every man took his arms and they alwent out in groups to the slopes of the mountain.	11 But when his captains and tribunes were come, and all the chiefs of the army of the king of the Assyrians, they said to the chamberlains
12 Seeing this, the Assyrians sent word to their leaders, who in turn reported to the generals, thecaptains of thousands and al the other officers;	12 Go in, and awake him, for the mice coming out of their holes, have presumed to challenge us to fight.
13 and these in their turn reported to the tent of Holofernes. 'Rouse our master,' they said to his major-domo, 'these slaves have dared to march down on us to attack -- and to be wiped out to a man!'	13 Then Vagao going into his chamber, stood before the curtain, and made a clapping with his hands: for he thought that he was sleeping with Judith.
14 Bagoas went inside and struck the curtain dividing the tent, thinking that Holofernes was sleeping withJudith.	14 But when with hearkening, he perceived no motion of one lying, he came near to the curtain, and lifting it up, and seeing the body of Holofernes, lying upon the ground, without the head, sweltering in his blood, he cried out with a loud voice, with weeping, and rent his garments.
15 But as no one seemed to hear, he drew the curtain and went into the bedroom, to find him throwndown dead on the threshold, with his head cut off.	15 And he went into the tent of Judith, and not finding her, he ran out to the people,
16 He gave a great shout, wept, sobbed, shrieked and rent his clothes.	16 And said: One Hebrew woman hath made confusion in the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for behold Holofernes lieth upon the ground, and his head is not upon him.
17 He then went into the tent which Judith had occupied and could not find her either. Then, rushing outto the men, he shouted,	17 Now when the chiefs of the army of the Assyrians had heard this, they all rent their garments, and an intolerable fear and dread fell upon them, and their minds were troubled exceedingly.
18 'The slaves have rebel ed! A single Hebrew woman has brought shame on the House ofNebuchadnezzar. Holofernes is lying dead on the ground, without his head!'	18 And there was a very great cry in the midst of their camp.
19 When they heard this, the leaders of the Assyrian army tore their tunics in consternation, and thecamp rang with their wild cries and their shouting.