Judith 14

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Judith said, 'Listen to me, brothers. Take this head and hang it on your battlements.	1 Then Judith said to them: "Listen to me, my brothers. Take this head and hang it on the parapet of your wall.
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 At daybreak, when the sun rises on the earth, let each of you seize his weapons, and let all the able-bodied men rush out of the city under command of a captain, as if about to go down into the plain against the advance guard of the Assyrians, but without going down.
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 They will seize their armor and hurry to their camp to awaken the generals of the Assyrian army. When they run to the tent of Holofernes and do not find him, panic will seize them, and they will flee before you.
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 Then you and all the other inhabitants of the whole territory of Israel will pursue them and strike them down in their tracks.
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 But before doing this, summon for me Achior the Ammonite, that he may see and recognize the one who despised the house of Israel and sent him here to meet his death."
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 So they called Achior from the house of Uzziah. When he came and saw the head of Holofernes in the hand of one of the men in the assembly of the people, he fell forward in a faint.
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 Then, after they lifted him up, he threw himself at the feet of Judith in homage, saying: "Blessed are you in every tent of Judah; and in every foreign nation, all who hear of you will be struck with terror.
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 But now, tell me all that you did during these days." So Judith told him, in the presence of the people, all that she had been doing from the day she left till the time she began speaking to them.
9 When she came to the end, the people cheered at the top of their voices until the town echoed.	9 When she finished her account, the people cheered loudly, and their city resounded with shouts of joy.
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 Now Achior, seeing all that the God of Israel had done, believed firmly in him. He had the flesh of his foreskin circumcised, and he has been united with the house of Israel to the present day.
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 At daybreak they hung the head of Holofernes on the wall. Then all the Israelite men took up their arms and went to the slopes of the mountain.
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 When the Assyrians saw them, they notified their captains; these, in turn, went to the generals and division leaders and all their other commanders.
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 They came to the tent of Holofernes and said to the one in charge of all his things, "Waken our master, for the slaves have dared come down to give us battle, to their utter destruction."
14 Bagoas went inside and struck the curtain dividing the tent, thinking that Holofernes was sleeping withJudith.	14 Bagoas went in, and knocked at the entry of the tent, presuming that he was sleeping with Judith.
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 As no one answered, he parted the curtains, entered the bedroom, and found him lying on the floor, a headless corpse.
16 He gave a great shout, wept, sobbed, shrieked and rent his clothes.	16 He broke into a loud clamor of weeping, groaning, and howling, and rent his garments.
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 Then he entered the tent where Judith had her quarters; and, not finding her, he rushed out to the troops and cried:
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 "The slaves have duped us! A single Hebrew woman has brought disgrace on the house of King Nebuchadnezzar. Here is Holofernes headless on the ground!"
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.	19 When the commanders of the Assyrian army heard these words, they rent their tunics and were seized with consternation. Loud screaming and howling arose in the camp.