Judith 14

NEW JERUSALEM	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
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 brethren, and take this head and hang it upon 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 And as soon as morning comes and the sun rises, let every valiant man take his weapons and go out of the city, and set a captain over them, as if you were going down to the plain against the Assyrian outpost; only do not go 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 Then they will seize their arms and go into the camp and rouse the officers of the Assyrian army; and they will rush into the tent of Holofernes, and will not find him. Then fear will come over 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 and you and all who live within the borders of Israel shall pursue them and cut them down as they flee.
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 you do all this, bring Achior the Ammonite to me, and let him see and recognize the man who despised the house of Israel and sent him to us as if to 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 summoned Achior from the house of Uzziah. And when he came and saw the head of Holofernes in the hand of one of the men at the gathering of the people, he fell down on his face and his spirit failed him.
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 when they raised him up he fell at Judith's feet, and knelt before her, and said, "Blessed are you in every tent of Judah! In every nation those who hear your name will be alarmed.
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 Now tell me what you have done during these days." Then Judith described to him in the presence of the people all that she had done, from the day she left until the moment of her speaking to them.
9 When she came to the end, the people cheered at the top of their voices until the town echoed.	9 And when she had finished, the people raised a great shout and made a joyful noise in their city.
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 And when Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel, remaining so to this 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 As soon as it was dawn they hung the head of Holofernes on the wall, and every man took his weapons, and they went out in companies to the passes in the mountains.
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 And when the Assyrians saw them they sent word to their commanders, and they went to the generals and the captains and to all their officers.
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 So they came to Holofernes' tent and said to the steward in charge of all his personal affairs, "Wake up our lord, for the slaves have been so bold as to come down against us to give battle, in order to be destroyed completely."
14 Bagoas went inside and struck the curtain dividing the tent, thinking that Holofernes was sleeping withJudith.	14 So Bagoas went in and knocked at the door of the tent, for he supposed 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 But when no one answered, he opened it and went into the bedchamber and found him thrown down on the platform dead, with his head cut off and missing.
16 He gave a great shout, wept, sobbed, shrieked and rent his clothes.	16 And he cried out with a loud voice and wept and groaned and shouted, 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 went to the tent where Judith had stayed, and when he did not find her he rushed out to the people and shouted,
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 tricked us! One Hebrew woman has brought disgrace upon the house of King Nebuchadnezzar! For look, here is Holofernes lying on the ground, and his head is not on him!"
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 leaders of the Assyrian army heard this, they rent their tunics and were greatly dismayed, and their loud cries and shouts arose in the midst of the camp.