Judith 16

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Break into song for my God, to the tambourine, sing in honour of the Lord, to the cymbal, let psalm andcanticle mingle for him, extol his name, invoke it!	1 Then Judith sung this canticle to the Lord, saying:
2 For the Lord is a God who breaks battle-lines; he has pitched his camp in the middle of his people todeliver me from the hands of my oppressors.	2 Begin ye to the Lord with timbrels, sing ye to the Lord with cymbals, tune unto him a new psalm, extol and call upon his name.
3 Assyria came down from the mountains of the north, came with tens of thousands of his army. Theirmultitude blocked the ravines, their horses covered the hil s.	3 The Lord putteth an end to wars, the Lord is his name.
4 He threatened to burn up my country, destroy my young men with the sword, dash my sucklings to theground, make prey of my little ones, carry off my maidens;	4 He hath set his camp in the midst of his people, to deliver us from the hand of all our enemies.
5 but the Lord Almighty has thwarted them by a woman's hand.	5 The Assyrians came out of the mountains from the north in the multitude of his strength: his multitude stopped up the torrents, and their horses covered the valleys.
6 For their hero did not fall at the young men's hands, it was not the sons of Titans struck him down, noproud giants made that attack, but Judith, the daughter of Merari, who disarmed him with the beauty of her face.	6 He bragged that he would set my borders on fire, and kill my young men with the sword, to make my infants a prey, and my virgins captives.
7 She laid aside her widow's dress to raise up those who were oppressed in Israel; she anointed her facewith perfume,	7 But the almighty Lord hath struck him, and hath delivered him into the hands of a woman, and hath slain him.
8 bound her hair under a turban, put on a linen gown to seduce him.	8 For their mighty one did not fall by young men, neither did the sons of Titan strike him, nor tall giants oppose themselves to him, but Judith the daughter of Merari weakened him with the beauty of her face.
9 Her sandal ravished his eye, her beauty took his soul prisoner and the scimitar cut through his neck!	9 For she put off her the garments of widowhood, and put on her the garments of joy, to give joy to the children of Israel.
10 The Persians trembled at her boldness, the Medes were daunted by her daring.	10 She anointed her face with ointment, and bound up her locks with a crown, she took a new robe to deceive him.
11 These were struck with fear when my lowly ones raised the war cry, these were seized with terrorwhen my weak ones shouted, and when they raised their voices these gave ground.	11 Her sandals ravished his eyes, her beauty made his soul her captive, with a sword she cut off his head.
12 The children of mere girls ran them through, pierced them like the offspring of deserters. Theyperished in the battle of my Lord!	12 The Persians quaked at her constancy, and the Medes at her boldness.
13 I shal sing a new song to my God. Lord, you are great, you are glorious, wonderful y strong,unconquerable.	13 Then the camp of the Assyrians howled, when my lowly ones appeared, parched with thirst.
14 May your whole creation serve you! For you spoke and things came into being, you sent your breathand they were put together, and no one can resist your voice.	14 The sons of the damsels have pierced them through, and they have killed them like children fleeing away: they perished in battle before the face of the Lord my God.
15 Should mountains be tossed from their foundations to mingle with the waves, should rocks melt likewax before your face, to those who fear you, you would stil be merciful.	15 Let us sing a hymn to the Lord, let us sing a new hymn to our God.
16 A little thing indeed is a sweetly smel ing sacrifice, stil less the fat burned for you in burnt offering; butwhoever fears the Lord is great for ever.	16 O Adonai, Lord, great art thou, and glorious in thy power, and no one can overcome thee.
17 Woe to the nations who rise against my race! The Lord Almighty wil punish them on judgement day.He will send fire and worms in their flesh and they wil weep with pain for evermore.	17 Let all thy creatures serve thee: because thou hast spoken, and they were made: thou didst send forth thy spirit, and they were created, and there is no one that can resist thy voice.
18 When they reached Jerusalem they fel on their faces before God and, once the people had beenpurified, they presented their burnt offerings, voluntary offerings and gifts.	18 The mountains shall be moved from the foundations with the waters: the rooks shall melt as wax before thy face.
19 Al Holofernes' property given her by the people, and the canopy she herself had stripped from hisbed, Judith vowed to God as a dedicated offering.	19 But they that fear thee, shall be great with thee in all things.
20 For three months the people gave themselves up to rejoicings in front of the Temple in Jerusalem,where Judith stayed with them.	20 Woe be to the nation that riseth up against my people: for the Lord almighty will take revenge on them, in the day of judgment he will visit them.
21 When this was over, everyone returned home. Judith went back to Bethulia and lived on her property;as long as she lived, she enjoyed a great reputation throughout the country.	21 For he will give fire, and worms into their flesh, that they may burn, and may feel for ever.
22 She had many suitors, but al her days, from the time her husband Manasseh died and was gatheredto his people, she never gave herself to another man.	22 And it came to pass after these things, that all the people, after the victory, came to Jerusalem to adore the Lord: and as soon as they were purified, they all offered holocausts, and vows, and their promises.
23 Her fame spread more and more, the older she grew in her husband's house; she lived to the age ofone hundred and five. She emancipated her maid, then died in Bethulia and was buried in the cave whereManasseh her husband lay.	23 And Judith offered for an anathema of oblivion all the arms of Holofernes, which the people gave her, and the canopy that she had taken away out of his chamber.
24 The House of Israel mourned her for seven days. Before her death she had distributed her propertyamong her own relations and those of her husband Manasseh.	24 And the people were joyful in the sight of the sanctuary, and for three months the joy of this victory was celebrated with Judith.
25 Never again during the lifetime of Judith, nor indeed for a long time after her death, did anyone troublethe Israelites.	25 And after those days every man returned to his house, and Judith was made great in Bethulia, and she was most renowned in all the land of Israel.
	26 And chastity was joined to her virtue, so that she knew no man all the days of her life, after the death of Manasses her husband.
	27 And on festival days she came forth with great glory.
	28 And she abode in her husband's house a hundred and five years, and made her handmaid free, and she died, and was buried with her husband in Bethulia.
	29 And all the people mourned for seven days.
	30 And all the time of her life there was none that troubled Israel, nor many years after her death.
	31 But the day of the festivity of this victory is received by the Hebrews in the number of holy days, and is religiously observed by the Jews from that time until this day.