Judith 6

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 When the uproar of those crowding round the council had subsided, Holofernes, general-in-chief of theAssyrian army, reprimanded Achior in front of the whole crowd of foreigners and Ammonites.	1 And it came to pass when they had left off speaking, that Holofernes being in a violent passion, said to Achior:
2 'Achior, who do you think you are, you and the Ephraimite mercenaries, playing the prophet like this withus today, and trying to dissuade us from making war on the people of Israel? You claim their God wil protectthem. And who is God if not Nebuchadnezzar? He himself wil display his power and wipe them off the face ofthe earth, and their God wil certainly not save them.	2 Because thou hast prophesied unto us, saying: That the nation of Israel is defended by their God, to shew thee that there is no God, but Nabuehodonosor:
3 But we, his servants, shal destroy them as easily as a single individual. They can never resist thestrength of our cavalry.	3 When we shall slay them all as one man, then thou also shalt die with them by the sword of the Assyrians, and all Israel shall perish with thee:
4 We shal burn them all. Their mountains will be drunk with their blood and their plains filled with theircorpses. Far from being able to resist us, every one of them wil die; thus says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of thewhole world. For he has spoken, and his words will not prove empty.	4 And thou shalt find that Nabuchodonosor is lord of the whole earth: and then the sword of my soldiers shall pass through thy sides, and thou shalt be stabbed and fall among the wounded of Israel, and thou shalt breathe no more till thou be destroyed with them.
5 As for you, Achior, you Ammonite mercenary, who in a rash moment said these words, you wil not seemy face again until the day when I have taken my revenge on this brood from Egypt.	5 But if thou think thy prophecy true, let not thy countenance sink, and let the paleness that is in thy face, depart from thee, if thou imaginest these my words cannot be accomplished.
6 And then the swords of my soldiers and the spears of my officers wil pierce your sides. You wil falamong their wounded, the moment I turn on Israel.	6 And that thou mayst know that thou shalt experience these things together with them, behold from this hour thou shalt be associated to their people, that when they shall receive the punishment they deserve from my sword, thou mayst fall under the same vengeance.
7 My servants wil now take you into the hill-country and leave you near one of the towns in the passes;	7 Then Holofernes commanded his servants to take Achior, and to lead him to Bethulia, and to deliver him into the hands of the children of Israel.
8 you wil not die, until you share their ruin.	8 And the servants of Holofernes taking him, went through the plains: but when they came near the mountains, the slingers came out against them.
9 No need to look so sad if you cherish the secret hope that they wil not be captured! I have spoken; noneof my words will prove idle.'	9 Then turning out of the way by the side of the mountain, they tied Achior to a tree hand and foot, and so left him bound with ropes, and returned to their master.
10 Holofernes having commanded his tent-orderlies to seize Achior, to take him to Bethulia and to handhim over to the Israelites,	10 And the children of Israel coming down from Bethulia, came to him, and loosing him they brought him to Bethulia, and setting him in the midst of the people, asked him what was the matter, that the Assyrians had left him bound.
11 the orderlies took him, escorted him out of the camp and across the plain, and then, making for the hil -country, reached the springs below Bethulia.	11 In those days the rulers there, were Ozias the son of Micha of the tribe of Simeon, and Charmi, called also Gothoniel.
12 As soon as the men of the town sighted them, they snatched up their weapons, left the town and madefor the mountain tops, while al the slingers pelted them with stones to prevent them from coming up.	12 And Achior related in the midst of the ancients, and in the presence of all the people, all that he had said being asked by Holofernes: and how the people of Holofernes would have killed him for this word,
13 However, they managed to take cover at the foot of the slope, where they bound Achior and left himlying at the bottom of the mountain and returned to their master.	13 And how Holofernes himself being angry had commanded him to be delivered for this cause to the Israelites: that when he should overcome the children of Israel, then he might command Achior also himself to be put to death by diverse torments, for having said: The God of heaven is their defender.
14 The Israelites then came down from their town, stopped by him, unbound him and took him to Bethulia,where they brought him before the chief men of the town,	14 And when Achior had declared all these things, all the people fell upon their faces, adoring the Lord, and all of them together mourning and weeping poured out their prayers with one accord to the Lord,
15 who at that time were Uzziah son of Micah of the tribe of Simeon, Chabris son of Gothoniel andCharmis son of Melchiel.	15 Saying: O Lord God of heaven and earth, behold their pride, and look on our low condition, and have regard to the face of thy saints, and shew that thou forsakes not them that trust on thee, and that thou humblest them that presume of themselves, and glory in their own strength.
16 These summoned al the elders of the town. The young men and the women also hurried to theassembly. Achior was made to stand with al the people surrounding him, and Uzziah questioned him about whathad happened.	16 So when their weeping was ended, and the peoples prayer, in which they continued all the day, was concluded, they comforted Achior,
17 He answered by tel ing them what had been said at Holofernes' council, and what he himself had saidin the presence of the Assyrian leaders, and how Holofernes had bragged of what he would do to the House ofIsrael.	17 Saying: the God of our fathers, whose power thou hast set forth, will make this return to thee, that thou rather shalt see their destruction.
18 At this the people fel to the ground and worshipped God.	18 And when the Lord our God shall give this liberty to his servants, let God be with thee also in the midst of us: that as it shall please thee, so thou with all thine mayst converse with us.
19 'Lord God of heaven,' they cried, 'take notice of their arrogance and have pity on the humiliation of ourrace. Look kindly today on those who are consecrated to you.'	19 Then Ozias, after the assembly was broken up, received him into his house, and made him a great supper.
20 They then spoke reassuringly to Achior and praised him warmly.	20 And all the ancients were invited, and they refreshed themselves together after their fast was over.
21 After the assembly Uzziah took him home and gave a banquet for the elders; al that night they cal edon the God of Israel for help.	21 And afterwards all the people were called together, and they prayed all the night long within the church, desiring help of the God of Israel.