Judith 16

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Then Judith sang this canticle to the Lord, saying:	1 Then Judith began this thanksgiving before all Israel, and all the people loudly sang this song of praise.
2 “Call to the Lord with drums, sing to the Lord with cymbals, play for him a new psalm, exalt and invoke his name.	2 And Judith said, Begin a song to my God with tambourines, sing to my Lord with cymbals. Raise to him a new psalm; exalt him, and call upon his name.
3 The Lord crushes wars; the Lord is his name.	3 For God is the Lord who crushes wars; for he has delivered me out of the hands of my pursuers, and brought me to his camp, in the midst of the people.
4 He has set up his camp in the midst of his people, to rescue us from the hand of all our enemies.	4 The Assyrian came down from the mountains of the north; he came with myriads of his warriors; their multitude blocked up the valleys, their cavalry covered the hills.
5 Assur came from the mountains, from the North, with the multitude of his strength. His multitude blockaded the torrents, and their horses covered the valleys.	5 He boasted that he would burn up my territory, and kill my young men with the sword, and dash my infants to the ground and seize my children as prey, and take my virgins as booty.
6 He told himself that he would set fire to my borders, and kill my young men with the sword, to give my children into plunder and my virgins into captivity.	6 But the Lord Almighty has foiled them by the hand of a woman.
7 But the almighty Lord has harmed him, and he has delivered him into the hands of a woman, and he has pierced him through.	7 For their mighty one did not fall by the hands of the young men, nor did the sons of the Titans smite him, nor did tall giants set upon him; but Judith the daughter of Merari undid him with the beauty of her countenance.
8 For their powerful one did not fall by young men, nor did the sons of Titan strike him, nor did lofty giants set themselves against him, but Judith, the daughter of Merari, dissolved him with the splendor of her face.	8 For she took off her widow's mourning to exalt the oppressed in Israel. She anointed her face with ointment and fastened her hair with a tiara and put on a linen gown to deceive him.
9 For she put away from herself the garments of widowhood, and she clothed herself with the garments of rejoicing, for the sake of the exultation of the sons of Israel.	9 Her sandal ravished his eyes, her beauty captivated his mind, and the sword severed his neck.
10 She anointed her face with ointment, and she gathered the locks of her hair with a headdress; she accepted a new dress in order to deceive him.	10 The Persians trembled at her boldness, the Medes were daunted at her daring.
11 Her sandals ravished his eyes; her beauty made his soul her captive; with a blade, she cut off his head.	11 Then my oppressed people shouted for joy; my weak people shouted and the enemy trembled; they lifted up their voices, and the enemy were turned back.
12 The Persians were horrified at her constancy, and the Medes at her boldness.	12 The sons of maidservants have pierced them through; they were wounded like the children of fugitives, they perished before the army of my Lord.
13 Then the camp of the Assyrians howled, when my humble ones appeared, parched with thirst.	13 I will sing to my God a new song: O Lord, thou are great and glorious, wonderful in strength, invincible.
14 The sons of the servant girls have pierced them through, and, like fleeing servants, they have killed them. They perished in battle before the face of the Lord, my God.	14 Let all thy creatures serve thee, for thou didst speak, and they were made. Thou didst send forth thy Spirit, and it formed them; there is none that can resist thy voice.
15 Let us sing a canticle to the Lord; let us sing a new hymn to our God.	15 For the mountains shall be shaken to their foundations with the waters; at thy presence the rocks shall melt like wax, but to those who fear thee thou wilt continue to show mercy.
16 O Adonai, O Lord, you are great, and splendor is in your virtue, and no one is able to overcome you.	16 For every sacrifice as a fragrant offering is a small thing, and all fat for burnt offerings to thee is a very little thing, but he who fears the Lord shall be great for ever.
17 Let all your creatures serve you. For you spoke, and they became. You sent forth your Spirit, and they were created. And there is no one who can withstand your voice.	17 Woe to the nations that rise up against my people! The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment; fire and worms he will give to their flesh; they shall weep in pain for ever.
18 The mountains will be moved from the foundations by the waters. The rocks, like wax, will liquefy before your face.	18 When they arrived at Jerusalem they worshiped God. As soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt offerings, their freewill offerings, and their gifts.
19 But those who fear you will be great with you, throughout all things.	19 Judith also dedicated to God all the vessels of Holofernes, which the people had given her; and the canopy which she took for herself from his bedchamber she gave as a votive offering to the Lord.
20 Woe to the people that rises up against my people. For the Lord almighty will be vindicated against them; in the day of judgment, he will visit them.	20 So the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for three months, and Judith remained with them.
21 For he will bestow fire and worms on their flesh, so that they may burn and have sensations without ceasing.”	21 After this every one returned home to his own inheritance, and Judith went to Bethulia, and remained on her estate, and was honored in her time throughout the whole country.
22 And it happened that, after these things, all the people came to Jerusalem after the victory, to adore the Lord. And as soon as they were purified, they all offered holocausts, and vows, and their promises.	22 Many desired to marry her, but she remained a widow all the days of her life after Manasseh her husband died and was gathered to his people.
23 Moreover, Judith offered all the implements of war from Holofernes, which the people gave to her, and the canopy that she had taken away from his chamber, as an anathema unto oblivion.	23 She became more and more famous, and grew old in her husband's house, until she was one hundred and five years old. She set her maid free. She died in Bethulia, and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasseh,
24 But the people were cheerful before the face of the sanctuary, and for three months the gladness of this victory was celebrated with Judith.	24 and the house of Israel mourned for her seven days. Before she died she distributed her property to all those who were next of kin to her husband Manasseh, and to her own nearest kindred.
25 And after those days, each one returned to his own house, and Judith became great in Bethulia, and she had great splendor in all the land of Israel.	25 And no one ever again spread terror among the people of Israel in the days of Judith, or for a long time after her death.
26 For chastity was one with her virtue, so that she did not know man all the days of her life, after the passing away of her husband, Manasseh.
27 And then, on feast days, she came forth with great glory.
28 But she remained in her husband’s house for one hundred and five years, and she set her handmaid free. And she passed away and was buried with her husband in Bethulia.
29 And all the people mourned her, for seven days.
30 And, during all the time of her life, there was no one who disturbed Israel, nor for many years after her death.
31 Moreover, the day of the festivity of this victory was accepted by the Hebrews in the numbering of holy days, and it was religiously observed by the Jews, from that time, even to the present day.