| 1 Entonces Judit les dijo: «Escuchadme, hermanos. Tomad esta cabeza y colgadla en la almena. | 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 Apenas despunte el alba y asome el sol en la tierra, tomad las armas todos los que seáis capaces y salid de la ciudad. Debéis llevar un jefe al frente, como si bajarais a la llanura para atacar la vanguardia de los asirios. Pero no bajéis. | 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 Ellos tomarán las armas y acudirán al campamento para despertar a los jefes del ejército asirio; estos irán corriendo a la tienda de Holofernes. Al no encontrarlo, todos serán presa del pánico y huirán ante vosotros. | 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 Entonces perseguidlos, vosotros y todos los que viven en el territorio de Israel, y destruidlos en su huida. | 4 and you and all who live within the borders of Israel shall pursue them and cut them down as they flee. |
| 5 Pero antes traed aquí a Ajior el amonita, para que vea y reconozca al que despreció a Israel y al que lo envió a nosotros como alguien destinado a la muerte». | 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 Llamaron a Ajior, que estaba en casa de Ozías. Cuando llegó y vio la cabeza de Holofernes en la mano de uno de los hombres de la asamblea, perdió el sentido y cayó al suelo. | 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 Una vez reanimado, se arrojó a los pies de Judit y le dijo: «Bendita seas en todas las tiendas de Judá y en todas las naciones. Cuantos oigan tu nombre quedarán pasmados. | 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 Ahora cuéntame lo que has hecho estos días». Judit, en presencia de la gente, le contó todo desde que salió hasta aquel momento. | 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 Al término de su relato, todos prorrumpieron en aclamaciones y gritos de alegría por las calles de la ciudad. | 9 And when she had finished, the people raised a great shout and made a joyful noise in their city. |
| 10 Ajior, viendo lo que el Dios de Israel había hecho, creyó plenamente en él, se hizo circuncidar y quedó agregado para siempre a la comunidad israelita. | 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 Cuando amaneció, colgaron la cabeza de Holofernes en la muralla, tomaron sus armas y salieron en grupos hacia los accesos de la montaña. | 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 Al verlos, los asirios informaron a sus oficiales, y estos a los generales, capitanes y demás jefes. | 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 Fueron hasta la tienda de Holofernes y dijeron a Bagoas: «Despierta a nuestro señor, porque esos esclavos han tenido la osadía de bajar a combatir contra nosotros. Al parecer, quieren que los exterminemos». | 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 entró e hizo ruido con la cortina de la tienda, suponiendo que Holofernes estaría durmiendo con Judit. | 14 So Bagoas went in and knocked at the door of the tent, for he supposed that he was sleeping with Judith. |
| 15 Al no obtener respuesta, retiró la cortina, pasó al dormitorio y encontró el cadáver tendido en el suelo, muerto, desnudo y decapitado. | 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 Dio un gran grito y llorando con gemidos y alaridos, se rasgó las vestiduras. | 16 And he cried out with a loud voice and wept and groaned and shouted, and rent his garments. |
| 17 Fue luego a la tienda que había ocupado Judit y, al no encontrarla, corrió hacia la tropa vociferando: | 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 «Esas esclavas se han burlado de nosotros. Ha bastado una mujer hebrea para cubrir de vergüenza la casa del rey Nabucodonosor. Ahí está Holofernes tirado en tierra y sin cabeza». | 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 Ante tal noticia, los jefes del ejército asirio, en el colmo de la consternación, se rasgaron las túnicas. Sus gritos y lamentaciones resonaron por todo el campamento. | 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. |
