1 El año dieciocho, el día veintidós del primer mes, se celebró consejo en el palacio de Nabucodonosor, rey de Asiria, en orden a la venganza que había de tomarse a toda aquella tierra, tal como lo había anunciado. | 1 And in the eighteenth year, the two and twentieth day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians that he should, as he said, avenge himself on all the earth. |
2 Convocó a todos sus ministros y a todos sus magnates y expuso ante ellos su secreto designio, decidiendo con su propia boca la total desgracia de aquella tierra. | 2 So he called unto him all his officers, and all his nobles, and communicated with them his secret counsel, and concluded the afflicting of the whole earth out of his own mouth. |
3 Y ellos sentenciaron que debía ser destruida toda carne que no había escuchado las palabras de su boca. | 3 Then they decreed to destroy all flesh, that did not obey the commandment of his mouth. |
4 Acabado el consejo, Nabucodonosor, rey de Asiria, llamó a Holofernes, jefe supremo del ejército y segundo suyo, y le dijo: | 4 And when he had ended his counsel, Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his army, which was next unto him, and said unto him. |
5 «Así dice el gran rey, señor de toda la tierra: Parte de junto a mí. Toma contigo hombres de valor probado, unos 120.000 infantes y una gran cantidad de caballos, con 12.000 jinetes; | 5 Thus saith the great king, the lord of the whole earth, Behold, thou shalt go forth from my presence, and take with thee men that trust in their own strength, of footmen an hundred and twenty thousand; and the number of horses with their riders twelve thousand. |
6 marcha contra toda la tierra de occidente, pues no escucharon las palabras de mi boca. | 6 And thou shalt go against all the west country, because they disobeyed my commandment. |
7 Ordénales que pongan a tu disposición tierra y agua, porque partiré airado contra ellos y cubriré toda la superficie de la tierra con los pies de mis soldados, a los que entregaré el país como botín. | 7 And thou shalt declare unto that they prepare for me earth and water: for I will go forth in my wrath against them and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of mine army, and I will give them for a spoil unto them: |
8 Sus heridos llenarán sus barrancos; sus ríos y torrentes, repletos todos de cadáveres, se desbordarán; | 8 So that their slain shall fill their valleys and brooks and the river shall be filled with their dead, till it overflow: |
9 y los deportaré hasta los confines de la tierra. | 9 And I will lead them captives to the utmost parts of all the earth. |
10 Parte, pues, y comienza por apoderarte de su territorio. Si se rinden a ti, resérvamelos para el día de su vergüenza. | 10 Thou therefore shalt go forth. and take beforehand for me all their coasts: and if they will yield themselves unto thee, thou shalt reserve them for me till the day of their punishment. |
11 Pero que no perdone tu ojo a los rebeldes. Entrégalos a la muerte y al saqueo en todo el país conquistado. | 11 But concerning them that rebel, let not thine eye spare them; but put them to the slaughter, and spoil them wheresoever thou goest. |
12 Porque, por mi vida y por el poderío de mi reino, como lo he dicho, lo cumpliré por mi propia mano. | 12 For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, whatsoever I have spoken, that will I do by mine hand. |
13 Por tu parte, no traspases ni una sola de las órdenes de tu señor; las cumplirás estrictamente, sin tardanza, tal como te lo he mandado». | 13 And take thou heed that thou transgress none of the commandments of thy lord, but accomplish them fully, as I have commanded thee, and defer not to do them. |
14 En saliendo Holofernes de la presencia de su señor, convocó a todos los príncipes, jefes y capitanes del ejército asirio, | 14 Then Holofernes went forth from the presence of his lord, and called ail the governors and captains, and the officers of the army of Assur; |
15 y eligió a los hombres más selectos para la guerra, como lo había ordenado su señor: unos 120.000 hombres, más 12.000 arqueros a caballo, | 15 And he mustered the chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, unto an hundred and twenty thousand, and twelve thousand archers on horseback; |
16 y los puso en orden de combate, como se ordena una multitud para la batalla. | 16 And he ranged them, as a great army is ordered for the war. |
17 Tomó una gran cantidad de camellos, asnos y mulas para el bagage e incontable número de ovejas, bueyes y cabras para el avituallamiento; | 17 And he took camels and asses for their carriages, a very great number; and sheep and oxen and goats without number for their provision: |
18 provisiones abundantes para cada hombre y muchísimo oro y plata de la casa real. | 18 And plenty of victual for every man of the army, and very much gold and silver out of the king's house. |
19 Se puso luego Holofernes en camino con todo su ejército para preceder al rey Nabucodonosor y para cubrir toda la superficie de la tierra de occidente con sus carros, sus caballos y sus mejores infantes. | 19 Then he went forth and all his power to go before king Nabuchodonosor in the voyage, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots, and horsemen, and their chosen footmen. |
20 Se les agregó una multitud tan numerosa como la langosta y como la arena de la tierra, que les seguía en tan gran número que no se podía calcular. | 20 A great number also sundry countries came with them like locusts, and like the sand of the earth: for the multitude was without number. |
21 Se alejaron de Nínive tres jornadas de camino hasta la llanura de Bektilez, y acamparon junto a Bektilez, cerca del monte que está a la izquierda de la Cilicia superior. | 21 And they went forth of Nineve three days' journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and pitched from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the upper Cilicia. |
22 Tomó todo su ejército, infantes, jinetes y carros, y partió de allí hacia la montaña. | 22 Then he took all his army, his footmen, and horsemen and chariots, and went from thence into the hill country; |
23 Desbarató a Put y Lud, devastó a todos los hijos de Rassis y a los hijos de Ismael que están al borde del desierto, al sur de Jeleón, | 23 And destroyed Phud and Lud, and spoiled all the children of Rasses, and the children of Israel, which were toward the wilderness at the south of the land of the Chellians. |
24 atravesó el Eufrates, recorrió Mesopotamia, arrasó todas las ciudades altas que dominan el torrente Abroná y llegó hasta el mar. | 24 Then he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and destroyed all the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, till ye come to the sea. |
25 Se apoderó del territorio de Cilicia y, derrotando a cuantos se le oponían, alcanzó la frontera de Jafet por el sur, frente a Arabia. | 25 And he took the borders of Cilicia, and killed all that resisted him, and came to the borders of Japheth, which were toward the south, over against Arabia. |
26 Cercó a todos los madianitas, incendió sus tiendas y saqueó sus aduares; | 26 He compassed also all the children of Madian, and burned up their tabernacles, and spoiled their sheepcotes. |
27 descendió hacia la llanura de Damasco, al tiempo de la siega del trigo, incendió todos sus cultivos, exterminó sus rebaños de ovejas y bueyes, saqueó sus ciudades, devastó sus campos y pasó a cuchillo a todos sus jóvenes. | 27 Then he went down into the plain of Damascus in the time of wheat harvest, and burnt up all their fields, and destroyed their flocks and herds, also he spoiled their cities, and utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their young men with the edge of the sword. |
28 Temor y espanto de él cayó sobre todos los habitantes del litoral. Los de Sidón y Tiro, los habitantes de Sur y Okina, los de Yamnia, Azoto y Ascalón temblaron ante él. | 28 Therefore the fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the sea coasts, which were in Sidon and Tyrus, and them that dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and all that dwelt in Jemnaan; and they that dwelt in Azotus and Ascalon feared him greatly. |