Giuditta 14

BIBBIA RICCIOTTI	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 - Allora Giuditta disse a tutto il popolo: «Fratelli, ascoltatemi; sospendete sulle nostre mura questa testa.	1 Then Judith said to them: "Listen to me, my brothers. Take this head and hang it on the parapet of your wall.
2 Poi, quando il sole si sarà levato, prenda ognuno le sue armi, ed uscite impetuosamente come per venire all'assalto, senza però scendere al piano.	2 At daybreak, when the sun rises on the earth, let each of you seize his weapons, and let all the able-bodied men rush out of the city under command of a captain, as if about to go down into the plain against the advance guard of the Assyrians, but without going down.
3 Allora per necessità le guardie avanzate correranno a svegliare il generale per la battaglia.	3 They will seize their armor and hurry to their camp to awaken the generals of the Assyrian army. When they run to the tent of Holofernes and do not find him, panic will seize them, and they will flee before you.
4 Or quando i loro capi accorsi alla tenda d'Oloferne troveranno il suo tronco immerso nel sangue, li prenderà lo spavento.	4 Then you and all the other inhabitants of the whole territory of Israel will pursue them and strike them down in their tracks.
5 E voi, quando li vedrete darsi alla fuga, inseguiteli sicuramente, perchè il Signore li darà a calpestare a' vostri piedi ».	5 But before doing this, summon for me Achior the Ammonite, that he may see and recognize the one who despised the house of Israel and sent him here to meet his death."
6 Allora Achior, vedendo le cose grandi operate dal Dio d'Israele, abbandonò i riti del gentilesimo, credè a Dio, si fece circoncidere, e fu annumerato tra il popolo di Israele, egli e tutta la discendenza della sua stirpe, sino ad oggi.	6 So they called Achior from the house of Uzziah. When he came and saw the head of Holofernes in the hand of one of the men in the assembly of the people, he fell forward in a faint.
7 Appena dunque si fece giorno, gli ebrei sospesero sulle mura il capo d'Oloferne; tutti gli uomini presero le loro armi, ed uscirono fuori con grandi grida e clamori.	7 Then, after they lifted him up, he threw himself at the feet of Judith in homage, saying: "Blessed are you in every tent of Judah; and in every foreign nation, all who hear of you will be struck with terror.
8 Il che vedendo, gli esploratori corsero al padiglione d'Oloferne.	8 But now, tell me all that you did during these days." So Judith told him, in the presence of the people, all that she had been doing from the day she left till the time she began speaking to them.
9 Allora, quelli che erano nel padiglione medesimo si misero davanti all'ingresso della sua camera facendo ad arte molto rumore per svegliarlo, acciò Oloferne si svegliasse non per la loro chiamata ma per il fracasso.	9 When she finished her account, the people cheered loudly, and their city resounded with shouts of joy.
10 Nessuno infatti osava battere alla porta del duce degli Assiri, nè aprire ed entrare.	10 Now Achior, seeing all that the God of Israel had done, believed firmly in him. He had the flesh of his foreskin circumcised, and he has been united with the house of Israel to the present day.
11 Ma sopraggiunti i suoi capitani e tribuni e maggiorenti dell'esercito del re assiro, dissero a' servi:	11 At daybreak they hung the head of Holofernes on the wall. Then all the Israelite men took up their arms and went to the slopes of the mountain.
12 « Entrate e svegliatelo, chè questi topi usciti dalle loro caverne osano provocarci a battaglia ».	12 When the Assyrians saw them, they notified their captains; these, in turn, went to the generals and division leaders and all their other commanders.
13 Allora Vagao entrò nella sua camera, si fermò davanti alla cortina, e battè le mani, pensando che egli dormisse insieme a Giuditta;	13 They came to the tent of Holofernes and said to the one in charge of all his things, "Waken our master, for the slaves have dared come down to give us battle, to their utter destruction."
14 ma non venendo all'orecchio segno alcuno d'un che dormisse, si avvicinò alla cortina, l'alzò, e vide il cadavere d'Oloferne giacere per terra, senza testa, in un lago di sangue. Allora dette piangendo un gran grido, e si strappò le vesti;	14 Bagoas went in, and knocked at the entry of the tent, presuming that he was sleeping with Judith.
15 poi entrato nel padiglione di Giuditta, e non avendola trovata, corse fuori verso il popolo,	15 As no one answered, he parted the curtains, entered the bedroom, and found him lying on the floor, a headless corpse.
16 e disse: « Una sola donna ebrea ha messo sottosopra la casa del re Nabucodonosor; ecco che Oloferne è steso per terra col capo tagliato ».	16 He broke into a loud clamor of weeping, groaning, and howling, and rent his garments.
17 Il che udito, i capitani delle forze assire si strapparono tutti le vesti; un estremo sbigottimento e spavento li prese, gli animi loro si turbarono oltremisura,	17 Then he entered the tent where Judith had her quarters; and, not finding her, he rushed out to the troops and cried:
18 e nei loro accampamenti si levarono strida incredibili.	18 "The slaves have duped us! A single Hebrew woman has brought disgrace on the house of King Nebuchadnezzar. Here is Holofernes headless on the ground!"
	19 When the commanders of the Assyrian army heard these words, they rent their tunics and were seized with consternation. Loud screaming and howling arose in the camp.