Giuditta 14

BIBBIA TINTORI	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Allora Giuditta disse a tutto il popolo: « Ascoltatemi, o fratelli: prima sospendete questa testa sulle nostre mura, poi,	1 Judith said, 'Listen to me, brothers. Take this head and hang it on your battlements.
2 appena spuntato il sole, prese ciascuno le sue armi, uscite con impeto, non per discender nella valle, ma come per muover all'attacco.	2 When morning comes and the sun is up, let every man take his arms and every able-bodied man leavethe town. Appoint a leader for them, as if you meant to march down to the plain against the Assyrian advancedpost. But you must not do this.
3 Allora gli esploratori dovran correre a svegliare il loro comandante, per la battaglia.	3 The Assyrians wil gather up their equipment, make for their camp and wake up their commanders; theyin turn will rush to the tent of Holofernes and not be able to find him. They will then be seized with panic and fleeat your advance.
4 Quando i loro capi saranno accorsi alla tenda di Oloferne e lo avranno trovato decapitato e ravvolto nel suo sangue, saran presi dallo spavento:	4 Al you and the others who live in the territory of Israel wil have to do is to give chase and slaughterthem as they retreat.
5 quando li vedrete darsi alla fuga, inseguiteli senza timore, perchè il Signore li schiaccerà sotto i vostri piedi ».	5 'But before you do this, cal me Achior the Ammonite, for him to see and identify the man who held theHouse of Israel in contempt, the man who sent him to us as someone already doomed to die.'
6 Allora Achior, vedendo il prodigio operato da Dio, abbandonati i riti dei Gentili, credette in Dio, si circoncise e fu incorporato al popolo d'Israele, egli e tutta la sua discendenza fino ad oggi.	6 So they had Achior brought from Uzziah's house. No sooner had he arrived and seen the head ofHolofernes held by a member of the people's assembly than he fel on his face in a faint.
7 Appena fatto giorno, sospesero sulle mura la testa d'Oloferne, e, prese ciascuno le sue armi, uscirono fuori con gran fracasso ed alte grida.	7 They lifted him up. He then threw himself at Judith's feet and, prostrate before her, exclaimed: May yoube blessed in al the tents of Judah and in every nation; those who hear your name wil be seized with dread!
8 Veduto ciò, gli esploratori corsero alla tenda di Oloferne.	8 'Now tel me everything that you have done in these past few days.' And surrounded by the people,Judith told him everything she had done from the day she left Bethulia to the moment when she was speaking.
9 Quelli che erano nella tenda, accostatisi, facevan rumore all'ingresso della camera per destarlo e facevano ad arte il rumore, perchè Oloferne si destasse, senza bisogno d'essere scosso, per il frastuono.	9 When she came to the end, the people cheered at the top of their voices until the town echoed.
10 Nessuno poi osava aprire e nemmeno battere alla porta del comandante degli Assiri.	10 Achior, recognising al that the God of Israel had done, believed ardently in him and, acceptingcircumcision, was permanently incorporated into the House of Israel.
11 Finalmente i capi, i tribuni e tutti i grandi dell'esercito del re d'Assiria, là radunati, dissero ai servi:	11 At daybreak they hung the head of Holofernes on the ramparts. Every man took his arms and they alwent out in groups to the slopes of the mountain.
12 « Entrate e svegliatelo, perchè quei topi usciti dai loro buchi hanno osato provocarci a battaglia ».	12 Seeing this, the Assyrians sent word to their leaders, who in turn reported to the generals, thecaptains of thousands and al the other officers;
13 Allora Vagao entrò nella camera, e, fermatosi dinanzi alla cortina, battè insieme le mani, supponendo che dormisse con Giuditta.	13 and these in their turn reported to the tent of Holofernes. 'Rouse our master,' they said to his major-domo, 'these slaves have dared to march down on us to attack -- and to be wiped out to a man!'
14 Ma siccome, anche tendendo l'orecchio, non sentiva alcun movimento d'uno che dormisse, si accostò alla cortina, e, alzatala, vide il cadavere d'Oloferne, senza testa, steso per terra, immerso nel proprio sangue. Allora pianse ad alte grida e stracciò le sue vesti.	14 Bagoas went inside and struck the curtain dividing the tent, thinking that Holofernes was sleeping withJudith.
15 Poi entrò nella tenda di Giuditta, e non avendocela trovata, corse fuori verso il popolo,	15 But as no one seemed to hear, he drew the curtain and went into the bedroom, to find him throwndown dead on the threshold, with his head cut off.
16 a dire: « Una sola donna ebrea ha messa la confusione nella casa del re Nabucodonosor; ecco, Oloferne è là steso per terra, e la sua testa non è più col suo corpo! » Sentito questo,	16 He gave a great shout, wept, sobbed, shrieked and rent his clothes.
17 i principi dell'armata degli Assiri stracciarono le loro vesti; un timore intollerabile e lo spavento l'invasero e i loro animi furono oltremodo turbati:	17 He then went into the tent which Judith had occupied and could not find her either. Then, rushing outto the men, he shouted,
18 indicibile grido si alzò in mezzo ai loro accampamenti.	18 'The slaves have rebel ed! A single Hebrew woman has brought shame on the House ofNebuchadnezzar. Holofernes is lying dead on the ground, without his head!'
	19 When they heard this, the leaders of the Assyrian army tore their tunics in consternation, and thecamp rang with their wild cries and their shouting.