Giuditta 2

BIBBIA MARTINI	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 L'anno decimo terzo del regno di Nabucodonosor, ai ventidue del mese primo fu tenuto consiglio nella reggia di Nabucodonosor re degli Assiri intorno alla vendetta, ch'ei volea fare.	1 In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, there was a discussion in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, about taking revenge on the whole world, as he had threatened.
2 E convocò tutti i più vecchi, e tutti i capitani suoi, e campioni, e confidò loro il mistero de' suoi disegni:	2 He summoned all his ministers and nobles, laid before them his secret plan, and urged the total destruction of those countries.
3 E disse, che era sua intenzione di soggettare al suo impero tutta la terra.	3 They decided to do away with all those who had refused to comply with the order he had issued.
4 E questa proposizione essendo stata approvata da tutti, Nabucodonosor chiamò a se Oloferne, capo delle sue schiere,	4 When he had completed his plan, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, summoned Holofernes, general in chief of his forces, second to himself in command, and said to him:
5 E gli disse: Va, porta guerra a tutti i regni, di occidente, e principalmente a quelli, che si son fatti beffe de' miei comandi.	5 "Thus says the great king, the lord of all the earth: Go forth from my presence, take with you men of proven valor, a hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry,
6 Tu tratterai senza misericordia qualunque regno, e renderai a me soggette le città forti.	6 and proceed against all the land of the West, because they did not comply with the order I issued.
7 Allora Oloferne chiamò a fe i capitani, e i comandanti delle schiere degli Assiri, e scelse il numero di uomini assegnatoli dal re per questa spedizione, cento venti mila combattenti a piedi, e dodici mila a cavallo armati di arco.	7 Tell them to have earth and water ready, for I will come against them in my wrath; I will cover all the land with the feet of my soldiers, to whom I will deliver them as spoils.
8 E fece andare innanzi a tutte le sue milizie una innumerabile moltitudine di cammelli con provvisioni pell'esercito in abbondanza, ed anche degli armenti di bovi, e branchi di pecore infinite.	8 Their slain shall fill their ravines and wadies, the swelling torrent shall be choked with their dead; 9 and I will deport them as exiles to the very ends of the earth.
9 E comandò ancora, che da tutta la Siria si preparasser dei grani pel fuo passaggio.
10 E dalla casa del re prese dell'oro, e dell'argento in grandissima quantità.	10 "You go before me and take possession of all their territories for me. If they surrender to you, guard them for me till the day of their punishment.
11 E si mosse egli, e tutto l'esercito coi cocchi, e co soldati a cavallo, e cogli arcieri, i quali ingombravano la superficie della terra a guisa di locuste.	11 As for those who resist, show them no quarter, but deliver them up to slaughter and plunder in each country you occupy.
12 E passati i confini dell'Assiria, giunse alle grandi montagne di Ange, le quali stanno a sinistra della Cilicia, e diede la scalata a tutti i castelli, e si impadronì di tutti i luoghi forti.	12 For as I live, and by the strength of my kingdom, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my power.
13 Ed espugnò Melothi rinomatissima città, e saccheggiò i figliuoli di Tharsis, e i figliuoli d'Ismaele, i quali abitavano dirimpetto al deserto, a mezzogiorno del paese di Cellon.	13 Do not disobey a single one of the orders of your lord; fulfill them exactly as I have commanded you, and do it without delay."
14 E passò l'Eufrate, ed entrò nella Mesopotamia, e sforzò tute le superbe città, che erano colà dal torrente Mambre fino al mare:	14 So Holofernes left the presence of his lord, and summoned all the princes, and the generals and officers of the Assyrian army.
15 E la occupò interamente dalla Cilicia sino ai confini di Japhet, che sono a mezzodì.	15 He mustered a hundred and twenty thousand picked troops, as his lord had commanded, and twelve thousand mounted archers,
16 E menò via tutta la gente di Madian, e predò tutte le loro ricchezze, e uccise di spada tutti quei, che gli fecero resistenza.	16 and grouped them into a complete combat force.
17 E dipoi calò nelle campagne di Damasco nel tempo della messe, e diede il fuoco a tutte le biade, e fece troncare tutti gli alberi, e le viti.	17 He took along a very large number of camels, asses, and mules for their baggage; innumerable sheep, cattle, and goats for their food supply;
18 Ed ei diventò il terrore di tutti gli abitatori della terra.	18 abundant provisions for each man, and much gold and silver from the royal palace.
	19 Then he and his whole army proceeded on their expedition in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, to cover all the western region with their chariots and cavalry and regular infantry.
	20 A huge, irregular force, too many to count, like locusts or the dust of the earth, went along with them.
	21 After a three-day march from Nineveh, they reached the plain of Bectileth, and from Bectileth they next encamped near the mountains to the north of Upper Cilicia.
	22 From there Holofernes took his whole force, the infantry, cavalry, and chariots, and marched into the mountain region.
	23 He devastated Put and Lud, and plundered all the Rassisites and the Ishmaelites on the border of the desert toward the south of Chaldea.
	24 Then, following the Euphrates, he went through Mesopotamia, and battered down every fortified city along the Wadi Abron, until he reached the sea.
	25 He seized the territory of Cilicia, and cut down everyone who resisted him. Then he proceeded to the southern borders of Japheth, toward Arabia.
	26 He surrounded all the Midianites, burned their tents, and plundered their sheepfolds.
	27 Descending to the plain of Damascus at the time of the wheat harvest, he set fire to all their fields, destroyed their flocks and herds, despoiled their cities, devastated their plains, and put all their youths to the sword.