Judith 2

NEW JERUSALEM	BIBBIA VOLGARE
1 In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, a rumour ran through the palace thatNebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians was to have his revenge on al the countries, as he had threatened.	1 Nel terzo decimo anno di Nabucodonosor re, nel vigesimo secondo di del mese primo, fu fatto parlamento nel palazzo di Nabucodonosor re degli Assirii, per provvedere di vendicarsi (contro a quelli i quali gli avean risposto non secondo la sua volontade).
2 Summoning his general staff and senior officers, he held a secret conference with them, and with hisown lips pronounced utter destruction on the entire area.	2 E chiamò a sè tutti li principali onorati e tutti li suoi duchi e combattitori, e fece consiglio secreto.
3 It was then decreed that everyone should be put to death who had not answered the king's appeal.	3 E disse questo esser lo suo pensiero, di sottometter tutta la terra al suo imperio.
4 When the council was over, Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians sent for Holofernes, general-in-chiefof his armies and subordinate only to himself. He said to him,	4 Lo qual detto essendo piaciuto a tutti, chiamò Nabucodonosor re Oloferne principe del suo esercito.
5 'Thus speaks the Great King, lord of the whole world, "Go; take men of proven valour, about a hundredand twenty thousand foot soldiers and a strong company of horse with twelve thousand cavalrymen;	5 E dissegli esci fuori contro a ogni reame dell' occidente, e massimamente contro a quelli i quali hanno disprezzato il mio imperio.
6 then advance against all the western lands, since these people have disregarded my cal .	6 Non perdonare ad alcuno regno, ma ogni città armata sottometterai allo mio imperio.
7 Bid them have earth and water ready, because in my rage I am about to march on them; the feet of mysoldiers wil cover the whole face of the earth, and I shal plunder it.	7 Allora Oloferne chiamò li duchi e li magistrati della potenza degli Assirii; e numeroe gli uomini per la espedizione, come per lo re li fu comandato, i quali furono cento ventimiglia di pedoni per combattere, e cavalieri sagittarii duo diecimiglia.
8 Their wounded will fil the val eys and the torrents, and rivers, blocked with their dead, wil overflow.	8 E tutto questo esercito fece andare dinanzi con una (grande e) innumerabile moltitudine di cammelli, con tutte quelle cose che bastasseno (sufficientemente) allo esercito, armenti di buoi, greggie di pecore, delle quali non v'era numero.
9 I shall lead them captive to the ends of the earth.	9 Ordinò per tutta la Siria, che fosse preparato lo frumento (per lo pane) nel suo passare.
10 Now go! Begin by conquering this whole region for me. If they surrender to you, hold them for me untilthe time comes to punish them.	10 Oro e ariento della casa del re ebbe in grande quantità.
11 But if they resist, look on no one with clemency, hand them over to slaughter and plunder throughoutthe territory entrusted to you.	11 E andossi Oloferne, e tutto lo esercito, con li carri e cavalieri e sagittarii, li quali copersono la faccia della terra, come grilli.
12 For by my life and by the living power of my kingdom I have spoken. Al this I shal do by my power.	12 E avendo passato li termini degli Assirii, vennero alli monti grandi di Ange, i quali sono alla parte sinistra della Cilicia; e andossene a tutte le loro castella, e prese tutte le munizioni.
13 And you, neglect none of your master's commands, act strictly according to my orders without furtherdelay." '	13 E debellò la città opulentissima di Meloti, e pigliò (Oloferne) tutti i figliuoli di Tarso e i figliuoli di Ismael, i quali erano verso la faccia del deserto, e dalla parte dell' austro della terra di Cellon.
14 Leaving the presence of his sovereign, Holofernes immediately summoned al the marshals, generalsand officers of the Assyrian army	14 E passò Eufrate, e venne in Mesopotamia; e disfece tutte le città grandi, le quali erano ivi, dal torrente di Mambre persino al mare.
15 and detailed the picked troops as his master had ordered, about a hundred and twenty thousand menand a further twelve thousand mounted archers.	15 E occupò li termini suoi, da Cilicia persino alli confini di Iafet, i quali sono verso l' austro.
16 He organised these in the normal battle formation.	16 E menò tutti i figliuoli di Madian, e prese tutte le loro facoltadi, e tutti coloro che li fecero resistenza uccise con le coltella.
17 He then secured vast numbers of camels, donkeys and mules to carry the baggage, and innumerablesheep, oxen and goats for food supplies.	17 E dopo questo scese nel campo di Damasco, nel tempo che si tagliava le biade, e tagliò tutte le biade; e tutti gli arbori e tutte le vigne fece tagliare.
18 Every man received ful rations and a generous sum of gold and silver from the king's purse.	18 E furono per questo ispaventati tutti gli abitatori della terra.
19 He then set out for the campaign with his whole army, in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, tooverwhelm the whole western region with his chariots, his horsemen and his picked body of foot.
20 A motley gathering fol owed in his rear, as numerous as locusts or the grains of sand on the ground;there was no counting their multitude.
21 Thus they set out from Nineveh and marched for three days towards the Plain of Bectileth. FromBectileth they went on to pitch camp near the mountains that lie to the north of Upper Cilicia.
22 From there Holofernes advanced into the highlands with his whole army, infantry, horsemen, chariots.
23 He cut his way through Put and Lud, carried away captive al the sons of Rassis and sons of Ishmaelliving on the verge of the desert south of Cheleon,
24 marched along the Euphrates, crossed Mesopotamia, rased al the fortified towns controlling the WadiAbron and reached the sea.
25 Next he attacked the territories of Cilicia, butchering al who offered him resistance, advanced on thesouthern frontiers of Japheth, facing Arabia,
26 completely encircled the Midianites, burned their tents and plundered their sheep-folds,
27 made his way down to the Damascus plain at the time of the wheat harvest, set fire to the fields,destroyed the flocks and herds, sacked the towns, laid the countryside waste and put al the young men to thesword.
28 Fear and trembling seized al the coastal peoples; those of Sidon and Tyre, those of Sur, Ocina andJamnia. The populations of Azotos and Ascalon were panic-stricken.