Judith 3

DOUAI-RHEIMS	EL LIBRO DEL PUEBLO DE DIOS
1 Then the kings and the princes of all the cities and provinces, of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Syria Sobal, and Libya, and Cilicia sent their ambassadors, who coming to Holofernes, said:	1 Entonces le enviaron mensajeros con la siguiente propuesta de paz:
2 Let thy indignation towards us cease: for it is better for us to live and serve Nabuchodonosor the great king, and be subject to thee, than to die and to perish, or suffer the miseries of slavery.	2 «Aquí estamos los servidores del gran rey Nabucodonosor, rendidos ante ti: trátanos como mejor te parezca.
3 All our cities and our possessions, all mountains and hills, and fields, and herds of oxen, and flocks of cheep, and goats, and horses, and camels, and all our goods, and families are in thy sight:	3 Están a tu disposición nuestras posesiones, todo nuestro suelo, todos los campos de trigo, nuestras ovejas y nuestras vacas, y también todos los corrales de nuestros campamentos: puedes hacer con ellos lo que quieras.
4 Let all we have be subject to thy law.	4 Hasta nuestras mismas ciudades y sus habitantes están a tu servicio; ven y trátalas como te parezca».
5 Both we and our children are thy servants.	5 Aquellos hombres se presentaron ante Holofernes y le transmitieron su mensaje.
6 Come to us a peaceable lord, and use our service as it shall please thee.	6 El descendió con su ejército hacia la costa del mar, estableció guarniciones en las plazas fuertes y reclutó en ellas hombres selectos como tropas auxiliares.
7 Then he came down from the mountains with horsemen, in great power, and made himself master of every city, and all the inhabitants of the land.	7 Ellos, y toda la región circunvecina, lo recibieron con guirnaldas y danzas corales al son de los tambores.
8 And from all the cities he took auxiliaries valiant men, and chosen for war.	8 Pero él devastó todo su territorio y taló sus bosques sagrados, porque había recibido la orden de exterminar a todos los dioses del país, para hacer que todas las naciones adoraran solamente a Nabucodonosor, y todas sus lenguas y tribus lo invocaron como dios.
9 And so great a fear lay upon all those provinces, that the inhabitants of all the cities, both princes and nobles, as well as the people, went out to meet him at his coming.	9 Así llegó Holofernes a Esdrelón, en las inmediaciones de Dotaim, que está ante las montañas de Judea.
10 And received him with garlands, and lights, and dances, and tumbrels, and flutes.	10 Acampó entre Gueba y Escitópolis y permaneció allí un mes, a fin de reunir todos los efectivos de su ejército.
11 And though they did these things, they could not for all that mitigate the fierceness of his heart:
12 For he both destroyed their cities and cut down their groves.
13 For Nabuchodonosor the king had commanded him to destroy all the gods of the earth, that he only might be called God by those nations which could be brought under him by the power of Holofernes.
14 And when he had passed through all Syria Sobal, and all Apamea, and all Mesopotamia, he came to the Idumeans into the land of Gabaa,
15 And he took possession of their cities, and stayed there for thirty days, in which days he commanded all the troops of his army to be united.