Judith, 2

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.

1. In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, a rumour ran through the palace that Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians was to have his revenge on all the countries, as he had threatened.

2. He summoned all his ministers and nobles, laid before them his secret plan, and urged the total destruction of those countries.

2. Summoning his general staff and senior officers, he held a secret conference with them, and with his own lips pronounced utter destruction on the entire area.

3. They decided to do away with all those who had refused to comply with the order he had issued.

3. It was then decreed that everyone should be put to death who had not answered the king's appeal.

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:

4. When the council was over, Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians sent for Holofernes, general-in-chief of his armies and subordinate only to himself. He said to him,

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,

5. 'Thus speaks the Great King, lord of the whole world, "Go; take men of proven valour, about a hundred and twenty thousand foot soldiers and a strong company of horse with twelve thousand cavalrymen;

6. and proceed against all the land of the West, because they did not comply with the order I issued.

6. then advance against all the western lands, since these people have disregarded my call.

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.

7. Bid them have earth and water ready, because in my rage I am about to march on them; the feet of my soldiers will cover the whole face of the earth, and I shall plunder it.

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.

8. Their wounded will fill the valleys and the torrents, and rivers, blocked with their dead, will overflow.

9.

9. I shall lead them captive to the ends of the earth.

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.

10. Now go! Begin by conquering this whole region for me. If they surrender to you, hold them for me until the time comes to punish them.

11. As for those who resist, show them no quarter, but deliver them up to slaughter and plunder in each country you occupy.

11. But if they resist, look on no one with clemency, hand them over to slaughter and plunder throughout the territory entrusted to you.

12. For as I live, and by the strength of my kingdom, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my power.

12. For by my life and by the living power of my kingdom I have spoken. All this I shall do by my power.

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."

13. And you, neglect none of your master's commands, act strictly according to my orders without further delay." '

14. So Holofernes left the presence of his lord, and summoned all the princes, and the generals and officers of the Assyrian army.

14. Leaving the presence of his sovereign, Holofernes immediately summoned all the marshals, generals and officers of the Assyrian army

15. He mustered a hundred and twenty thousand picked troops, as his lord had commanded, and twelve thousand mounted archers,

15. and detailed the picked troops as his master had ordered, about a hundred and twenty thousand men and a further twelve thousand mounted archers.

16. and grouped them into a complete combat force.

16. He organised these in the normal battle formation.

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;

17. He then secured vast numbers of camels, donkeys and mules to carry the baggage, and innumerable sheep, oxen and goats for food supplies.

18. abundant provisions for each man, and much gold and silver from the royal palace.

18. Every man received full rations and a generous sum of gold and silver from the king's purse.

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.

19. He then set out for the campaign with his whole army, in advance of King Nebuchadnezzar, to overwhelm the whole western region with his chariots, his horsemen and his picked body of foot.

20. A huge, irregular force, too many to count, like locusts or the dust of the earth, went along with them.

20. A motley gathering followed in his rear, as numerous as locusts or the grains of sand on the ground; there was no counting their multitude.

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.

21. Thus they set out from Nineveh and marched for three days towards the Plain of Bectileth. From Bectileth they went on to pitch camp near the mountains that lie 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.

22. From there Holofernes advanced into the highlands with his whole army, infantry, horsemen, chariots.

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.

23. He cut his way through Put and Lud, carried away captive all the sons of Rassis and sons of Ishmael living on the verge of the desert south of Cheleon,

24. Then, following the Euphrates, he went through Mesopotamia, and battered down every fortified city along the Wadi Abron, until he reached the sea.

24. marched along the Euphrates, crossed Mesopotamia, rased all the fortified towns controlling the Wadi Abron and 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.

25. Next he attacked the territories of Cilicia, butchering all who offered him resistance, advanced on the southern frontiers of Japheth, facing Arabia,

26. He surrounded all the Midianites, burned their tents, and plundered their sheepfolds.

26. completely encircled the Midianites, burned their tents and plundered their sheep-folds,

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.

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 all the young men to the sword.

28. The fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the coastland, upon those in Sidon and Tyre, and those who dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and the inhabitants of Jamnia. Those in Azotus and Ascalon also feared him greatly.

28. Fear and trembling seized all the coastal peoples; those of Sidon and Tyre, those of Sur, Ocina and Jamnia. The populations of Azotos and Ascalon were panic-stricken.