Judith, 14

1. Then said Judith unto them, Hear me now, my brethren, and take this head, and hang it upon the highest place of your walls.

1. Judith said to them, "Listen, my brothers, take this head and hang it from the battlements of our rampart,

2. And so soon as the morning shall appear, and the sun shall come forth upon the earth, take ye every one his weapons, and go forth every valiant man out of the city, and set ye a captain over them, as though ye would go down into the field toward the watch of the Assyrians; but go not down.

2. then when dawn breaks and the sun rises over the earth, let each of you take his weapons and let all those able to fight go outside the town. And under the command of a captain, proceed as if you were about to go down into the plain in the direction of the Assyrian outposts, but you will not descend.

3. Then they shall take their armour, and shall go into their camp, and raise up the captains of the army of Assur, and shall run to the tent of Holofernes, but shall not find him: then fear shall fall upon them, and they shall flee before your face.

3. The Assyrian guards will seize their arms, and go towards their camp to awaken the generals of the Assyrian army. These officers will run to the tent of Holofernes but will not find him; fear will then come upon them and they will flee from you.

4. So ye, and all that inhabit the coast of Israel, shall pursue them, and overthrow them as they go.

4. Then you and all those who dwell in the land of Israel will follow them and strike them down as they go.

5. But before ye do these things, call me Achior the Ammonite, that he may see and know him that despised the house of Israel, and that sent him to us as it were to his death.

5. But, before you do this, call Achior the Ammonite so that he may see and recognize the one who despised the people of Israel, the man who sent him to you as to his death."

6. Then they called Achior out of the house of Ozias; and when he was come, and saw the head of Holofernes in a man's hand in the assembly of the people, he fell down on his face, and his spirit failed.

6. Achior was brought from the house of Uzziah. As soon as he arrived and saw the head of Holofernes in the hand of one of the people, he fainted and fell face down on the ground.

7. But when they had recovered him, he fell at Judith's feet, and reverenced her, and said, Blessed art thou in all the tabernacles of Juda, and in all nations, which hearing thy name shall be astonished.

7. When they had lifted him up, he threw himself at the feet of Judith, bowed before her and said, "May you be blessed throughout Judea and among all the nations, who on hearing your name will be amazed.

8. Now therefore tell me all the things that thou hast done in these days. Then Judith declared unto him in the midst of the people all that she had done, from the day that she went forth until that hour she spake unto them.

8. But now, tell me all that you did during these days." Standing in the midst of the people, Judith told him all that she had done from the day she set out until the moment in which she was now speaking to them.

9. And when she had left off speaking, the people shouted with a loud voice, and made a joyful noise in their city.

9. When she had finished talking, the people cried out with great joy, and this was heard throughout the town.

10. And when Achior had seen all that the God of Israel had done, he believed in God greatly, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined unto the house of Israel unto this day.

10. When Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he immediately believed in him. He was circumcised and became a member of the community of Israel down to this day.

11. And as soon as the morning arose, they hanged the head of Holofernes upon the wall, and every man took his weapons, and they went forth by bands unto the straits of the mountain.

11. When the sun had risen and they had hung Holofernes' head on the rampart, all the men took their arms and went out in groups to the mountain slopes.

12. But when the Assyrians saw them, they sent to their leaders, which came to their captains and tribunes, and to every one of their rulers.

12. As soon as the Assyrians saw them, they warned their commanders. These men, in turn, went to inform the generals, the captains and all their officers.

13. So they came to Holofernes' tent, and said to him that had the charge of all his things, Waken now our lord: for the slaves have been bold to come down against us to battle, that they may be utterly destroyed.

13. Then they all went to the tent of Holofernes and said to the steward in charge of his affairs, "Waken our Lord, for the slaves plan to come down and fight against us to their utter destruction.

14. Then went in Bagoas, and knocked at the door of the tent; for he thought that he had slept with Judith.

14. So Bagoas drew back the curtain and knocked, thinking that Holofernes was sleeping with Judith.

15. But because none answered, he opened it, and went into the bedchamber, and found him cast upon the floor dead, and his head was taken from him.

15. As no one answered, he entered the room, and found Holofernes lying across the wooden footstool dead with his head cut off.

16. Therefore he cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and sighing, and a mighty cry, and rent his garments.

16. He cried out with a loud voice and tore his clothes.

17. After he went into the tent where Judith lodged: and when he found her not, he leaped out to the people, and cried,

17. He entered the tent where Judith had stayed but did not find her. Then he rushed out to the troops, shouting,

18. These slaves have dealt treacherously; one woman of the Hebrews hath brought shame upon the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for, behold, Holofernes lieth upon the ground without a head.

18. "The slaves have deceived us! One Hebrew woman has put to shame the army of King Nebuchadnezzar, for Holofernes lies dead on the ground.

19. When the captains of the Assyrians' army heard these words, they rent their coats and their minds were wonderfully troubled, and there was a cry and a very great noise throughout the camp.

19. When the officers of the Assyrian army heard these words, they were greatly distressed. They tore their garments and cried out with a loud voice in their camp.