Judith
1:1 Ngomnyaka weshumi nambili wokubusa kukaNebukadinesari, owabusa e
iNineve, umuzi omkhulu; ezinsukwini zika-Arpakishade, owabusa phezu kwezwe
AmaMede e-Ecbatane,
1:2 Futhi wakha e-Ekibatane izindonga nxazonke ngamatshe abaziwe izingalo ezintathu
ububanzi buyizingalo eziyisithupha ubude, futhi ukuphakama komduli kwakungamashumi ayisikhombisa
izingalo, nobubanzi bayo buyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisihlanu;
1:3 Futhi wabeka imibhoshongo yalo phezu kwamasango alo izingalo eziyikhulu ukuphakama.
nobubanzi baso esisekelweni buyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisithupha;
1:4 Futhi wenza amasango alo, ngisho namasango ayephakanyiswe phezulu
yayiyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa, nobubanzi bazo buyizingalo ezingamashumi amane
ephuma emabuthweni akhe anamandla, nasekumiseni kwakhe ngohlelo
abahamba ngezinyawo:
1:5 Ngalezo zinsuku inkosi uNebukadinesari yalwa nenkosi u-Arpakishadi
ithafa elikhulu, eliyithafa elisemngceleni weRagau.
1:6 Kwase kusondela kuye bonke ababehlala ezintabeni, nabo bonke
ababehlala ngase-Ewufrathe, naseTigris, naseHidaspes, nasethafeni lase-Ewufrathe
u-Ariyoki inkosi yama-Elymeya, nezizwe eziningi kakhulu zamadodana
Chelod, babuthana empini.
1:7 UNebukadinesari, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wathumela kubo bonke abahlala khona
iPheresiya, nakubo bonke ababehlala ngasentshonalanga, nakulabo ababehlala khona
IKilikhiya, neDamaseku, neLebhanoni, ne-Antilibanu, futhi kukho konke lokho
wahlala ogwini lolwandle,
1:8 Futhi kulabo phakathi kwezizwe ezaziseKarmeli, futhi eGileyadi, futhi
iGalile ephakeme, nethafa elikhulu lase-Esdrelom,
1:9 Nakubo bonke ababeseSamariya, nasemizini yalo, nangale kwalokho
iJordani kuze kufike eJerusalema, naseBethane, naseKhelusi, naseKadesi, nasemfuleni
eGibithe, naseThafenesi, naseRamese, nasezweni lonke laseGesemi,
1:10 Nize nifike ngaphesheya kweTanis neMemfisi, nakubo bonke abakhileyo
iGibithe, nize nifike emikhawulweni yaseTopiya.
1:11 Kodwa bonke abakhileyo ezweni bawushaya indiva umyalo we
uNebukadinesari inkosi yase-Asiriya, abayanga naye enkosini
impi; ngoba babengamesabanga, yebo, wayenjemunye phambi kwabo
umuntu, bathuma amanxusa akhe kubo, kwaba yize, futhi
ngehlazo.
1:12 Ngakho uNebukadinesari wathukuthela kakhulu kulo lonke leli zwe, futhi wafunga
ngesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi nombuso wakhe, ukuze nakanjani aphindiselwe phezu kwabo bonke
lezo zifunda zaseKhilikhiya, naseDamaseku, naseSiriya, nokuthi wayezobulala
ngenkemba bonke abakhileyo ezweni lakwaMowabi, nabantwana
lakwa-Amoni, neJudiya lonke, nabo bonke ababeseGibithe, nize nifike ezweni
imingcele yezilwandle ezimbili.
1:13 Khona-ke wahamba iviyo impi ngamandla akhe ngokumelene inkosi u-Arpakishadi
ngomnyaka weshumi nesikhombisa, wanqoba empini yakhe, wagumbuqela
wonke amandla ka-Arpakishade, nabamahhashi bakhe bonke, nezinqola zakhe zonke;
1:14 Futhi waba inkosi yemizi yakhe, futhi wafika Ekbhatane, futhi wathatha
imibhoshongo, yachitha izitaladi zayo, yaphendula ubuhle bayo
ehlazweni.
1:15 Wathatha u-Arpakishade ezintabeni zaseRagawu, wamgwaza.
ngemicibisholo yakhe, wambulala ngalolo suku.
1:16 Ngakho wabuyela kamuva eNineve, yena nalo lonke iqembu lakhe
izizwe ngezizwe ziyisixuku esikhulu kakhulu samadoda empi, futhi lapho
waphumula, wenza idili, yena nempi yakhe, abantu abayikhulu namashumi amabili
izinsuku ezingamashumi amabili.