Judith
5:1 Khona-ke kwamenyezelwa Holofernes, induna yebutho
i-Asiriya, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababeyilungisele impi, bayivalela
emihumeni yezintaba, waqinisa zonke iziqongo zentaba
amagquma aphakeme futhi wayebeke izithiyo emazweni e-champaign:
5:2 Ngalokho wathukuthela kakhulu, futhi wabiza zonke izikhulu zakwaMowabi, futhi
izinduna zakwa-Amoni, nazo zonke izikhulu zasogwini lolwandle,
5:3 Wathi kubo: "Ngitsheleni, nina madodana aseKhanani, ngubani laba bantu
okungukuthi, ohlala ezintabeni, futhi miphi imizi abayayo
hlala, nokuthi liyini isixuku sebutho labo, nokuthi likuphi
amandla namandla, nokuthi iyiphi inkosi ebekwe phezu kwabo, noma induna yabo
ibutho;
5:4 Futhi kungani baye banquma ukungezi ukuzongihlangabeza, ngaphezu kwabo bonke
abakhileyo entshonalanga.
5:5 Wayesethi u-Achiyori, induna yabo bonke abantwana bakwa-Amoni, "Vumela inkosi yami
yizwa izwi eliphuma emlonyeni wenceku yakho, ngiyakukutshela
iqiniso mayelana nalaba bantu abahlala eduze nawe, futhi
ehlala ezintabeni, amanga awayikuphuma kuwo
umlomo wenceku yakho.
5:6 Laba bantu bayinzalo yamaKaledi.
5:7 Futhi babehlala njengabafokazi ngaphambili eMesophothamiya, ngoba babengafuni
balandela onkulunkulu bawoyise ababesezweni lamaKaledi.
5:8 Ngoba bayishiya indlela yawoyise, futhi bakhonza uNkulunkulu we
ezulwini, uNkulunkulu ababemazi: ngakho babaxosha ebusweni bukaNkulunkulu
babalekela eMesopotamiya, bagogobala khona abaningi
izinsuku.
5:9 Khona-ke uNkulunkulu wabo wabayala ukuba basuke endaweni ababehlala kuyo
bagogobala, bangena ezweni laseKhanani, lapho bahlala khona, futhi
zanda ngegolide nesiliva, nezinkomo eziningi kakhulu.
5:10 Kodwa lapho indlala igubuzele lonke izwe laseKhanani, behlela kulo
baseGibhithe, bagogobala khona, besondliwe, baba khona
isixuku esikhulu, kangangokuthi wayengenakubala isizwe sakubo.
5:11 Ngakho inkosi yaseGibhithe wabavukela, futhi wenza ngobuqili
nabo, wabathobisa ngomsebenzi ezitini, wabenza
izigqila.
5:12 Base bekhala kuNkulunkulu wabo, futhi walishaya lonke izwe laseGibhithe
ngezifo ezingelaphekiyo; abaseGibithe babaxosha ebusweni babo.
5:13 UNkulunkulu womisa uLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwabo.
5:14 Wabayisa entabeni yaseSina, naseKadesi-Barne, futhi wakulahla konke lokho
wahlala ehlane.
5:15 Ngakho bahlala ezweni lama-Amori, futhi babhubhisa by zabo
bonke abase-Eshiboni babenamandla, bawela iJordani badla konke
izwe elinezintaba.
5:16 Futhi baxosha phambi kwabo amaKhanani, namaPherezi, the
amaJebusi, namaSikemu, nawo onke amaGerigasi, ahlala khona
lelo zwe izinsuku eziningi.
5:17 Futhi lapho bengonanga phambi kukaNkulunkulu wabo, baphumelela, ngoba uJehova
uNkulunkulu ozonda ububi wayenabo.
5:18 Kodwa lapho sebesukile endleleni ayebamise, base
babhujiswa ezimpini eziningi ezimbi kakhulu, futhi bathunjwa bayiswa ezweni
lalingesilo elabo, nethempeli likaNkulunkulu wabo laphonswa kuJehova
umhlabathi, nemizi yabo yathathwa yizitha.
5:19 Kodwa manje sebebuyele kuNkulunkulu wabo, futhi bakhuphuka ezindaweni
lapho abahlakazekela khona, balidla iJerusalema, lapho okwabo
indawo engcwele, futhi zihlezi ezintabeni; ngoba laliyincithakalo.
5:20 Manje, nkosi yami nombusi, uma kukhona iphutha ngokumelene nalokhu
abantu, futhi bona kuNkulunkulu wabo, ake sibone ukuthi lokhu kuyakuba
yiba yincithakalo yabo, sikhuphuke, sibanqobe.
5:21 Kodwa uma kungekho bubi esizweni sakubo, inkosi yami mayidlule.
Hleze iNkosi yabo ibavikele, futhi uNkulunkulu wabo abe ngabo, futhi thina sibe a
ihlazo phambi komhlaba wonke.
5:22 Futhi lapho Achior eseqedile la mazwi, bonke abantu bema
itende lakhonona nxazonke, nezikhulu zikaHoloferne, nabo bonke
ababehlala ngasolwandle nakwaMowabi bakhuluma ukuba bambulale.
5:23 Ngoba, bathi, ngeke sesabe ubuso babantwana
Israyeli: ngokuba, bheka, bangabantu abangenamandla namandla okuphila;
impi eqinile
5:24 Manje, Nkosi Holofernes, sizokhuphuka, futhi bayoba yimpango
lokudliwa yibutho lakho lonke.