Judith
10:1 Manje ngemva kwalokho wayeka ukukhala kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, futhi okubi
waqeda wonke lawa mazwi.
10:2 Wasuka lapho ayewele khona, wabiza incekukazi yakhe, wehla
endlini abehlala kuyo ngesabatha, nakuye
izinsuku zemikhosi,
10:3 Futhi wakhumula indwangu yesaka ayeyigqokile, futhi wakhumula izingubo
lobufelokazi bakhe, wageza umzimba wakhe wonke ngamanzi, wagcoba
wagcoba ngamagcobo aligugu, waluka inwele zekhanda lakhe, njalo
gqoka isondo phezu kwalo, futhi wembathe izingubo zakhe zenjabulo, ngakho
wayembethe ngesikhathi sikaManase umyeni wakhe.
10:4 Wathatha izimbadada ezinyaweni zakhe, futhi wafaka amasongo akhe, futhi
namaketanga akhe, namasongo akhe, namacici akhe, nazo zonke izivunulo zakhe, kanye
wazihlobisa ngesibindi, ukuze ayenge amehlo abo bonke ababezakubona
wakhe.
10:5 Khona-ke wanika incekukazi yakhe imvaba iwayini, futhi isitsha samafutha, futhi wagcwalisa
isikhwama samabele omisiwe, nezigaxa zamakhiwane, nesinkwa esihle; ngakho yena
wagoqa zonke lezizinto, wazibeka phezu kwakhe.
10:6 Ngakho baphuma baya esangweni lomuzi waseBethulia, futhi bathola
emi lapho u-Oziya namadoda amadala omuzi, oKhabhisi noKarimi.
10:7 Futhi lapho bembona, ukuthi ubuso bakhe futhi isambatho sakhe sashintsha
washintsha, bamangala ngobuhle bakhe kakhulu, bathi ku
wakhe.
10:8 UNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wawobaba, makakuphe umusa, futhi ukufeza yakho
ingena enkazimulweni yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, nakuyo
ukuphakanyiswa kweJerusalema. Base bekhonza uNkulunkulu.
10:9 Wathi kubo: "Yalelani ukuba kuvulwe amasango omuzi
kimi, ukuze ngiphume ngifeze lokho enikushilo
kanye nami. Basebelaya amajaha ukuthi amvule njengaye
kukhulunywa.
10:10 Sebekwenzile lokho, waphuma uJudith, yena nencekukazi yakhe kanye naye;
amadoda omuzi amgcina, waze wehla
entabeni, laze ladlula esigodini, alibange lisalibona.
10:11 Kanjalo baphuma baqonda esigodini: futhi umlindo wokuqala we
ama-Asiriya amhlangabeza,
10:12 Wamthatha, wambuza wathi: "Ungowasiphi isizwe?" futhi uvelaphi
wena? uya ngaphi na? Wathi: “Ngingowesifazane wamaHeberu;
ngiyakubabalekela, ngokuba bayakunikwa nina ukuba niqedwe;
10:13 Futhi ngiyeza phambi kukaHolofernes, induna yebutho lakho, ukuze
memezelani amazwi eqiniso; futhi ngizombonisa indlela azohamba ngayo.
futhi awine lonke izwe elinezintaba, ngaphandle kokulahlekelwa umzimba noma ukuphila kwanoma yimuphi umuntu
zamadoda akhe.
10:14 Manje lapho amadoda ezwa amazwi akhe, futhi ebona ubuso bakhe, bambona
wamangala ngobuhle bakhe, wathi kuye.
10:15 Uyigcinile impilo yakho, ngokuphangisa wehlela eNtabeni
phambi kwenkosi yethu; ngakho-ke wozani etendeni layo, nabanye bethu
uyakukuhola, aze akunikele esandleni sakhe.
10:16 Futhi lapho ume phambi kwakhe, ungesabi enhliziyweni yakho, kodwa
mbonise ngokwezwi lakho; futhi uzokuncenga kahle.
10:17 Khona-ke bakhetha kubo amadoda ayikhulu ukuba ahambe naye kanye naye
incekukazi; bamyisa etendeni likaHolofene.
10:18 Khona-ke kwakukhona umbuthano ekamu lonke, ngoba wafika
kwahlokoma phakathi kwamatende, bamzungeza emi ngaphandle
etendeni likaHolofene, baze bamtshela ngalo.
10:19 Futhi bamangala ngobuhle bakhe, futhi bebabaza abantwana bakwa-Israyeli
ngenxa yakhe, bathi, ngulowo kumakhelwane wakhe: Ngubani odelelayo
laba bantu abanabesifazane abanjalo phakathi kwabo na? impela akukuhle lokho
kusale umuntu oyedwa kubo ongase adukise umhlaba wonke.
10:20 Futhi labo ababelele eduze Holofernes waphuma, futhi zonke izinceku zakhe kanye
bamngenisa etendeni.
10:21 Manje Holofernes waphumula embhedeni wakhe ngaphansi kombhede, okuyinto walukwa ngayo
okububende, negolide, nesimaragidu, namatshe ayigugu.
10:22 Ngakho bambonisa ngaye; waphuma phambi kwetende lakhe ephethe isiliva
izibani zihamba phambi kwakhe.
10:23 Futhi lapho uJudith efika phambi kwakhe nezinceku zakhe bamangala bonke
ngobuhle bobuso bakhe; wawa ngobuso bakhe, futhi
wakhuleka kuye; izinceku zakhe zamthwala.