Judith
12:1 Wayala ukuba angeniswe lapho isitsha sakhe; futhi washo lokho
bamlungisele ukudla kwakhe, aphuze
kwelakhe iwayini.
12:2 UJudith wathi, "Ngeke ngidle kuwo, funa kube khona icala
ngizolungiselelwa izinto engizilethile.
" 12:3 Khona-ke uHolofernes wathi kuye: "Uma umphako wakho wehluleka, kanjani
sikunikeza okufanayo? ngoba kakho kithi owesizwe sakho.
12:4 UJudith wathi kuye: Kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi yami, ncekukazi yakho.
angiyikuchitha lezo zinto enginazo, ngaphambi kokuba iNkosi isebenze ngokwami
anikeze izinto azimisile.
12:5 Khona-ke izinceku zikaHolofernes zamyisa etendeni, futhi walala
kwaze kwaba phakathi kwamabili, wavuka sekusondele umlindo wokusa;
12:6 Futhi wathumela kuHolofernes, esindisa: Inkosi yami mayiyale manje ukuthi eyakho
incekukazi ingaphuma iye emkhulekweni.
12:7 Khona-ke uHolofernes wayala umqaphi wakhe ukuthi akufanele bambambe
wahlala ekamu izinsuku ezintathu, waphuma ebusuku wangena ekamu
esigodini saseBethulia, wageza emanzini ngasemthonjeni wamanzi
ikamu.
12:8 Futhi lapho ephuma, wancenga uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ukuba amqondise
indlela yokukhulisa abantwana babantu bakhe.
12:9 Ngakho wangena ehlanzekile, futhi wahlala etendeni, waze wadla wakhe
inyama kusihlwa.
12:10 Kwathi ngosuku lwesine uHolofernesi wenzela izinceku zakhe kuphela idili.
kababizelanga muntu edilini.
12:11 Wayesethi kuBagowa umthenwa, owayephethe konke anakho.
Hamba manje, umncenge lona wesifazane ongumHeberu okanye nawe ukuba eze
kithi, nidle, niphuze nathi.
12:12 Ngoba, bheka, kuyoba amahloni kithi, uma sizovumela owesifazane onjalo
hamba, engahambanga naye; ngoba uba singamdonseli kithi, uzakwenza
sihleke siklolode.
12:13 Khona-ke Bagoas wasuka phambi kukaHolofernes, futhi weza kuye, futhi
wathi: Le ntombi enhle mayingesabi ukuza enkosini yami, ibe khona
udunyiswe ebusweni bakhe, uphuze iwayini, ujabule nathi, ube
wenza lolu suku lwaba njengenye yamadodakazi ase-Asiriya akhonza phakathi
indlu kaNebukadinesari.
12:14 Khona-ke uJudith wathi kuye: "Ngingubani mina manje, ukuze ngiphikisane nenkosi yami?"
ngokuqinisekile noma yini emthokozisayo ngizoyenza ngokushesha, futhi kuyoba okwami
injabulo kuze kube usuku lokufa kwami.
12:15 Ngakho wasukuma, futhi wahlobisa yena ngokwakhe ngezingubo zakhe kanye nazo zonke izinto zowesifazane wakhe
isambatho sakhe, incekukazi yakhe yahamba yambekela izikhumba ezithambileyo emhlabathini
ngokumelene noHolofernes, ayemtholile kuBagoas kude ukusetshenziswa kwakhe kwansuku zonke,
ukuze ahlale, adle phezu kwawo.
12:16 Kwathi uJudithi esengenile wahlala phansi, uHolofernes inhliziyo yakhe yatshaya.
naye, nomqondo wakhe wanyakaza, wafisa kakhulu ukuba naye;
ngoba wayelinde isikhathi sokumkhohlisa kusukela osukwini ambona ngalo.
12:17 Wayesethi uHolofernes kuye, "Phuza manje, futhi ujabule nathi.
12:18 Wayesethi uJudith: "Sengiyakuphuza manje, nkosi yami, ngokuba ukuphila kwami kukhulu.
kimi namuhla kunezinsuku zonke selokhu ngazalwa.
12:19 Khona-ke wathatha, wadla, waphuza phambi kwakhe lokho incekukazi yakhe eyayikulungiselele.
12:20 Futhi Holofernes wajabula kakhulu ngaye, futhi waphuza iwayini eliningi kunaye
wayephuze noma nini ngosuku olulodwa selokhu azalwa.