Judith
14:1 Wayesethi uJudith kubo: "Ngizweni, bazalwane bami, nithathe lokhu
ikhanda, uliphanyeke endaweni ephakemeyo yezindonga zakho.
14:2 Futhi ngakho ngokushesha njengoba ekuseni uzovela, futhi ilanga liyophuma
emhlabeni, thathani, kube yilowo nalowo izikhali zakhe, niphume, kube yilowo nalowo
iqhawe eliphuma emzini, nibeke induna phezu kwawo njengokungathi
beniyokwehlela endle ekulindweni kwabase-Asiriya; kodwa
ungehli.
14:3 Khona-ke bayothatha izikhali zabo, futhi bayongena ekamu labo, futhi
ngimise izinduna zempi yase-Asiriya, ngigijimele etendeni lase
uHoloferne, kepha abayikumfumana;
bayakubaleka phambi kobuso bakho.
14:4 Ngakho wena, kanye nabo bonke abahlala ogwini lwakwa-Israyeli, uyobasukela, futhi
abagumbuqele besahamba.
14:5 Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba wenze lezi zinto, ngibize ngo-Achiyori umAmoni, ukuze akwazi
bonani futhi nimazi lowo odelela indlu ka-Israyeli, futhi amthume kuye
ngathi kuze kube sekufeni kwakhe.
14:6 Base bebiza u-Achiyori endlini ka-Oziya; kwathi esefikile.
bheka, ikhanda likaHoloferne esandleni somuntu ebandleni lebandla
abantu, wawa ngobuso, futhi umoya wakhe waphela.
14:7 Kodwa lapho sebemtholile, wawela ezinyaweni zikaJudith, futhi
wamhlonipha, wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena kuwo wonke amadokodo akhe
Juda, nasezizweni zonke, lapho bezwa igama lakho bayomangala.
14:8 Ngakho-ke ngitshele zonke izinto ozenzile kulezi zinsuku.
UJudith wasembikela kuye phakathi kwabantu konke ayelakho
esekwenzile, kusukela osukwini eyaphuma ngalo kwaze kwaba lelohola
kubo.
14:9 Kwathi eseqedile ukukhuluma, abantu bamemeza kakhulu
izwi, futhi wenza umsindo wenjabulo emzini wabo.
14:10 Futhi lapho u-Ahiyori esebonile konke uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ayekwenzile, yena
wakholwa kuNkulunkulu kakhulu, wasoka inyama yejwabu lakhe, futhi
wahlanganiswa nendlu ka-Israyeli kuze kube namuhla.
14:11 Futhi ngokushesha lapho ekuseni evuka, balengiswa ikhanda likaHolofernes
odongeni, bathatha, kwaba yilowo nalowo izikhali zakhe, baphuma
izibopho kuze kube semikhawulweni yentaba.
14:12 Kodwa lapho ama-Asiriya ebabona, bathumela kubaholi babo, okuyinto eza
ezinduneni zawo, nezinduna zawo, nakulowo nalowo kubabusi bawo.
14:13 Ngakho bafika etendeni likaHolofernes, futhi wathi kulowo owayephethe
zonke izinto zayo, Vusa manje inkosi yethu, ngokuba izinceku zibe nesibindi
yehla usihlasele, ukuze babhujiswe.
14:14 Khona-ke wangena eBagoas, futhi wangqongqoza emnyango wetende. ngoba wacabanga
ukuthi ulale noJudith.
14:15 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi kwakungaphenduli muntu, wayivula, wangena ekamelweni lokulala.
wamfica elele phansi efile, ikhanda lakhe lisusiwe kuye.
14:16 Ngakho wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, ngokukhala, futhi a
ukukhala okunamandla, naklebhula izingubo zakhe.
14:17 Ngemva kokungena etendeni, lapho uJudith wayelala, futhi lapho emthola
hhayi, wagxumela kubantu, wakhala;
14:18 Lezi zinceku zikhohlisile; omunye wesifazane wamaHeberu une
wayithela ngehlazo indlu yenkosi uNebukadinesari, ngokuba, bheka,
UHoloferne ulala phansi engenakhanda.
14:19 Lapho izinduna zebutho lase-Asiriya bezwa la mazwi, badabula
amajazi abo nezingqondo zabo zakhathazeka ngokumangalisayo, futhi kwakukhona a
ukukhala kanye nomsindo omkhulu kakhulu ekamu lonke.