Judit 14

1Dijo Judit a todo el pueblo: “Oídme, hermanos; colgad esta cabeza en lo alto de nuestros muros;

2y al salir el sol, tome cada uno sus armas, y salid con ímpetu, no para descender abajo, sino aparentando que vais a acometerlos.

3Entonces los centinelas, necesariamente correrán a despertar a su comandante para el combate;

4y cuando los capitanes concurran al pabellón de Holofernes, y hallen a este sin cabeza, revolcado en su propia sangre, el pavor se va a apoderar de ellos.

5Vosotros, empero, cuando advirtáis que huyen, perseguidlos sin temor, porque el Señor los aplastará debajo de vuestros pies.”

6Entonces Aquior, viendo el prodigio que Dios había hecho en favor de Israel, abandonó los ritos de los gentiles, creyó en Dios, y se incorporó, por medio de la circuncisión al pueblo de Israel, y toda su descendencia hasta hoy día.

7Luego que se hizo de día, colgaron la cabeza de Holofernes en lo alto de la muralla, y tomando cada uno sus armas, salieron con grande estruendo y algazara.

8Al ver esto los centinelas, corrieron al pabellón de Holofernes.

9Los que estaban en el pabellón, se acercaron a la entrada de la cámara e hicieron ruido para despertarlo, procurando interrumpirle el sueño sin llamar la atención, a fin de que Holofernes se despertase con el ruido sin que nadie tuviera que despertarlo directamente;

10porque nadie osaba llamar ni entrar para abrir la cámara del caudillo de los asirios.

11Acudieron sus generales y tribunos, y todos los oficiales mayores del ejército del rey de los asirios, y dijeron a los camareros:

12“Entrad y despertadlo, porque han salido los ratones de sus agujeros, y han tenido la osadía de provocarnos a batalla.”

13Entonces Vagao, entrando en la cámara, se paró delante de la cortina, y dio palmadas con sus manos; pues sospechaba que estaba durmiendo con Judit.

14Pero cuando aplicando el oído, no percibió ni el más leve movimiento de persona acostada, se arrimó más a la cortina, y alzándola vio el cadáver de Holofernes sin cabeza, tendido en tierra, y bañado en su propia sangre. Prorrumpió en grandes gritos y lágrimas, rasgó sus vestidos,

15y entró en el alojamiento de Judit, pero no la encontró. Con esto salió corriendo donde estaba la gente, y dijo:

16“Una mujer hebrea ha cubierto de afrenta la casa del rey Nabucodonosor, porque ahí yace Holofernes tendido en tierra, y no está en él su cabeza.”

17Al oír esto los jefes del ejército de los asirios, rasgaron todos sus vestidos y se apoderó de ellos un temor y temblor sumamente grande. Quedaron muy conturbados sus ánimos,

18y se levantó una gritería espantosa por todo el campamento.

1Dixit autem Judith ad omnem populum: Audite me, fratres: suspendite caput hoc super muros nostros:

2et erit, cum exierit sol, accipiat unusquisque arma sua, et exite cum impetu, non ut descendatis deorsum, sed quasi impetum facientes.

3Tunc exploratores necesse erit ut fugiant ad principem suum excitandum ad pugnam.

4Cumque duces eorum cucurrerint ad tabernaculum Holofernis, et invenerint eum truncum in suo sanguine volutatum, decidet super eos timor.

5Cumque cognoveritis fugere eos, ite post illos securi, quoniam Dominus conteret eos sub pedibus vestris.

6Tunc Achior, videns virtutem quam fecit Deus Israël, relicto gentilitatis ritu, credidit Deo, et circumcidit carnem præputii sui, et appositus est ad populum Israël, et omnis successio generis ejus usque in hodiernum diem.

7Mox autem ut ortus est dies, suspenderunt super muros caput Holofernis, accepitque unusquisque vir arma sua, et egressi sunt cum grandi strepitu et ululatu.

8Quod videntes exploratores, ad tabernaculum Holofernis cucurrerunt.

9Porro hi qui in tabernaculo erant, venientes, et ante ingressum cubiculi perstrepentes, excitandi gratia, inquietudinem arte moliebantur, ut non ab excitantibus, sed a sonantibus Holofernes evigilaret.

10Nullus enim audebat cubiculum virtutis Assyriorum pulsando aut intrando aperire.

11Sed cum venissent ejus duces ac tribuni, et universi majores exercitus regis Assyriorum, dixerunt cubiculariis:

12Intrate, et excitate illum, quoniam egressi mures de cavernis suis, ausi sunt provocare nos ad prælium.

13Tunc ingressus Vagao cubiculum ejus, stetit ante cortinam, et plausum fecit manibus suis: suspicabatur enim illum cum Judith dormire.

14Sed cum nullum motum jacentis sensu aurium caperet, accessit proximans ad cortinam, et elevans eam, vidensque cadaver absque capite Holofernis in suo sanguine tabefactum jacere super terram, exclamavit voce magna cum fletu, et scidit vestimenta sua.

15Et ingressus tabernaculum Judith, non invenit eam, et exiliit foras ad populum,

16et dixit: Una mulier hebræa fecit confusionem in domo regis Nabuchodonosor: ecce enim Holofernes jacet in terra, et caput ejus non est in illo.

17Quod cum audissent principes virtutis Assyriorum, sciderunt omnes vestimenta sua, et intolerabilis timor et tremor cecidit super eos, et turbati sunt animi eorum valde.

18Et factus est clamor incomparabilis in medio castrorum eorum.

1And Judith said to all the people: Hear me, my brethren, hang ye up this head upon our walls.

2And as soon as the sun shall rise, let every man take his arms, and rush ye out, not as going down beneath, but as making an assault.

3Then the watchmen must needs run to awake their prince for the battle.

4And when the captains of them shall run to the tent of Holofernes, and shall find him without his head wallowing in his blood, fear shall fall upon them.

5And when you shall know that they are fleeing, go after them securely, for the Lord will destroy them under your feet.

6Then Achior seeing the power that the God of Israel had wrought, leaving the religion of the gentiles, he believed God, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined to the people of Israel, with all the succession of his kindred until this present day.

7And immediately at break of day, they hung up the head of Holofernes upon the walls, and every man took his arms, and they sent out with a great noise and shouting.

8And the watchmen seeing this, ran to the tent of Holofernes.

9And they that were in the tent came, and made a noise before the door of the chamber to awake him, endeavouring by art to break his rest, that Holofernes might awake, not by their calling him, but by their noise.

10For no man durst knock, or open and go into the chamber of the general of the Assyrians.

11But when his captains and tribunes were come, and all the chiefs of the army of the king of the Assyrians, they said to the chamberlains:

12Go in, and awake him, for the mice coming out of their holes, have presumed to challenge us to fight.

13Then Vagao going into his chamber, stood before the curtain, and made a clapping with his hands: for he thought that he was sleeping with Judith.

14But when with hearkening, he perceived no motion of one lying, he came near to the curtain, and lifting it up, and seeing the body of Holofernes, lying upon the ground, without the head, sweltering in his blood, he cried out with a loud voice, with weeping, and rent his garments.

15And he went into the tent of Judith, and not finding her, he ran out to the people,

16And said: One Hebrew woman hath made confusion in the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for behold Holofernes lieth upon the ground, and his head is not upon him.

17Now when the chiefs of the army of the Assyrians had heard this, they all rent their garments, and an intolerable fear and dread fell upon them, and their minds were troubled exceedingly.

18And there was a very great cry in the midst of their camp.