The Book of Judith

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 16 -

The canticle of Judith: her virtuous life and death.

Then Judith sung this canticle to the Lord, saying:

Begin ye to the Lord with timbrels, sing ye to the Lord with cymbals, tune unto him a new psalm, extol and call upon his name.

The Lord putteth an end to wars, the Lord is his name.

He hath set his camp in the midst of his people, to deliver us from the hand of all our enemies.

The Assyrians came out of the mountains from the north in the multitude of his strength: his multitude stopped up the torrents, and their horses covered the valleys.

He bragged that he would set my borders on fire, and kill my young men with the sword, to make my infants a prey, and my virgins captives.

But the almighty Lord hath struck him, and hath delivered him into the hands of a woman, and hath slain him.

For their mighty one did not fall by young men, neither did the sons of Titan strike him, nor tall giants oppose themselves to him, but Judith the daughter of Merari weakened him with the beauty of her face.

For she put off her the garments of widowhood, and put on her the garments of joy, to give joy to the children of Israel.

She anointed her face with ointment, and bound up her locks with a crown, she took a new robe to deceive him.

Her sandals ravished his eyes, her beauty made his soul her captive, with a sword she cut off his head.

The Persians quaked at her constancy, and the Medes at her boldness.

Then the camp of the Assyrians howled, when my lowly ones appeared, parched with thirst.

The sons of the damsels have pierced them through, and they have killed them like children fleeing away: they perished in battle before the face of the Lord my God.

Let us sing a hymn to the Lord, let us sing a new hymn to our God.

O Adonai, Lord, great art thou, and glorious in thy power, and no one can overcome thee.

Let all thy creatures serve thee: because thou hast spoken, and they were made: thou didst send forth thy spirit, and they were created, and there is no one that can resist thy voice.

The mountains shall be moved from the foundations with the waters: the rooks shall melt as wax before thy face.

But they that fear thee, shall be great with thee in all things.

Woe be to the nation that riseth up against my people: for the Lord almighty will take revenge on them, in the day of judgment he will visit them.

For he will give fire, and worms into their flesh, that they may burn, and may feel for ever.

And it came to pass after these things, that all the people, after the victory, came to Jerusalem to adore the Lord: and as soon as they were purified, they all offered holocausts, and vows, and their promises.

And Judith offered for an anathema of oblivion all the arms of Holofernes, which the people gave her, and the canopy that she had taken away out of his chamber.

And the people were joyful in the sight of the sanctuary, and for three months the joy of this victory was celebrated with Judith.

And after those days every man returned to his house, and Judith was made great in Bethulia, and she was most renowned in all the land of Israel.

And chastity was joined to her virtue, so that she knew no man all the days of her life, after the death of Manasses her husband.

And on festival days she came forth with great glory.

And she abode in her husband’s house a hundred and five years, and made her handmaid free, and she died, and was buried with her husband in Bethulia.

And all the people mourned for seven days.

And all the time of her life there was none that troubled Israel, nor many years after her death.

But the day of the festivity of this victory is received by the Hebrews in the number of holy days, and is religiously observed by the Jews from that time until this day.

The canticle of Judith: her virtuous life and death.

And Judith began to sing this song of thanksgiving in all Israel, and all the people sang with loud voices this song of praise.

Judith said, “Begin a song to my God with timbrels. Sing to my Lord with cymbals. Make melody to him with psalm and praise. Exalt him, and call upon his name.

For the Lord is the God that crushes battles. For in his armies in the midst of the people, he delivered me out of the hand of those who persecuted me.

Asshur came out of the mountains from the north. He came with ten thousands of his army. Its multitude stopped the torrents. Their horsemen covered the hills.

He said that he would burn up my borders, kill my young men with the sword, throw my nursing children to the ground, give my infants up as prey, and make my virgins a plunder.

“The Almighty Lord brought them to nothing by the hand of a woman.

For their mighty one didn’t fall by young men, neither did sons of the Titans strike him. Tall giants didn’t attack him, but Judith the daughter of Merari made him weak with the beauty of her countenance.

“For she put off the apparel of her widowhood for the exaltation of those who were distressed in Israel. She anointed her face with ointment, bound her hair in a tiara, and took a linen garment to deceive him.

Her sandal ravished his eye. Her beauty took his soul prisoner. The sword passed through his neck.

“The Persians quaked at her daring. The Medes were daunted at her boldness.

“Then my lowly ones shouted aloud. My oppressed people were terrified and trembled for fear. They lifted up their voices and the enemy fled.

The children of slave-girls pierced them through, and wounded them as fugitives’ children. They perished by the army of my Lord.

“I will sing to my God a new song: O Lord, you are great and glorious, marvelous in strength, invincible.

Let all your creation serve you; for you spoke, and they were made. You sent out your spirit, and it built them. There is no one who can resist your voice.

For the mountains will be moved from their foundations with the waters, and the rocks will melt as wax at your presence: But you are yet merciful to those who fear you.

For all sacrifice is little for a sweet savor, and all the fat is very little for a whole burnt offering to you; but he who fears the Lord is great continually.

“Woe to the nations who rise up against my race! The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment and put fire and worms in their flesh; and they will weep and feel their pain forever.”

Now when they came to Jerusalem, they worshiped God. When the people were purified, they offered their whole burnt offerings, their free will offerings, and their gifts.

Judith dedicated all Holofernes’ stuff, which the people had given her, and gave the canopy, which she had taken for herself out of his bedchamber, for a gift to the Lord.

And the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for three months, and Judith remained with them.

After these days, everyone departed to his own inheritance. Judith went away to Bethulia, and remained in her own possession, and was honorable in her time in all the land.

Many desired her, but no man knew her all the days of her life from the day that Manasses her husband died and was gathered to his people.

She increased in greatness exceedingly; and she grew old in her husband’s house, to one hundred five years. She let her maid go free. Then she died in Bethulia. They buried her in the cave of her husband Manasses.

The house of Israel mourned for her seven days. She distributed her goods before she died to all those who were nearest of kin to Manasses her husband, and to those who were nearest of her own kindred.

There was no one who made the children of Israel afraid any more in the days of Judith, nor for a long time after her death.