Judith's Song of Praise
1 Then Judith sang a song of thanksgiving there with all Israel present, and the people joined in this song of praise. 2 She sang,
“Praise my God and sing to him;
praise the Lord with drums and cymbals;
play a new song for him.
Praise him and call on him for help.
3 The Lord is a warrior who ends war.
He rescued me from my pursuers
and brought me back to his people's camp.
4 Down from the mountains of the north came the Assyrians,
with their tens of thousands of soldiers.
Their troops blocked the rivers in the valleys;
their cavalry covered the mountains.
5 They threatened to set fire to our country,
slaughter our young men,
dash our babies to the ground,
take our children away as captives,
and carry off all our young women.
6 But the Lord Almighty tricked them;
he used a woman to stop them.
7 Their hero was not slain by young soldiers
or attacked and killed by mighty giants.
It was Judith, the daughter of Merari,
who brought him down with her beauty.
8 She gave victory to the oppressed people of Israel,
when she took off her widow's clothes,
and put on a linen dress to entice him.
She put on her rich perfumes
and tied a ribbon around her hair.
9 Her dainty sandal caught his eye;
her beauty captured his heart.
Then the sword slashed through his neck.
10 The Persians trembled at her daring;
the Medes were amazed at her bravery.
11 Then our people shouted in victory.
They had been weak and oppressed,
but they forced the enemy to retreat in panic and fear.
12 We are the descendants of slaves,
but our enemies turned and ran;
we killed them like runaway slaves.
They were destroyed by the army of the Lord.
13 “I will sing a new song to my God.
O Lord, you are strong and glorious!
You have never been defeated.
14 Let all your creatures serve you.
You gave the command,
and all of them came into being;
you breathed on them,
and all of them were created.
No one can oppose your command.
15 The mountains and the seas tremble,
and rocks melt like wax when you come near.
But there is mercy for all who obey you.
16 The Lord is more pleased with those who obey him
than with all the choice meat on the altar,
or with all the most fragrant sacrifices.
17 The nations who rise up against my people are doomed.
The Lord Almighty will punish them on Judgment Day.
He will send fire and worms to devour their bodies,
and they will weep in pain forever.”
Judith's Fame
18 When the people arrived in Jerusalem, they purified themselves and worshiped God. They presented their burnt offerings, freewill offerings, and gifts. 19 Judith dedicated to God all of Holofernes' property, which the people had given to her. And as a special offering in fulfillment of a vow, she presented to the Lord the mosquito net which she had taken from Holofernes' bed. 20 For three months the people continued to celebrate in front of the Temple in Jerusalem, and Judith stayed there with them.
21 When the celebrations had ended, everyone returned home, and Judith went back to Bethulia to live on her own estate. For the rest of her life she was famous throughout the land of Israel. 22 Many men wanted to marry her, but she never remarried after the death of her husband Manasseh. 23-24 Her fame continued to spread, and she lived in the house her husband had left her. Before she died, Judith divided her property among her husband's and her own close relatives and set her slave woman free. When she died in Bethulia at the age of 105, she was buried beside her husband, and the people of Israel mourned her death for seven days. 25 As long as Judith lived, and for many years after her death, no one dared to threaten the people of Israel.
Judītes pateicības dziesma
1 Un Judīte dziedāja:
“Sāciet dziesmu manam Dievam uz timpāniem,
skandiniet Kungam uz cimbolēm,
dainojiet viņam uz kokles,
cildiniet un daudziniet viņa vārdu,
2 jo Dievs satriec naidniekus, Kungs dara:
par savu cietoksni ļaužu vidū
viņš izrāva mani no vajātāju rokas.
3 Nāca asīrietis no kalniem ziemeļos,
nāca sava spēka miriādēs,
to daudzums aizsprostoja upes,
un viņu zirgi apklāja pakalnus.
4 Viņš lielījās maniem kalniem pielaist uguni
un manus jaunekļus nokaut ar zobenu,
manus zīdaiņus nomest sabradāt,
manus bērnus atdot verdzībā,
manas jaunavas sagrābt par laupījumu.
5 Bet Kungs, Visuvaldītājs, atmeta viņus
ar sievietes roku.
6 Nedz jaunekļi pārspēja viņu spēku,
nedz milži to satrieca,
nedz augumā lieli giganti pakļāva,
bet Judīte, Merārī meita,
ar sava vaiga skaistumu pazudināja;
7 kad viņa novilka atraitnes tērpu,
Israēla cietēju paaugstināšanai
iezieda savu vaigu ar mirrēm
8 un savija matos lentes,
un tērpās linā, lai viņu valdzinātu;
9 tās sandale viņa acis satvēra,
tās skaistums viņa sirdi sagūstīja,
un zobens izgāja caur viņa kaklu.
10 No viņas pārgalvības persieši notrīsēja,
un mēdieši pārbijās no viņas drosmes,
11 tad mani pazemotie iegavilējās,
lai arī nobaidīti un šausmu pārņemti,
mani vājie, viņi pacēla savu balsi,
tā ka naidnieks bēga,
12 jaunu sievu dēli caurdūra viņus
un kā bēgošus vergus savainoja,
pazudināja ar mana Kunga cirtieniem.
13 Es dziedāšu savam Dievam jaunu dziesmu:
Kungs, tu esi liels un dižens,
spēkā apbrīnojams un neuzvarams.
14 Tev visa tava radība kalpos,
jo tu teici, un tā notika,
tu sūtīji savu Garu, un tas uzcēla,
un nav neviena, kas stātos pretī tavai balsij.
15 Kalni ar ūdeņiem no pamatiem izkustēsies,
un klintis tavā priekšā kusīs kā vasks,
bet tiem, kas tevis bīstas,
tiem esi tu žēlīgs.
16 Ik kaujamais upuris par mazu
tavas nāss kairināšanai,
un ik taukums par niecīgu
dedzināmam upurim,
bet kas tevis, Kungs, bīstas,
ir liels tev vienmēr.
17 Vai! tautām, kas saceļas pret manu tautu!
Kungs, Visuvaldītājs, atriebs tiem
tiesas dienā,
ugunij un tārpiem nodos viņu miesas,
no sāpēm viņi vaimanās uz mūžu.”
Jeruzālemē svin uzvaru
18 Kad viņi nonāca Jeruzālemē, tie pielūdza Dievu, un, kad tauta bija šķīstījusies, viņi upurēja savu dedzināmo upuri un pienesa savus labprātīgos upurus un dāvanas. 19 Tad Judīte nolika visus Holoferna rīkus, ko tauta viņai atdeva, un aizkaru, ko pati paņēma no viņa telts, Dievam par pieminekli. 20 Trīs mēnešus tauta līksmojās Jeruzālemē svētnīcas priekšā, un Judīte bija ar viņiem visu šo laiku.
Judīte atgriežas savā īpašumā
21 Bet pēc šīm dienām katrs atgriezās savā tiesā un Judīte devās uz Betuliju un palika savā īpašumā, un savās dienās viņa bija visas zemes gods. 22 Daudzi alka pēc viņas, bet viņa neatzina neviena vīra visas savas mūža dienas, kopš viņas vīrs Manase bija miris un pievienojies savai tautai. 23 Viņa kļuva jo diženāka novecojot, līdz bija simt piecus gadus veca sava vīra namā, un viņa atlaida savu kalponi brīvībā. Viņa nomira Betulijā, un viņu apglabāja viņas vīra Manases kapa alā. 24 Israēla nams apraudāja viņu septiņas dienas. Savu mantu pirms miršanas viņa bija sadalījusi visiem sava vīra Manases un savas cilts tuviniekiem. 25 Un neviens neapdraudēja israēliešus Judītes dienās un vēl daudzas dienas pēc tam, kad viņa nomira.
