Judith's New Song
Judith 16, verse 1. And Judith said: “Begin a hymn to my God with tambourines, Sing to the Lord with cymbals; Lift to Him a new psalm, Exalt Him, and call upon His name. Judith 16, verse 2. For God is the Lord who makes wars cease, For into His camps, into the midst of His people, He rescued me from the hands of those pursuing me. Judith 16, verse 3. The Assyrian descended from the mountains of the north; He came with the countless numbers of his army, Whose multitude blocked up the rivers, And his cavalry covered the hills. Judith 16, verse 4. He said he would set my territory on fire, And slaughter my young men with the sword, And dash my nursing babies on the ground, And take my children as plunder And my virgins as spoils of war. Judith 16, verse 5. But the Lord Almighty has thwarted them By the hand of a woman. Judith 16, verse 6. For their mighty man did not fall by our young men, Nor did the Titans’ sons strike him down, Nor did tall giants attack him, But Judith, daughter of Merari, In the beauty of her appearance disabled him. Judith 16, verse 7. For she took off the garment of her widowhood To exalt those afflicted in Israel, And anointed her face with perfume, Judith 16, verse 8. And bound her hair with a headband, And put on a linen garment to entice him. Judith 16, verse 9. Her sandals caught his eyes, Her beauty captured his mind, And the sword slashed his neck. Judith 16, verse 10. The Persians shuddered at her courage, And the Medes were disturbed at her daring. Judith 16, verse 11. Then my downhearted people raised the war cry, And my weak ones cried out, and the enemies were terrified; They raised up their voices, and the enemy was overthrown. Judith 16, verse 12. The sons of the handmaidens stabbed them, And wounded them as the offspring of fugitives; They were destroyed by the army of the Lord. Judith 16, verse 13. I will sing a new song to my God: Great are You, O Lord, and glorious, Marvelous in power and unsurpassable. Judith 16, verse 14. Let all Your creation serve You, For You spoke, and they were created; You sent Your Spirit, and He formed them. There is nothing which can resist Your voice. Judith 16, verse 15. For the mountains with the waters shall be shaken at their foundations, And at Your presence, the rocks shall be melted as beeswax. And yet You are merciful to those who fear You. Judith 16, verse 16. For every sacrifice as a sweet-smelling offering is like nothing, And the fat in the whole burnt offerings is like nothing to You; But he who fears the Lord is great in all things. Judith 16, verse 17. Woe to the nations that rise up against My people; The Lord Almighty will punish them on the day of judgment; He will give them over to fire and worms in their flesh; In pain they shall weep forever. Judith 16, verse 18. When they came to Jerusalem, they worshiped God; and when they were purified, they offered their burnt offerings, freewill offerings, and their gifts. Judith 16, verse 19. And Judith dedicated all the property of Holofernes that the people gave to her, along with the canopy which she herself had taken from his bedchamber, as a votive offering to God. Judith 16, verse 20. For three months, the people in Jerusalem feasted continually before the sanctuary, and Judith stayed with them.
The End of Judith's Days
Judith 16, verse 21. After these days everyone returned home, and Judith went to Bethulia and lived at her estate. She was honored throughout the entire country for the rest of her days. Judith 16, verse 22. Many men desired her, but she married no man during the remaining days of her life, after Manasseh her husband died and was buried with his people. Judith 16, verse 23. She became greatly renowned, and she grew old in the house of her husband until she reached the age of one hundred five years. She freed her maid, then died in Bethulia. They buried her in the tomb of Manasseh, her husband, Judith 16, verse 24. and she was mourned by the house of Israel for seven days. Before her death, she gave her possessions to all who were nearest of kin to her husband Manasseh, and to her own nearest of kin. Judith 16, verse 25. And no one again brought fear to the people of Israel in the days of Judith, nor for a long while after she died.