UJudithi Wenza Icebo Lokubhubhisa Izitha Zika-Israyeli
1UJudithi wayesethi kubo: “Ngilaleleni bahlobo. Thathani leli khanda niliphanyeke othangweni lwenu. 2Lapho kusempondo zamnenke lingakaphumeli ilanga emhlabeni, makube yilowo nalowo athathe izikhali zakhe zempi, kuthi onke amadoda anamandla aphumele ngaphandle komuzi; kubekwe umphathi phezu kwawo, enze sengathi ayehla aya lapho kukanekise khona ama-Asiriya, kuphela nje angehli. 3Bona-ke bayakuthatha izikhali zabo baye esikhungweni sabo, bavuse izinduna zempi yama-Asiriya. Bayakuphuthuma edlangaleni likaHolofernesi kodwa bangamfumani bese bengenwa yingebhe, babaleke phambi kwenu. 4Kepha nina kanye nazo zonke izakhamuzi zakwa-Israyeli niyakubaxosha nibawise ngenkemba emizileni yabo. 5Kepha ngaphambi kokuba nikwenze konke lokhu, lethani kimi u-Akhiyori umAmoni ukuze abone ngamehlo akhe indoda eyedelele u-Israyeli, yalethwa kimi kungathi isiwa ethuneni layo.”
6Ngakho-ke bambiza u-Akhiyori endlini ka-Uziya. Wafika wabona ikhanda likaHolofernesi lisesandleni senye yamadoda ayekulowo mbuthano wabantu, waphelelwa ngumoya washayeka phansi ngobuso bakhe waquleka. 7Sebemvusile, wawa ngobuso ezinyaweni zikaJudithi emhlonipha, wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena kuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda! nasezizweni zonke, bonke abezwa ngegama lakho bayakumangala. 8Ngakho-ke ake ungitshele manje okwenzile ngalezi zinsuku.”
UJudithi wamtshela phambi kwaso sonke isixuku sabantu konke akwenzileyo kusukela ngosuku aphuma ngalo emzini wakubo kuze kube yileso sikhathi aqale ukukhuluma ngaso nabo. 9Eseqedile ukukhuluma, abantu bahlokoma kakhulu bebanga umsindo wokujabula emzini wabo. 10Lapho u-Akhiyori ebona konke uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akwenzileyo, wakholwa kakhulu kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke wasokwa wayeseba ngomunye wendlu yakwa-Israyeli, wahlala eyilokho kwaze kwaba sekugcineni.
Ingebhe Enkanjini KaHolofernesi
11Kwathi entathakusa amadoda aphanyeka ikhanda likaHolofernesi obondeni lomuzi. Amadoda onke athatha izikhali zawo aphuma ngamaviyo aya ezintubeni zezintaba. 12Lapho ama-Asiriya ebabona athumela kubaholi babo, athumela nakubo bonke abakhuzi bezinkulungwane kanye nabo bonke ababusi. 13Baya edlangaleni likaHolofernesi bathi odibini lwakhe: “Vusa inkosi yethu, ngokuba izigqila zibe nesibindi sokwehla ukuze zilwe nathi, kodwa sizoziqothula nya.”
14Ngakho-ke uBhagowasi waya wangqongqotha ekungeneni kwedlangala, ngoba wayecabanga ukuthi usalele noJudithi. 15Lapho engezwa mpendulo, wavula, wangena egumbini lokulala, wamthola edindilize phansi efile, ikhanda lakhe linqunyiwe. 16Wakhala ngezwi elikhulu elila, wabubula ememeza ngamandla, wadabula izingubo zakhe. 17Wabe esephuthuma edlangaleni likaJudithi ukuze alidicilele phansi, lapho engamfumani, waya kubantu wamemeza wathi: 18“Izigqila zisiphambile! owesifazane womHebheru, uyithele ngehlazo indlu yenkosi uNebukhadinezari. Ningabona, uHolofernesi udindilize emhlabathini, nekhanda lakhe alibonwa!”
19Lapho abaholi bempi yama-Asiriya bezwa lokhu, badabula izingubo zabo bekhathazeke kakhulu emiphefumulweni yabo, kwase kuqubuka ukukhala okukhulu kuyo yonke inkambu.
