Ukulwa Nezizwe Zasentshonalanga
1Ngonyaka we-18, ngosuku lwama-20 lwenyanga yokuqala, kwaba khona ukukhuluma esigodlweni sikaNebukhadinezari inkosi yase-Asiriya, ngokuziphindiselela kwakhe kuso sonke isifunda, njengokuba ayeshilo. 2Wabizela ndawonye bonke ondunankulu nezikhulu zakhe wendlala phambi kwabo icebo lakhe eliyimfihlo ecacisa ngokuphelele, ngezakhe izindebe konke ukonakala kwaleso sifunda. 3Banquma ukuba wonke umuntu ongazange alilandele izwi eliphuma emlonyeni wenkosi abulawe.
4Lapho uNebukhadinezari inkosi yase-Asiriya eseqedile ukubalandisa icebo lakhe, wabiza uHolofernesi, umkhuzi omkhulu wempi, owayengowesibili ngokwesikhundla kusukela kuye, wathi kuye: 5“Isho kanje inkosi enkulu, inkosi yomhlaba wonke: ‘Suka ebusweni bami uhambe namadoda azethembayo ngokwamandla awo, ayi-120 000, amasotsha ahamba ngezinyawo kanye ne-12 000 lamasotsha agibele amahhashi. 6Phuma ubhekane nalo lonke elisentshonalanga, ngenxa yokuba bengalilalelanga izwi lami. 7Batshele ukuba bazilungisele ukufa nokuphila, ngoba ngiyeza ukubhekana nabo ngolaka olukhulu, futhi ngizakugcwalisa izwe lonke ngaphambi kwami ngamabutho ami, engizobanikela kuwo ababulale. 8Abalimele babo bayakugcwalisa izihosha namawa, nemifula edla izindwani iyakugcwala izidumbu zabo.
9“ ‘Ngiyakubathumba qede ngibahlakazele emikhawulweni yonke yomhlaba babe yizigqila. 10Kepha nina niyakungandulela nidle izwe labo. Mabazinikele kuwe, wena-ke uyakungigcinela bona kuze kufike usuku engiyakubajezisa ngalo. 11Ungabinawo umusa kulabo abantamo ilukhuni, kodwa banikele ukuba babulawe nokuba bachithwe kuso sonke isifunda. 12Kuphila kwami nangamandla ombuso wami engikushilo ngiyakukwenza ngesandla sami. 13Wena-ke qaphela ukuba ungaweqi amazwi enkosi yakho, kodwa enze njengoba ngikuyalile, enze ngokushesha ungalibali.’ ”
Izimpi ZikaHolofernesi
14Ngakho uHolofernesi wasuka phambi kwenkosi, wabiza bonke abakhuzi bempi nezikhulu zabo, nazo zonke iziphathimandla zempi yase-Asiriya. 15Wahlela amabutho aqokiwe ngokwamaviyo awo, njengoba inkosi yakhe yayiyalile ukuba enze njalo, izinkulungwane eziyi-120 000 zawo, kanye nezinkulungwane eziyi-112 000 zabaphethe imicibisholo begibele amahhashi, 16wabahlela okwempi enkulu. 17Wathatha amakameli nezimbongolo neminyuzi eminingi ukuze bahambe ngakho, nezimvu eziningi kanye nezinkabi nezimbuzi ukuze zibe ngukudla kwabo; 18wathatha nokudla okuningi okuyisabelo salowo nalowo, kanye nenqwaba yegolide nesiliva akuthatha esigodlweni senkosi.
19Waphuma nempi yakhe yonke, ukuba andulele uNebukhadinezari inkosi, nokuba bemboze ubuso bomhlaba kuya entshonalanga ngezinqola nabagibele amahhashi, kanye nalawo mabutho ahamba ngezinyawo. 20Kwaphuma kanye nabo amaviyo ngamaviyo efana nesikhonyane nanjengothuli lo mhlaba-isixuku esingenakubalwa. 21Bahamba izinsuku ezintathu besuka eNineve beya emathafeni aseBhekthilethi, base begoba amadlangala maqondana neBhekthilethi eduzane nentaba engasenyakatho ngenhla neKhilikhiya.
22Wathatha impi yakhe yonke, abahamba ngezinyawo, abagibele amahhashi kanye nabagibele izinqola, wase ekhuphukela emagqumeni alelo lizwe. 23Walibhidliza iPhuthi neLudi, wachitha wonke amadodana kaRasisi kanye nabakwa-Ishmayeli emngceleni wogwadule ngaseningizimu yezwe lamaKheleyoni. 24Walandela indlela yomfula iYufrathe wadabula eMesophothamiya, wachitha imizi evikelekile egudle umthombo wase-Abhironi kwaze kwayofinyelela olwandle. 25Wabuye wadla nendawo yaseKhilikhiya, wabulala bonke ababemelene naye. Wafika ngasemngceleni oseningizimu lakwaJafethi, elibhekene ne-Arabhiya. 26Wazungeza wakaka bonke abakwaMidiyani, wathungela ngomlilo onke amatende abo, wadla imihlambi yezimvu zabo.
27Wayesehlela emathafeni aseDamaseku ngesikhathi sokuvunwa kukakolweni, wathungela ngomlilo onke amasimu abo, wabulala nemihlambi yemfuyo yabo, waxosha abasemizini yabo, wachitha izwe labo, wabulala ngenkemba zonke izinsizwa zalo. 28Ngakho-ke bonke abantu ababehlala ngasogwini lolwandle eSidoni naseThire, bangenwa luvalo nokumesaba, nalabo ababehlala eShuri nase-Okhina nabo bonke abahlala eJemniya. Kanjalo nalabo ababehlala e-Azothu nase-Askhaloni bamesaba kakhulu.
