UJudithi 3

₁Ngakho-ke bathumela kuye izithunywa namazwi okuthula zathi: ₂“Bheka, thina zisebenzi zenkosi enkulu uNebukhadinezari, sizendlala phansi phambi kwakho. Yenza kithi njengokwentando yakho. ₃Bona, zonke izakhiwo zethu, nezwe lethu, namasimu ethu kanye nemihlambi yethu yezinkomo neyezimvu kuluyaca phambi kwakho; kanjalo nezindawo zethu zokuhlala ziphambi kobuso bakho yenza ngakho konke okuthandayo. ₄Imizi yethu kanye nabahlala kuyo bayizinceku zakho; woza wenze kithi njengokuba ubona kufanele emehlweni akho.”

₅Amadoda eza kuHolofernesi amazisa wonke la mazwi. ₆Wayesehlela ngasogwini lolwandle nempi yakhe wagoba amadlangala emizini yabo evikelekile, wayesethatha phakathi kwabo amadoda akhethekile ukuba abambisane nabo. ₇Laba bantu nabo bonke abakhelene nabo bakhombisa ukumemukela ngokumgaxa umgexo, ngokusina nokushaya izinsimbi ezikhencezayo. ₈Noma kunjalo wachitha zonke izifunda zabo wacekela phansi nezindawo zabo eziphakemeyo nama-althare azo, wanquma imithi yabo engcwele; ngokuba wayeyaliwe ukuba achithe bonke onkulunkulu balelo lizwe, ukuze zonke izizwe zikhonze uNebukhadinezari yedwa, nokuba zonke izilimi nezizwe zikhuleke kuye njengonkulunkulu. ₉Wayesehlela e-Esdrayeloni, eduze kwaseDothani, elibhekene nonqenqema olukhulu lwezintaba zaseJudiya; ₁₀wagoba amadlangala phakathi kwamadolobha aseGeba naseSkuthoni, wahlala inyanga yonke ukuze aqoqe konke akudingayo kwempi yakhe.