UJudithi 1

₁Ngonyaka we-12 wokubusa kukaNebukhadinezari, owayebusa ama-Asiriya emzini waseNinive, ngalezo zinsuku u-Arifaksadi wayebusa amaMede ase-Ekbhathana, ₂wayibiyela i-Ekbhathana ngogange olwalwakhiwe ngamatshe ayelugqinsi olungamakhubhithi amathathu, ubude bungamakhubhithi ayisithupha. Wakha ugange lwaba ngamakhubhithi angama-70 ukuphakama, ububanzi balo bungamakhubhithi angama-50. ₃Emasangweni awo wamisa imibhoshongo ekuphakama kwayo kungamakhubhithi ayikhulu kanti ububanzi bayo ezisekelweni babungamakhubhithi angama-60. ₄Wenza amasango awo aba ngamakhubhithi angama-70 ukuphakama kanti ububanzi bungamakhubhithi angama-40 ukuze impi yakhe ikwazi ukuphuma ikhululekile futhi ikwazi ukushaya uhele ngokwamaviyo ayo.

₅Ngalezo zinsuku inkosi uNebukhadinezari waphumela ukuhlasela umbuso ka-Arifaksadi ethafeni elikhulu elalisemngceleni waseRagawu. ₆Bonke abantu ababehlala ngaseYufrathe naseThigrisi naseHydaspes nasethafeni, kanye no-Ariyokhi inkosi yase-Elymeans beza kuye. Ngakho izizwe eziningi zahlanganyela zaba lumbimbi lunye namadodana amaKhaledi. ₇UNebukhadinezari inkosi yama-Asiriya, wase ethumela izithunywa kubo bonke ababehlala ePheresiya, entshonalanga, eKhilikhiya, eDamaseku, eLebanoni kanye nanganeno kweLebanoni, nabo bonke abahlala ngasogwini lo lwandle, ₈nabo bonke abaphakathi kwezizwe zaseKhameli nakwaGileyadi, enhla neGalile nasethafeni elikhulu lase-Esdraloni, ₉nabo bonke abaseSamariya kanye namadolobha akhona, nangaphesheya kweJordani kuze kube seJerusalema naseBethani, naseKhelowusi, naseKhadeshi kanye nomfula waseGibhithe, neTehpahnesi kanye neRamasesi nalo lonke elaseGosheni, ₁₀kuze kube ngaphesheya kweTanisi neMemfisi nabo bonke abahlala eGibhithe kuze kube semingceleni yaseTopiya.

₁₁Bonke ababehlala kuleyo ndawo balidelela izwi likaNebukhadinezari, inkosi yase-Asiriya, abezanga ukuhlanganyela naye empini; ngokuba babengamesabi, kubo wayengumuntu nje. Ngakho-ke baziphindisela emuva izithunywa zakhe zingaphethe lizwi kodwa bezithele ngamahloni. ₁₂Ngakho uNebukhadinezari walithukuthelela kakhulu lelo lizwe, wafunga ngesihlalo sakhe nangombuso wakhe ukuthi uyoziphindisela kulo lonke elaseKhilikhiya, naseDamaseku, naseSiriya, nokuthi futhi uyozibulala ngesinkemba zonke izakhamuzi zezwe lakwaMowabi, nabantu bakwa-Amoni, neJudiya lonke, bonke abaseGibhithe, kuze kube sosebeni lwezilwandle ezimbili.

₁₃Ngomnyaka weshumi nesikhombisa uNebukhadinezari waphuma ngamandla ukulwa nombuso ka-Arifaksadi wawehlula empini, wayichitha yonke impi ka-Arifaksadi nabamahhashi nezinqola zakhe. ₁₄Ngakho wadla amadolobha akhe waze wafinyelela e-Ekbhathana, wathumba imibhoshongo yalo, wadla indawo enkulu yezwe labo, waphendula udumo lwalo lwaba yihlazo. ₁₅Wambamba u-Arifaksadi ezintabeni eRagawu wamthela othulini ngomkhonto, wamchitha kanjalo ngalezo zinsuku emshabalalisa isiphelo. ₁₆Wayesebuyela eNineve, yena nendidiyela yamabutho akhe noquqaba olukhulu; sebefike lapho baphumula bagubha umkhosi wokunqoba izinsuku ezili-120.