Judith 16:1-20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 16
Judith’s Hymn of Deliverance
1 And Judith sang:
“Strike up a song to my God with tambourines,(A)
sing to the Lord with cymbals;
Improvise for him a new song,
exalt and acclaim his name.
2 For the Lord is a God who crushes wars;(B)
he sets his encampment among his people;
he delivered me from the hands of my pursuers.
3 “The Assyrian came from the mountains of the north,
with myriads of his forces he came;
Their numbers blocked the wadies,
their cavalry covered the hills.
4 He threatened to burn my territory,
put my youths to the sword,
Dash my infants to the ground,
seize my children as plunder.
And carry off my virgins as spoil.
5 “But the Lord Almighty thwarted them,
by the hand of a female!
6 Not by youths was their champion struck down,(C)
nor did Titans bring him low,
nor did tall giants attack him;(D)
But Judith, the daughter of Merari,
by the beauty of her face brought him down.
7 She took off her widow’s garb
to raise up the afflicted in Israel.
She anointed her face with fragrant oil;
8 fixed her hair with a diadem,
and put on a linen robe to beguile him.
9 Her sandals ravished his eyes,(E)
her beauty captivated his mind,
the sword cut through his neck!(F)
10 “The Persians trembled at her boldness,
the Medes were daunted at her daring.
11 When my lowly ones shouted,
and my weak ones cried out,
The enemy was terrified,
screamed and took to flight.
12 Sons of maidservants pierced them through;
wounded them like deserters’ children.
They perished before the ranks of my Lord.
13 “I will sing a new song to my God.(G)
O Lord, great are you and glorious,
marvelous in power and unsurpassable.
14 Let your every creature serve you;
for you spoke, and they were made.
You sent forth your spirit, and it created them;(H)
no one can resist your voice.(I)
15 For the mountains to their bases
are tossed with the waters;
the rocks, like wax, melt before your glance.(J)
“But to those who fear you,
you will show mercy.
16 Though the sweet fragrance of every sacrifice is a trifle,
and the fat of all burnt offerings but little in your sight,
one who fears the Lord is forever great.
17 “Woe to the nations that rise against my people!
the Lord Almighty will requite them;
in the day of judgment he will punish them:
He will send fire and worms into their flesh,(K)
and they will weep and suffer forever.”
18 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they worshiped God. As soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt offerings, voluntary offerings, and donations.(L) 19 Judith dedicated to God all the things of Holofernes that the people had given her, putting under the ban the canopy that she herself had taken from his bedchamber.(M) 20 For three months the people continued their celebration in Jerusalem before the sanctuary, and Judith remained with them.
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