1 And in the eighteenth year, the two and twentieth day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, that he should, as he said, avenge himself on all the earth.

1 Anno tertiodecimo Nabuchodonosor regis, vigesima et secunda die mensis primi, factum est verbum in domo Nabuchodonosor regis Assyriorum ut defenderet se.

2 So he called unto him all his officers, and all his nobles, and communicated with them his secret counsel, and concluded the afflicting of the whole earth out of his own mouth.

2 Vocavitque omnes majores natu, omnesque duces et bellatores suos, et habuit cum eis mysterium consilii sui:

3 Then they decreed to destroy all flesh, that did not obey the commandment of his mouth.

3 dixitque cogitationem suam in eo esse, ut omnem terram suo subjugaret imperio.

4 And when he had ended his counsel, Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his army, which was next unto him, and said unto him,

4 Quod dictum cum placuisset omnibus, vocavit Nabuchodonosor rex Holofernem principem militiæ suæ,

5 Thus saith the great king, the lord of the whole earth, Behold, thou shalt go forth from my presence, and take with thee men that trust in their own strength, of footmen an hundred and twenty thousand; and the number of horses with their riders twelve thousand.

5 et dixit ei: Egredere adversus omne regnum occidentis, et contra eos præcipue, qui contempserunt imperium meum.

6 And thou shalt go against all the west country, because they disobeyed my commandment.

6 Non parcet oculus tuus ulli regno, omnemque urbem munitam subjugabis mihi.

7 And thou shalt declare unto them, that they prepare for me earth and water: for I will go forth in my wrath against them, and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of mine army, and I will give them for a spoil unto them:

7 Tunc Holofernes vocavit duces et magistratus virtutis Assyriorum, et dinumeravit viros in expeditionem sicut præcepit ei rex, centum viginti millia peditum pugnatorum, et equitum sagittariorum duodecim millia.

8 So that their slain shall fill their valleys and brooks, and the river shall be filled with their dead, till it overflow:

8 Omnemque expeditionem suam fecit præire in multitudine innumerabilium camelorum, cum his quæ exercitibus sufficerent copiose, boum quoque armenta, gregesque ovium, quorum non erat numerus.

9 And I will lead them captives to the utmost parts of all the earth.

9 Frumentum ex omni Syria in transitu suo parari constituit.

10 Thou therefore shalt go forth, and take beforehand for me all their coasts: and if they will yield themselves unto thee, thou shalt reserve them for me till the day of their punishment.

10 Aurum vero et argentum de domo regis assumpsit multum nimis.

11 But concerning them that rebel, let not thine eye spare them; but put them to the slaughter, and spoil them wheresoever thou goest.

11 Et profectus est ipse, et omnis exercitus cum quadrigis, et equitibus, et sagittariis: qui cooperuerunt faciem terræ sicut locustæ.

12 For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, whatsoever I have spoken, that will I do by mine hand.

12 Cumque pertransisset fines Assyriorum, venit ad magnos montes Ange, qui sunt a sinistro Ciliciæ: ascenditque omnia castella eorum, et obtinuit omnem munitionem.

13 And take thou heed that thou transgress none of the commandments of thy lord, but accomplish them fully, as I have commanded thee, and defer not to do them.

13 Effregit autem civitatem opinatissimam Melothi, prædavitque omnes filios Tharsis et filios Ismaël qui erant contra faciem deserti, et ad austrum terræ Cellon.

14 Then Holofernes went forth from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors and captains, and the officers of the army of Assur;

14 Et transivit Euphraten, et venit in Mesopotamiam: et fregit omnes civitates excelsas quæ erant ibi, a torrente Mambre usquequo perveniatur ad mare:

15 And he mustered the chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, unto an hundred and twenty thousand, and twelve thousand archers on horseback;

15 et occupavit terminos ejus, a Cilicia usque ad fines Japheth qui sunt ad austrum.

16 And he ranged them, as a great army is ordered for the war.

16 Abduxitque omnes filios Madian, et prædavit omnem locupletationem eorum, omnesque resistentes sibi occidit in ore gladii.

17 And he took camels and asses for their carriages, a very great number; and sheep and oxen and goats without number for their provision:

17 Et post hæc descendit in campos Damasci in diebus messis, et succendit omnia sata, omnesque arbores, et vineas fecit incidi:

18 And plenty of victual for every man of the army, and very much gold and silver out of the king's house.

18 et cecidit timor illius super omnes inhabitantes terram.

19 Then he went forth and all his power to go before king Nabuchodonosor in the voyage, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots, and horsemen, and their chosen footmen.

20 A great number also of sundry countries came with them like locusts, and like the sand of the earth: for the multitude was without number.

21 And they went forth of Nineve three days' journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and pitched from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the upper Cilicia.

22 Then he took all his army, his footmen, and horsemen, and chariots, and went from thence into the hill country;

23 And destroyed Phud and Lud, and spoiled all the children of Rasses, and the children of Ismael, which were toward the wilderness at the south of the land of the Chellians.

24 Then he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and destroyed all the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, till ye come to the sea.

25 And he took the borders of Cilicia, and killed all that resisted him, and came to the borders of Japheth, which were toward the south, over against Arabia.

26 He compassed also all the children of Madian, and burned up their tabernacles, and spoiled their sheepcotes.

27 Then he went down into the plain of Damascus in the time of wheat harvest, and burnt up all their fields, and destroyed their flocks and herds, also he spoiled their cities, and utterly wasted their countries, and smote all their young men with the edge of the sword.

28 Therefore the fear and dread of him fell upon all the inhabitants of the sea coasts, which were in Sidon and Tyrus, and them that dwelt in Sur and Ocina, and all that dwelt in Jemnaan; and they that dwelt in Azotus and Ascalon feared him greatly.