3. The Assyrian came from the mountains in the north;he came with tens of thousandsof his warriors;their crowd of peopleblocked the ravines,and their cavalry covered the hills.
4. He bragged that he wouldburn my territory,kill my young men with the sword,throw my infants to the ground,take my children as slaves,and rape my virgins.
5. But the Lord Almighty overthrew them by the hand of a woman.
6. Their leader didn’t fall to his knees because of young men,nor did the sons of the Titansstrike him down,nor did the tall giants assault him.But Judith, Merari’s daughter,paralyzed him with her beauty.
7. She took off her widow’s clothingto lift up the oppressed in Israel.She put perfume on her face,
8. tied a headband around her hair,and put on a linen gown to trick him.
9. Her sandal captured his eyes;her beauty captured his heart,and the sword sliced through his neck.
10. The Persians trembled at her daring,and the Medes were troubledby her boldness.
11. Then my humbled ones shouted loudly;my weak ones cried out,they lifted up their voices,and the enemies were overthrown.
12. Sons of mere girls stabbed themand wounded themlike the children of deserters.They perished beforemy Lord’s army.
13. I will sing to my God a new song.Lord, you are great and glorious, marvelous in strengthnever to be outdone.
14. May all of your creation serve you;you spoke,and they came into being.You sent forth your spiritand it shaped them;there is no onewho can resist your voice.
15. The mountains will be shaken from their foundations with the waters;rocks will melt like wax before you.Yet you will show mercyto those who fear you.
16. The pleasant fragrance of all offeringsis a small thing to you,and the fat of all entirely burned offerings means even less to you.But those who fear the Lordare great forever.
17. How terrible it will be for those nationswho rise up against my people.The Lord Almighty will take vengeance upon them on the Judgment Day.He will send fire and wormsinto their flesh,and they will weep forever with the pain.
18. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they worshipped God. Once the people were purified, they offered their entirely burned offerings and spontaneous gifts.