Umkhandlu Wempi Ekamu LikaHolofernesi
1Kwabikwa kuHolofernesi umkhuzi omkhulu wempi yase-Asiriya, ukuthi abantu bakwa-Israyeli balungele impi nokuthi sebezivalile izintuba ezintabeni benza izinqaba kuzo zonke izintaba eziphakemeyo nemigoqo emathafeni. 2Ngokuthukuthela okukhulu wabiza wonke amakhosi akwaMowabi nabakhuzi bempi bakwa-Amoni nabo bonke ababusi belingasogwini, 3wathi kubo: “Ngitsheleni nina maKhanani, ngobani laba abahlala kuleli lizwe lezintaba na? Madolobha mani abahlala kuwo na? Ingakanani impi yabo na? Alele kuphi amandla abo na? Ngubani obusa phezu kwabo njengenkosi nohola impi yabo na? 4Kungani bona bodwa, kubo bonke abahlala entshonalanga, benqabile ukuphuma beze kimi na?”
Inkulumo Ka-Akhiyori
5U-Akhiyori, umholi wabakwa-Amoni, wathi kuye: “Make ulilalele nkosi yami, izwi elivela emlonyeni wenceku yakho, ngizakukutshela iqiniso ngalaba bantu abahlala kulesi sifunda esiseduze nathi. Akukho nkohliso ezakuphuma emlonyeni wenceku yakho. 6Laba bantu bayinzalo yamaKhaledi. 7Bake bahlala lapha eMesophothamiya, ngokuba babengafuni ukukhonza onkulunkulu bokhokho babo ababesezweni laba Khaledi. 8Ngenxa yokuba babezilahlile izindlela zawokhokho babo, bakhonza uNkulunkulu wezulu, uNkulunkulu abase bemazi, okhokho babo babaxosha phambi konkulunkulu babo. Ngakho-ke babalekela kwelase Mesophothamiya, bahlala lapho isikhathi eside.
9“UNkulunkulu wabo wayesebayala ukuba bayishiye leyo ndawo ababehlala kuyo baye ezweni laseKhanani. Bahlala lapho baceba ngegolide nesiliva nemfuyo eningi. 10Lapho indlala seyande kulo lonke iKhanani behlela eGibhithe bazinza khona njengoba kwakunokudla lapho. Baba yisizwe esikhulu esinzalo yaso ingenakubalwa. 11Inkosi yaseGibhithe yabaphendukela, yabagqilaza yabaphoqelela ukuba benze izitini. 12Bakhala kuNkulunkulu wabo, walishaya iGibhithe lonke ngezifo ezingelaphekiyo. Ngakho-ke abaseGibhithe babaxosha basuka ebusweni babo.
13“UNkulunkulu womisa uLwandle Olubomvu ngaphambi kwabo, 14wabahola ngendlela yaseSinayi kanye naseKadeshi Bhaneya. Baxosha bonke abantu ababehlala ehlane, 15bahlala ezweni lama-Amori, ngezikhwepha zabo bachitha bonke abakhile eHeshibhoni; bathi ukuliwela iJordani balidla lonke elisezintabeni. 16Baxosha ngaphambi kwabo onke amaKhanani, amaPherizi, amaJebusi, amaShekemi kanye namaGerigashe, bahlala lapho isikhathi eside. 17Konke kwabahambela kahle ngaso sonke isikhathi abangonanga ngaso phambi kukaNkulunkulu wabo, ngenxa yokuba uNkulunkulu ozonda ububi wayenabo.
18“Kepha lapho bechezuka endleleni ayebamisele yona behlulwa empini, bathunjwa basiwa kwelinye izwe, ithempeli likaNkulunkulu lacekelwa phansi emhlabathini, imizi yabo yahlalwa yizitha zabo. 19Emuva kokuba sebephendukele kuNkulunkulu wabo, wababuyisa emazweni ababethunjelwe kuwo, wabahlalisa eJerusalema, eliyindawo yabo engcwele, wabakhisa futhi nakwelezintaba ngenxa yokuba kwakungenamuntu kulo. 20Ngakho-ke nkosi, uma kukhona iphutha kulaba bantu futhi bonile kuNkulunkulu wabo nathi sinesiqiniseko ngehlazo labo, singakhuphuka silwe nabo sibehlule. 21Kepha uma beyisizwe esingenacala, inkosi yami mayingabahlaseli; ngokuba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo uyakubavikela kithi, bese thina siphenduka inhlekisa emhlabeni wonke.”
22Lapho u-Akhiyori eseqedile ukusho onke la mazwi, bonke abantu ababemi bezungeze itende bakhononda; abakhuzi bempi kaHolofernesi kanye nabo bonke abakhile kwelingasolwandle nakwaMowabi bathi makabulawe aqotshwe abe zicucu. 23Base bethi: “thina asiwesabi ama-Israyeli, bheka angabantu abangenamandla namfutho ngisho wokuhlanganisa impi enamandla. 24Ngakho-ke mayikhuphuke manje yonke impi yakho, nkosi Holofernesi, ibasobozele.”
