Judith 3

¹Thanne kyngis and princes of alle citees and prouynces, that is, of Cirie, of Mesopotanye, and of Sirie Sobal, and of Libie, and of Cilicie, sente her messangeris. `Whiche comynge to Holofernes, seiden,

²Thin indignacioun ceesse aboute vs; for it is betere, that we lyue and serue Nabugodonosor, the grete kyng, and be suget to thee, than that we die, and suffre with oure perischyng the harmes of oure seruage.

³Ech citee of oure, al possessioun, alle munteyns, and litle hillis, and feeldis, and droues of oxes, and flockis of scheep, and of geet,

⁴and of horsis, and of camels, and alle oure richessis and meyneis ben in thi siyt; alle thingis be vndur thi lawe.

⁵Also we and oure children ben thi seruauntis.

⁶Come thou a pesible lord to vs, and vse thou oure seruyce, as it plesith thee.

⁷Thanne he cam doun fro the hillis, with knyytis in greet `vertu, that is, strengthe, and gat ech citee, and ech man `enhabitynge the lond.

⁸Forsothe of alle citees he took to hym helperis, stronge men and chosun to batel.

⁹And so grete drede lay on alle prouynces, that enhabiteris of alle citees, princes and `onourid men, yeden togidere out with puplis to meete hym comynge,

¹⁰and `resseyueden hym with corouns and laumpis, and ledden daunsis with pipis and tympans.

¹¹Netheles thei doynge these thingis myyten not swage the fersnesse of his herte;

¹²for whi bothe he distriede her citees, and hew doun her wodis.

¹³For kyng Nabugodonosor hadde comaundid to hym, that he schulde distrie alle the goddis of erthe, that is, that he aloone schulde be seid god of alle these naciouns, that myyten be maad suget bi the power of Holofernes.

¹⁴Forsothe he passide al Sirie Sobal, and al Appanye, and al Mesopotanye, and cam to Idumeis `in to the lond of Gabaa;

¹⁵and he took the citees of hem, and dwellide there bi thritti daies, in whiche daies he comaundide al the oost of his power to be gaderid togidere.

Judith 3

¹So they sent ambassadors unto him to treat of peace, saying,

²Behold, we the servants of Nabuchodonosor the great king lie before thee; use us as shall be good in thy sight.

³Behold, our houses, and all our places, and all our fields of wheat, and flocks, and herds, and all the lodges of our tents lie before thy face; use them as it pleaseth thee.

⁴Behold, even our cities and the inhabitants thereof are thy servants; come and deal with them as seemeth good unto thee.

⁵So the men came to Holofernes, and declared unto him after this manner.

⁶Then came he down toward the sea coast, both he and his army, and set garrisons in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for aid.

⁷So they and all the country round about received them with garlands, with dances, and with timbrels.

⁸Yet he did cast down their frontiers, and cut down their groves: for he had decreed to destroy all the gods of the land, that all nations should worship Nabuchodonosor only, and that all tongues and tribes should call upon him as god.

⁹Also he came over against Esdraelon near unto Judea, over against the great strait of Judea.

¹⁰And he pitched between Geba and Scythopolis, and there he tarried a whole month, that he might gather together all the carriages of his army.