Chapter 16

¹ Then Judith began to sing this thanksgiving in all Israel, and all the people sang after her this song of praise.

Jdt 16:1

² And Judith said,

Jdt 16:2

³ For God breaketh the battles:

Jdt 16:3

⁴ Assyria came out of the mountains from the north,

Jdt 16:4

⁵ He bragged that he would burn up my borders,

Jdt 16:5

⁶ But the Almighty Lord hath disappointed them

Jdt 16:6

⁷ For the mighty one did not fall by the young men,

Jdt 16:7

⁸ For she put off the garment of her widowhood

Jdt 16:8

⁹ Her sandals ravished his eyes,

Jdt 16:9

¹⁰ The Persians quaked at her boldness,

Jdt 16:10

¹¹ Then my afflicted shouted for joy,

Jdt 16:11

¹² The sons of the damsels have pierced them through,

Jdt 16:12

¹³ I will sing unto my God a new song:

Jdt 16:13

¹⁴ Let all creatures serve thee:

Jdt 16:14

¹⁵ For the mountains shall be moved from their foundations with the waters,

Jdt 16:15

¹⁶ For all sacrifice is too little for a sweet savor unto thee,

Jdt 16:16

¹⁷ Woe to the nations that rise up against my kindred!

Jdt 16:17

¹⁸ Now as soon as they entered into Jerusalem, they worshiped the Lord; and as soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt offerings, and their free offerings, and their gifts.

Jdt 16:18

¹⁹ Judith also dedicated all the stuff of Holofernes, which the people had given her, and gave the canopy which she had taken out of his bedchamber, for a gift unto God.

Jdt 16:19

²⁰ So the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for the space of three months, and Judith remained with them.

Jdt 16:20

²¹ After this time every one returned to his own inheritance, and Judith went to Bethulia, and remained in her own possession, and was in her time honorable in all the country. ²² And many desired her, but none knew her all the days of her life, after that Manasseh her husband was dead, and was gathered to his people.

Jdt 16:21-22

²³ But she increased more and more in honor, and waxed old in her husband’s house, being a hundred and five years old, and made her maid free; so she died in Bethulia: and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasseh. ²⁴ And the house of Israel lamented her seven days: and before she died, she did distribute her goods to all them that were nearest of kindred to Manasseh her husband, and to them that were the nearest of her kindred. ²⁵ And there was none that made the children of Israel anymore afraid in the days of Judith, nor a long time after her death.

Jdt 16:23-25