unto Judith Holofernes' tent, and all his silver cups, and
his beds, and his vessels, and all his furniture: and she took them,
and placed them on her mule, and made ready her wagons, and heaped
them thereon.

And all the women of Israel ran together to see her; and they blessed
her, and made a dance among them for her; and she took branches in her
hand, and gave to the women that were with her. And they made
themselves garlands of olive, she and they that were with her, and she
went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women: and
all the men of Israel followed in their armor with garlands, and with
songs in their mouths. And Judith began to sing this thanksgiving in
all Israel, and all the people sang with loud voices this song of
praise. And Judith sang--

THE SONG OF JUDITH.

"Begin unto my God with timbrels,
Sing unto my Lord with cymbals: {106}
Sing unto him psalm and praise:
Exalt him, and call upon his name.
For the Lord is the God that breaketh the battles:
For in his armies in the midst of the people
He delivered me out of the hand of them that persecuted me.
Asshur came out of the mountains from the north,
He came with ten thousands of his host,
The multitudes whereof stopped the torrents,
And their horsemen covered the hills.
He bragged that he would burn up my borders,
And kill my young men with the sword,
And throw my sucking children to the ground,
And give mine infants for a prey,
And make my virgins a spoil.
The Almighty Lord brought them to nought by the hand of a woman.
For their mighty one did not fall by young men,
Neither did sons of the Titans smite him,
Nor did great giants set upon him:
But Judith the daughter of Merari made him weak with
the beauty of her countenance.
For she put off the apparel of her widowhood
For the exaltation of those that were distressed in Israel,
She anointed her face with ointment,
And bound up her hair,
And took a linen garment to deceive him.
Her sandal ravished his eye,
And her beauty took his soul prisoner,
The scimitar passed through his neck.
The Persians quaked at her daring,
And the Medes were daunted at her boldness.
Then my lowly ones shouted aloud,
And my weak ones were terrified and crouched for fear: {107}
They lifted up their voice, and they were turned to flight.
The sons of damsels pierced them through,
And wounded them as fugitives