THE BOOK OF JUDITH
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
11:3. But now tell me, for what cause hast thou left them, and why it hath pleased thee to come to us?
11:4. And Judith said to him: Receive the words of thy handmaid, for if thou wilt follow the words of thy handmaid, the Lord will do with thee a perfect thing.
11:5. For as Nabuchodonosor the king of the earth liveth, and his power liveth which is in thee for chastising of all straying souls: not only men serve him through thee, but also the beasts of the field obey him.
11:6. For the industry of thy mind is spoken of among all nations, and it is told through the whole world, that thou only art excellent, and mighty in all his kingdom, and thy discipline is cried up in all provinces.
11:7. It is known also what Achior said, nor are we ignorant of what thou hast commanded to be done to him.
11:8. For it is certain that our God is so offended with sins, that he hath sent word by his prophets to the people, that he will deliver them up for their sins.
11:9. And because the children of Israel know they have offended their God, thy dread is upon them.
11:10. Moreover also a famine hath come upon them, and for drought of water they are already to be counted among the dead.
11:11. And they have a design even to kill their cattle, and to drink the blood of them.
11:12. And the consecrated things of the Lord their God which God forbade them to touch, in corn, wine, and oil, these have they purposed to make use of, and they design to consume the things which they ought not to touch with their hands: therefore because they do these things, it is certain they will be given up to destruction.
11:13. And I thy handmaid knowing this, am fled from them, and the Lord hath sent me to tell thee these very things.
11:14. For I thy handmaid worship God even now that I am with thee, and thy handmaid will go out, and I will pray to God,
11:15. And he will tell me when he will repay them for their sins, and I will come and tell thee, so that I may bring thee through the midst of Jerusalem, and thou shalt have all the people of Israel, as sheep that have no shepherd, and there shall not so much as one dog bark against thee:
11:16. Because these things are told me by the providence of God.
11:17. And because God is angry with them, I am sent to tell these very things to thee.
11:18. And all these words pleased Holofernes, and his servants, and they admired her wisdom, and they said one to another:
11:19. There is not such another woman upon earth in look, in beauty, and in sense of words.
11:20. And Holofernes said to her: God hath done well who sent thee before the people, that thou mightest give them into our hands:
11:21. And because thy promise is good, if thy God shall do this for me, he shall also be my God, and thou shalt be great in the house of Nabuchodonosor, and thy name shall be renowned through all the earth.
Judith Chapter 12
Judith goeth out in the night to pray: she is invited to a banquet with Holofernes.
12:1. Then he ordered that she should go in where his treasures were laid up, and bade her tarry there, and he appointed what should be given her from his own table.
12:2. And Judith answered him and said: Now I cannot eat of these things which thou commandest to be given me, lest sin come upon me: but I will eat of the things which I have brought.
12:3. And Holofernes said to her: If these things which thou hast brought with thee fail thee, what shall we do for thee?
12:4. And Judith said: As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy handmaid shall not spend all these things till God do by my hand that which I have purposed. And his servants brought her into the tent which he had commanded.
12:5. And when she was going in, she desired that she might have liberty to go out at night and before day to prayer, and to beseech the Lord.
12:6. And he commanded his chamberlains, that she might go out and in, to adore her God as she pleased, for three days.
12:7. And she went out in the nights into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water.
12:8. And as she came up, she prayed to the Lord the God of Israel, that he would direct her way to the deliverance of his people.
12:9. And going in, she remained pure in the tent, until she took her own meat in the evening.
12:10. And it came to pass on the fourth day, that Holofernes made a supper for his servants, and said to Vagao his eunuch: Go, and persuade that Hebrew woman, to consent of her own accord to dwell with me.
12:11. For it is looked upon as shameful among the Assyrians, if a woman mock a man, by doing so as to pass free from him.
12:12. Then Vagao went in to Judith, and said: Let not my good maid be afraid to go in to my lord, that she may be honoured before his face, that she may eat with him and drink wine and be merry.
12:13. And Judith answered him: Who am I, that I should gainsay my lord?
12:14. All that shall be good and best before his eyes, I will do. And whatsoever shall please him, that shall be best to me all the days of my life.
12:15. And she arose and dressed herself out with her garments, and going in she stood before his face.
12:16. And the heart of Holofernes was smitten, for he was burning with the desire of her.
12:17. And Holofernes said to her: Drink now, and sit down and be merry; for thou hast found favour before me.
12:18. And Judith said: I will drink my lord, because my life is magnified this day above all my days.
12:19. And she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared for her.