Liber Iudith, 13

1. Et, ut vesper factus est, festinaverunt servi eius abire, et Bagoas conclusit tabernaculum a foris et dimisit adstantes a facie domini sui. Et abierunt omnes in cubilia sua; erant enim omnes fatigati, quoniam plurimus factus erat potus.

1. When evening came, his slaves quickly withdrew, and Bagoas closed the tent from outside and shut out the attendants from his master's presence; and they went to bed, for they all were weary because the banquet had lasted long.

2. Derelicta est autem sola Iudith in tabernaculo, et Holofernes prociderat in lectum suum; circumfusum enim erat ei vinum.

2. So Judith was left alone in the tent , with Holofernes stretched out on his bed, for he was overcome with wine.

3. Et dixit Iudith ancillae suae, ut staret extra cubiculum et observaret exitum eius sicut cotidie; exire enim se dixit ad orationem suam, et Bagoae locuta est secundum verba haec.

3. Now Judith had told her maid to stand outside the bedchamber and to wait for her to come out, as she did every day; for she said she would be going out for her prayers. And she had said the same thing to Bagoas.

4. Discesseruntque omnes a facie, et nemo relictus est in cubiculo eius, a minimo usque ad magnum. Et stans Iudith ad caput eius dixit: “Domine, Domine, Deus omnium virtutum, respice in hac hora ad opera manuum mearum, ut exaltetur Ierusalem.

4. So every one went out, and no one, either small or great, was left in the bedchamber. Then Judith, standing beside his bed, said in her heart, "O Lord God of all might, look in this hour upon the work of my hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem.

5. Quia nunc est tempus, ut suscipias hereditatem tuam et facias cogitationem meam in quassationem inimicorum, qui insurrexerunt super nos”.

5. For now is the time to help thy inheritance, and to carry out my undertaking for the destruction of the enemies who have risen up against us."

6. Et accedens ad columnam lectus, quae erat ad caput Holofernis, deposuit pugionem illius ab illa.

6. She went up to the post at the end of the bed, above Holofernes' head, and took down his sword that hung there.

7. Et accedens ad lectum comprehendit comam capitis eius et dixit: “Deus Israel, confirma me, Domine, Deus Israel, in hoc die”.

7. She came close to his bed and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, "Give me strength this day, O Lord God of Israel!"

8. Et percussit in cervicem eius bis in virtute sua et abstulit caput eius ab eo.

8. And she struck his neck twice with all her might, and severed it from his body.

9. Et volutavit corpus eius a toro et abstulit conopeum eius a columnis; et post pusillum exiit et tradidit abrae suae caput Holofernis,

9. Then she tumbled his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from the posts; after a moment she went out, and gave Holofernes' head to her maid,

10. et misit illud in peram escarum suarum. Et exierunt ambae simul secundum consuetudinem suam quasi ad orationem. Transeuntesque castra gyraverunt totam vallem illam et subascenderunt montem Betuliae et venerunt ad portas eius.

10. who placed it in her food bag. Then the two of them went out together, as they were accustomed to go for prayer; and they passed through the camp and circled around the valley and went up the mountain to Bethulia and came to its gates.

11. Et dixit Iudith a longe eis, qui custodiebant in portis: “Aperite, aperite portam! Nobiscum est Deus, Deus noster, ut faciat adhuc virtutem in Israel et potentiam adversus inimicos nostros, sicut et hodie fecit”.

11. Judith called out from afar to the watchmen at the gates, "Open, open the gate! God, our God, is still with us, to show his power in Israel, and his strength against our enemies, even as he has done this day!"

12. Et factum est, ut audierunt viri civitatis vocem eius, festinaverunt descendere ad portam civitatis suae et convocaverunt seniores civitatis.

12. When the men of her city heard her voice, they hurried down to the city gate and called together the elders of the city.

13. Et concurrerunt omnes a minimo usque ad magnum, quoniam mirum erat eis illam reversam esse. Et aperuerunt portam et receperunt eas et accendentes ignem ad lumen congyraverunt eam.

13. They all ran together, both small and great, for it was unbelievable that she had returned; they opened the gate and admitted them, and they kindled a fire for light, and gathered around them.

14. Quae dixit ad eos voce magna: “Laudate Dominum nostrum, laudate, quia non abstulit misericordiam suam a domo Israel, sed conteruit inimicos nostros per manum meam in hac nocte”.

14. Then she said to them with a loud voice, "Praise God, O praise him! Praise God, who has not withdrawn his mercy from the house of Israel, but has destroyed our enemies by my hand this very night!"

15. Et proferens caput de pera sua ostendit et dixit eis: “Ecce caput Holofernis principis militiae virtutis Assyriorum, et ecce conopeum, in quo recumbebat in ebrietate sua. Et percussit eum Dominus in manu feminae.

15. Then she took the head out of the bag and showed it to them, and said, "See, here is the head of Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrian army, and here is the canopy beneath which he lay in his drunken stupor. The Lord has struck him down by the hand of a woman.

16. Et vivit Dominus, qui custodivit me in via mea, qua profecta sum, quoniam seduxit eum facies mea in perditionem eius, et non fecit peccatum mecum in coinquinationem et confusionem”.

16. As the Lord lives, who has protected me in the way I went, it was my face that tricked him to his destruction, and yet he committed no act of sin with me, to defile and shame me."

17. Et obstupuit omnis populus valde et inclinantes se adoraverunt Deum et dixerunt unanimes: “Benedictus es, Deus noster, qui ad nihilum redegisti inimicos populi tui in hodierna die”.

17. All the people were greatly astonished, and bowed down and worshiped God, and said with one accord, "Blessed art thou, our God, who hast brought into contempt this day the enemies of thy people."

18. Et dixit ad eam Ozias: “Benedicta tu es, filia, a Deo excelso prae omnibus mulieribus, quae sunt super terram. Et benedictus Dominus Deus noster, qui creavit caelum et terram, qui direxit te in vulnus capitis principis inimicorum nostrorum.

18. And Uzziah said to her, "O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who has guided you to strike the head of the leader of our enemies.

19. Quoniam non discedet laus tua a corde hominum memorantium virtutis Dei usque in sempiternum.

19. Your hope will never depart from the hearts of men, as they remember the power of God.

20. Et faciat tibi ea Deus in exaltationem aeternam, ut visitet te in bonis, pro eo quod non pepercisti animae tuae propter humilitatem generis nostri, sed prosilisti in ruinam nostram in directum ambulans in conspectu Dei nostri”. Et dixit omnis populus: “Fiat, fiat!”.

20. May God grant this to be a perpetual honor to you, and may he visit you with blessings, because you did not spare your own life when our nation was brought low, but have avenged our ruin, walking in the straight path before our God." And all the people said, "So be it, so be it!"