Judit, 10

1. Acabada su plegaria al Dios de Israel, y dichas todas estas palabras,

1. When Judith had ceased crying out to the God of Israel, and had ended all these words,

2. se levantó Judit del suelo, llamó a su sierva y bajando a la casa donde pasaba los sábados y solemnidades,

2. she rose from where she lay prostrate and called her maid and went down into the house where she lived on sabbaths and on her feast days;

3. se quitó el sayal que vestía, se desnudó de sus vestidos de viudez, se baño toda, se ungió con perfumes exquisitos, se compuso la cabellera poniéndose una cinta, y se vistió los vestidos que vestía cuando era feliz, en vida de su marido Manasés.

3. and she removed the sackcloth which she had been wearing, and took off her widow's garments, and bathed her body with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment, and combed her hair and put on a tiara, and arrayed herself in her gayest apparel, which she used to wear while her husband Manasseh was living.

4. Se calzó las sandalias, se puso los collares, brazeletes y anillos, sus pendientes y todas sus joyas, y realzó su hermosura cuanto pudo, con ánimo de seducir los ojos de todos los hombres que la viesen.

4. And she put sandals on her feet, and put on her anklets and bracelets and rings, and her earrings and all her ornaments, and made herself very beautiful, to entice the eyes of all men who might see her.

5. Luego dio a su sierva un odre de vino y un cántaro de aceite, llenó una alforja con harina de cebada, tortas de higos y panes puros, empaquetó las provisiones y se lo entregó igualmente a su sierva.

5. And she gave her maid a bottle of wine and a flask of oil, and filled a bag with parched grain and a cake of dried fruit and fine bread; and she wrapped up all her vessels and gave them to her to carry.

6. Luego se dirigieron a la puerta de la ciudad, de Betulia, donde se encontraron con Ozías y con Jabrís y Jarmís, ancianos de la ciudad.

6. Then they went out to the city gate of Bethulia, and found Uzziah standing there with the elders of the city, Chabris and Charmis.

7. Cuando vieron a Judit con el rostro transformado y mudada de vestidos, se quedaron maravillados de su extremada hermosura y le dijeron:

7. When they saw her, and noted how her face was altered and her clothing changed, they greatly admired her beauty, and said to her,

8. «¡Que el Dios de nuestros padres te haga alcanzar favor y dé cumplimiento a tus designios, para gloria de los hijos de Israel y exaltación de Jerusalén!»

8. "May the God of our fathers grant you favor and fulfil your plans, that the people of Israel may glory and Jerusalem may be exalted." And she worshiped God.

9. Ella adoró a Dios y les dijo: «Mandad que me abran la puerta de la ciudad para que vaya a poner por obra los deseos de que me habéis hablado.» Ellos mandaron a los jóvenes que le abrieran, tal como lo pedía.

9. Then she said to them, "Order the gate of the city to be opened for me, and I will go out and accomplish the things about which you spoke with me." So they ordered the young men to open the gate for her, as she had said.

10. Así lo hicieron ellos, y salió Judit con su sierva. Los hombres de la ciudad la siguieron con la mirada mientras descendía por la ladera, hasta que llegó al valle; y allí la perdieron de vista.

10. When they had done this, Judith went out, she and her maid with her; and the men of the city watched her until she had gone down the mountain and passed through the valley and they could no longer see her.

11. Avanzaron ellas a derecho por el valle, hasta que le salió al encuentro una avanzada de los asirios,

11. The women went straight on through the valley; and an Assyrian patrol met her

12. que la detuvieron y preguntaron: «¿Quién eres? ¿De dónde vienes? ¿A dónde vas?» Ella respondió: «Hija de hebreos soy y huyo de ellos, porque están a punto de ser devorados por vosotros.

12. and took her into custody, and asked her, "To what people do you belong, and where are you coming from, and where are you going?" She replied, "I am a daughter of the Hebrews, but I am fleeing from them, for they are about to be handed over to you to be devoured.

13. Vengo a presentarme ante Holofernes, jefe de vuestro ejército, para hablarle con sinceridad y mostrarle un camino por el que pueda pasar para adueñarse de toda la montaña, sin que perezca ninguno de sus hombres y sin que se pierda una sola vida».

13. I am on my way to the presence of Holofernes the commander of your army, to give him a true report; and I will show him a way by which he can go and capture all the hill country without losing one of his men, captured or slain."

14. Oyéndola hablar aquellos hombres, y viendo la admirable hermosura de su rostro, le dijeron:

14. When the men heard her words, and observed her face -- she was in their eyes marvelously beautiful -- they said to her,

15. «Has salvado tu vida con tu decisión de bajar a presentarte ante nuestro señor. Dirígete a su tienda, que algunos de los nuestros te acompañarán hasta ponerte en sus manos.

15. "You have saved your life by hurrying down to the presence of our lord. Go at once to his tent; some of us will escort you and hand you over to him.

16. Cuando estés en su presencia, no tengas miedo; anúnciale tus propósitos y él se portará bien contigo.»

16. And when you stand before him, do not be afraid in your heart, but tell him just what you have said, and he will treat you well."

17. Y eligieron entre ellos cien hombres que le dieran escolta a ella y a su sierva y las llevaran hasta la tienda de Holofernes.

17. They chose from their number a hundred men to accompany her and her maid, and they brought them to the tent of Holofernes.

18. Habiéndose corrido por todas las tiendas la noticia de su llegada, concurrió la gente del campamento, que hicieron corro en torno a ella, mientras esperaba, fuera de la tienda, que la anunciasen a Holofernes.

18. There was great excitement in the whole camp, for her arrival was reported from tent to tent, and they came and stood around her as she waited outside the tent of Holofernes while they told him about her.

19. Se quedaban admirados de su belleza y, por ella, admiraban a los israelitas, diciéndose unos a otros: «¿Quién puede menospreciar a un pueblo que tiene mujeres como ésta? ¡Sería un error dejar con vida a uno solo de ellos, porque los que quedaran, serían capaces de engañar a toda la tierra!»

19. And they marveled at her beauty, and admired the Israelites, judging them by her, and every one said to his neighbor, "Who can despise these people, who have women like this among them? Surely not a man of them had better be left alive, for if we let them go they will be able to ensnare the whole world!"

20. Salieron, pues, los de la escolta personal de Holofernes y todos sus servidores y la introdujeron en la tienda.

20. Then Holofernes' companions and all his servants came out and led her into the tent.

21. Estaba Holofernes descansando en su lecho, bajo colgaduras de oro y púrpura recamadas de esmeraldas y piedras preciosas.

21. Holofernes was resting on his bed, under a canopy which was woven with purple and gold and emeralds and precious stones.

22. Se la anunciaron y él salió hasta la entrada de la tienda, precedido de lámparas de plata.

22. When they told him of her he came forward to the front of the tent, with silver lamps carried before him.

23. Cuando Judit llegó ante Holofernes y sus ministros, todos se maravillaron de la hermosura de su rostro. Cayó ella rostro en tierra y se postró ante él, pero los siervos la levantaron.

23. And when Judith came into the presence of Holofernes and his servants, they all marveled at the beauty of her face; and she prostrated herself and made obeisance to him, and his slaves raised her up.