Liber Iudith, 10

1. Et factum est, ut cessavit cla mans ad Deum Israel et con summavit omnia verba ista,

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

2. surrexit de prostratione sua et vocavit abram suam et descendit in domum suam, in qua commorabatur in diebus sabbatorum et in diebus festis suis.

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. Et abstulit cilicium, quod induerat, et exuit se vestimenta viduitatis suae et lavit corpus suum aqua et unxit se unguento spisso et pectinavit capillos capitis sui et imposuit mitram super caput suum et induit se vestimenta iucunditatis suae, quibus vestiebatur in diebus vitae viri sui Manasses.

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. Et accepit soleas in pedes suos et imposuit periscelides et dextralia et anulos et inaures et omnem ornatum suum et composuit se nimis in seductionem oculorum virorum, quicumque viderent eam.

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. Et porrexit abrae suae ascopam vini et vas olei et peram implevit alphitis et massa fici et panibus et caseo et plicavit omnia vasa sua et imposuit ei.

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. Et abierunt ad portam civitatis Betuliae et invenerunt adstantem ad eam Oziam et seniores civitatis Chabrin et Charmin.

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. Qui cum vidissent eam, et erat mutata facies eius, et vestem mutatam, mirati sunt valde et dixerunt ei:

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. “Deus patrum nostrorum det te in gratiam et consummet cogitationes tuas in gloriam filiorum Israel et in exaltationem Ierusalem”.

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. Et procidens in faciem adoravit Deum et dixit ad eos: “Praecipite aperiri portam civitatis, et exeam in consummationen verborum, quae locuti estis mecum”. Et constituerunt iuvenibus aperiri ei, sicut locuti sunt;

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. et fecerunt sic. Et exiit Iudith, ipsa et ancilla eius cum ea; et speculabantur eam viri civitatis, quoadusque descendit montem, usquedum transiit convallem, et iam non videbant eam.

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. Et ibant in convallem in directum, et obviavit ei prima custodia Assyriorum.

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

12. Et comprehenderunt eam et interrogaverunt eam: “Quorum es et unde venis et quo vadis?”. Dixitque eis: “Filia sum ego Hebraeorum et recedo a facie ipsorum, quoniam incipiunt tradi vobis in devorationem.

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. Et ego venio ad faciem Holofernis principis militiae virtutis vestrae, ut renuntiem ei verba veritatis et ostendam ante faciem ipsius viam, per quam vadat et dominetur universae montanae, et non discumveniat ex viris eius caro una, nec spiritus vitae”.

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. Et, ut audierunt viri verba eius et inspexerunt faciem eius — et erat in conspectu eorum mirabilis specie valde — dixerunt ad eam:

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

15. “Salvasti animam tuam in bonum festinans descendere ad faciem domini nostri. Et nunc accede ad tabernaculum eius; et ex nostris praemittent te, quousque tradant te in manibus eius.

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. Si autem steteris in conspectu eius, noli timere corde tuo, sed renuntia illi secundum verba tua, et bene tibi faciet”.

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. Et elegerunt ex seipsis viros centum et adiunxerunt ei et abrae eius et perduxerunt eas ad tabernaculum Holofernis.

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. Et factus est concursus in omnibus castris; innotuit enim in tabernaculis adventus eius. Et venerunt et circumdederunt eam stantem extra tabernaculum Holofernis, quoadusque nuntiaverunt ei de ea.

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. Et mirabantur ad speciem eius et percipiebant verba eius, quia erant bona valde, et laudabant filios Israel propter eam. Et dixit unusquisque ad proximum suum: “Quis contemnet populum hunc, qui habet in se mulieres tales? Quoniam non est bonum derelinquere virum unum ex eis, qui relicti possint decipere totam terram”.

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. Et exierunt omnes cubicularii Holofernis et omnes famuli eius et induxerunt eam in tabernaculum eius.

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

21. Et erat Holofernes requiescens in lectu suo in conopeo, quod erat ex purpura et auro et smaragdo et lapidibus pretiosissimis contextum.

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

22. Et nuntiaverunt ei de ea. Qui cum audisset, exiit in proscaenium; et lampades argenteae praecedentes eum multae valde. Et induxerunt eam ad eum.

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

23. Cum autem venit contra faciem eius Iudith et famulorum eius, laudaverunt omnes speciem faciei eius; procidensque in faciem adoravit eum, et suscitaverunt eam servi eius.

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.