Judith, 12

1. Then he ordered them to lead her into the room where his silverware was kept, and bade them set a table for her with his own delicacies to eat and his own wine to drink.

1. With that he had her brought in to where his silver dinner service was already laid, and had his own food served to her and his own wine poured out for her.

2. But Judith said, "I will not partake of them, lest it be an occasion of sin; but I shall be amply supplied from the things I brought with me."

2. But Judith said, 'I would rather not eat this, in case I incur some fault. What I have brought will be enough for me.'

3. Holofernes asked her: "But if your provisions give out, where shall we get more of the same to provide for you? None of your people are with us."

3. 'Suppose your provisions run out,' Holofernes asked, 'how could we get more of the same sort? We have no one belonging to your race here.'

4. Judith answered him, "As surely as you, my lord, live, your handmaid will not use up her supplies till the Lord accomplishes by my hand what he has determined."

4. 'May your soul live, my lord,' Judith answered, 'the Lord will have used me to accomplish his plan, before your servant has finished these provisions.'

5. Then the servants of Holofernes led her into the tent, where she slept till midnight. In the night watch just before dawn, she rose

5. Holofernes' adjutants then took her to a tent where she slept until midnight. A little before the morning watch, she got up.

6. and sent this message to Holofernes, "Give orders, my lord, to let your handmaid go out for prayer."

6. She had already sent this request to Holofernes, 'Let my lord kindly give orders for your servant to be allowed to go out and pray,'

7. So Holofernes ordered his bodyguard not to hinder her. Thus she stayed in the camp three days. Each night she went out to the ravine of Bethulia, where she washed herself at the spring of the camp.

7. and Holofernes had ordered his guards not to prevent her. She stayed in the camp for three days; she went out each night to the valley of Bethulia and washed at the spring where the picket had been posted.

8. After bathing, she besought the Lord, the God of Israel, to direct her way for the triumph of his people.

8. As she went she prayed to the Lord God of Israel to guide her in her plan to relieve the children of her people.

9. Then she returned purified to the tent, and remained there until her food was brought to her toward evening.

9. Having purified herself, she would return and stay in her tent until her meal was brought her in the evening.

10. On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet for his servants alone, to which he did not invite any of the officers.

10. On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet, inviting only his own staff and none of the other officers.

11. And he said to Bagoas, the eunuch in charge of his household: "Go and persuade this Hebrew woman in your care to come and to eat and drink with us.

11. He said to Bagoas, the officer in charge of his personal affairs, 'Go and persuade that Hebrew woman you are looking after to come and join us and eat and drink in our company.

12. It would be a disgrace for us to have such a woman with us without enjoying her company. If we do not entice her, she will laugh us to scorn."

12. We shall be disgraced if we let a woman like this go without seducing her. If we do not seduce her, everyone will laugh at us!'

13. So Bagoas left the presence of Holofernes, and came to Judith and said, "So fair a maiden should not be reluctant to come to my lord to be honored by him, to enjoy drinking wine with us, and to be like one of the Assyrian women who live in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar."

13. Bagoas then left Holofernes and went to see Judith. 'Would this young and lovely woman condescend to come to my lord?' he asked. 'She will occupy the seat of honour opposite him, drink the joyful wine with us and be treated today like one of the Assyrian ladies who stand in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.'

14. She replied, "Who am I to refuse my lord? Whatever is pleasing to him I will promptly do. This will be a joy for me till the day of my death."

14. 'Who am I', Judith replied, 'to resist my lord? I shall not hesitate to do whatever he wishes, and doing this will be my joy to my dying day.'

15. Thereupon she proceeded to put on her festive garments and all her feminine adornments. Meanwhile her maid went ahead and spread out on the ground for her in front of Holofernes the fleece Bagoas had furnished for her daily use in reclining at her dinner.

15. So she got up and put on her dress and all her feminine adornments. Her maid preceded her, and on the floor in front of Holofernes spread the fleece which Bagoas had given Judith for her daily use to lie on as she ate.

16. Then Judith came in and reclined on it. The heart of Holofernes was in rapture over her, and his spirit was shaken. He was burning with the desire to possess her, for he had been biding his time to seduce her from the day he saw her.

16. Judith came in and took her place. The heart of Holofernes was ravished at the sight; his very soul was stirred. He was seized with a violent desire to sleep with her; and indeed since the first day he saw her, he had been waiting for an opportunity to seduce her.

17. Holofernes said to her, "Drink and be merry with us!"

17. 'Drink then!' Holofernes said. 'Enjoy yourself with us!'

18. Judith replied, "I will gladly drink, my lord, for at no time since I was born have I ever enjoyed life as much as I do today."

18. 'I am delighted to do so, my lord, for since my birth I have never felt my life more worthwhile than today.'

19. She then took the things her maid had prepared, and ate and drank in his presence.

19. She took what her maid had prepared, and ate and drank facing him.

20. Holofernes, charmed by her, drank a great quantity of wine, more than he had ever drunk on one single day in his life.

20. Holofernes was so enchanted with her that he drank far more wine than he had drunk on any other day in his life.