Judite, 10

1. Quando acabou de orar ao Senhor, levantou-se do lugar onde estava prostrada diante do Senhor.

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

2. Chamou a sua criada, desceu à sua casa, tirou o cilício e despiu suas vestes de viúva.

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. Lavou-se, ungiu-se de mirra preciosa, arranjou o cabelo e pôs um diadema. Vestiu-se como para uma festa, calçou as sandálias, pôs os braceletes, o colar, os brincos, os anéis e todos os seus enfeites.

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. O Senhor aumentou-lhe a beleza, porque tudo aquilo procedia, não de uma paixão má, mas de sua virtude; por isso, o Senhor deu-lhe uma tal formosura, que apareceu aos olhos de todos com um encanto incomparável.

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. Fez que sua criada levasse um odre de vinho, uma garrafa de óleo, grãos torrados, figos secos, pão e queijo e partiu.

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. Chegando à porta de Betúlia, encontraram Ozias e os anciãos da cidade, Cabris e Carmis.

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. Vendo-a, ficaram cheios de admiração diante de sua beleza.

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. Sem lhe perguntar coisa alguma deixaram-na passar e disseram-lhe: “Que o Deus de nossos pais te dê a sua graça e fortifique a resolução de teu coração, para que sejas a glória de Jerusalém e o teu nome figure no número dos santos e dos justos”.

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. Todos que ali estavam disseram a uma só voz: “Assim seja! Assim seja!”.

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. E Judite passou a porta com sua criada, orando ao Senhor.

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. Ao raiar do dia, quando ela descia pela montanha, eis que veio ao seu encontro uma patrulha dos assírios e a deteve: “De onde vens? – perguntaram-lhe –, e para onde vais?’’.

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

12. Ela respondeu: “Sou uma israelita. Fugi do meio deles, porque estão para ser entregues a vós como presa.

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. Por isso, pensei comigo mesma: Irei apresentar-me ao príncipe Holofernes para revelar-lhe seus segredos e indicar-lhe um caminho por onde poderá tomar, sem perder um homem sequer do seu exército”.

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. Ouvindo essas palavras, os homens olhavam-na de frente com os olhos deslumbrados de admiração pela sua grande beleza.

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

15. E disseram-lhe: “Salvaste a tua vida, porque resolveste descer para o nosso senhor. Podes estar certa de seres bem tratada quando lhe fores apresentada e tu lhe hás de ganhar o coração”.

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. Levaram-na à tenda de Holofernes, declarando quem era.

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. Mal havia ela entrado, Holofernes ficou cativo de seus olhos.

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. Seus oficiais disseram-lhe: “Quem poderia desprezar os hebreus que têm tão belas mulheres? Não são elas uma razão suficiente de lhes fazermos guerra?”.

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. Judite viu Holofernes repousando em seu leito, sob um cortinado ornado de púrpura, ouro, esmeralda e pedras preciosas incrustradas

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. Ela levantou os olhos para o seu rosto e inclinou-se profundamente diante dele até o solo. Os servos de Holofernes levantaram-na por ordem do seu senhor.

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

21.

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

22.

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

23.

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.