Liber Iudith, 14

1. dixit autem Judith ad omnem populum audite me fratres suspendite caput hoc super muros nostros

1. And Judith said to all the people: Hear me, my brethren, hang ye up this head upon our walls.

2. et erit cum exierit sol accipiat unusquisque arma sua et exite cum impetu non ut descendatis deorsum sed quasi impetum facientes

2. And as soon as the sun shall rise, let every man take his arms, and rush ye out, not as going down beneath, but as making an assault.

3. tunc exploratores necesse erit ut fugiant ad principem suum excitandum ad pugnam

3. Then the watchmen must needs run to awake their prince for the battle.

4. cumque duces eorum cucurrerint ad tabernaculum Holofernis et invenerint eum truncum in suo sanguine volutatum decidet super eos timor

4. And when the captains of them shall run to the tent of Holofernes, and shall find him without his head wallowing in his blood, fear shall fall upon them.

5. cumque cognoveritis fugere illos ite post illos securi quoniam Dominus conteret eos sub pedibus vestris

5. And when you shall know that they are fleeing, go after them securely, for the Lord will destroy them under your feet.

6. tunc Achior videns virtutem quam fecit Deus Israël relicto gentilitatis ritu credidit Deo et circumcidit carnem præputii sui et adpositus est ad populum Israël et omnis successio generis ejus usque in hodiernum diem

6. Then Achior seeing the power that the God of Israel had wrought, leaving the religion of the gentiles, he believed God, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined to the people of Israel, with all the succession of his kindred until this present day.

7. mox autem ut ortus est dies suspenderunt super muros caput Holofernis accepitque unusquisque vir arma sua et egressi sunt cum grandi strepitu et ululatu

7. And immediately at break of day, they hung up the head of Holofernes upon the walls, and every man took his arms, and they sent out with a great noise and shouting.

8. quod videntes exploratores ad tabernaculum cucurrerunt

8. And the watchmen seeing this, ran to the tent of Holofernes.

9. porro hii qui in tabernaculo erant venientes et ante ingressum cubiculi perstrepentes excitandi gratia inquietudinem arte moliebantur ut non ab excitantibus sed a sonantibus Holofernis evigilaret

9. And they that were in the tent came, and made a noise before the door of the chamber to awake him, endeavoring by art to break his rest, that Holofernes might awake, not by their calling him, but by their noise.

10. nullus enim audebat cubiculum virtutis Assyriorum pulsando aut intrando aperire

10. For no man durst knock, or open and go into the chamber of the general of the Assyrians.

11. sed cum venissent duces ejus et tribuni et universi majores exercitus Assyriorum dixerunt cubiculariis

11. But when his captains and tribunes were come, and all the chiefs of the army of the king of the Assyrians, they said to the chamberlains

12. intrate et excitate illum quoniam egressi mures de cavernis suis ausi sunt provocare ad prœlium

12. Go in, and awake him, for the mice coming out of their holes, have presumed to challenge us to fight.

13. tunc ingressus Bagao cubiculum ejus stetit ante cortinam et plausum fecit manibus suis suspicabatur enim illum cum Judith dormire

13. Then Vagao going into his chamber, stood before the curtain, and made a clapping with his hands: for he thought that he was sleeping with Judith.

14. sed cum nullum motum jacentis sensu aurium caperet accessit proximans ad cortinam et elevans eam videns jacens cadaver absque capite Holofernis in suo sanguine tabefactum jacere super terram et clamavit voce magna cum fletu et scidit vestimenta sua

14. But when with hearkening, he perceived no motion of one lying, he came near to the curtain, and lifting it up, and seeing the body of Holofernes, lying upon the ground, without the head, sweltering in his blood, he cried out with a loud voice, with weeping, and rent his garments.

15. et ingressus tabernaculum Judith non invenit eam et exilivit foras ad populum

15. And he went into the tent of Judith, and not finding her, he ran out to the people,

16. et dixit una mulier hebræa fecit confusionem in domo regis Nabuchodonosor ecce enim Holofernis jacet in terra et caput ipsius non est in illo

16. And said: One Hebrew woman hath made confusion in the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for behold Holofernes lieth upon the ground, and his head is not upon him.

17. quod cum audissent principes virtutis Assyriorum sciderunt omnes vestimenta sua et intolerabilis timor et tremor cecidit super eos et turbati sunt animi eorum valde

17. Now when the chiefs of the army of the Assyrians had heard this, they all rent their garments, and an intolerable fear and dread fell upon them, and their minds were troubled exceedingly.

18. et factus est clamor inconparabilis in media castra eorum

18. And there was a very great cry in the midst of their camp.