友弟德传 10

1And it came to pass, when she had ceased to cry to the Lord, that she rose from the place wherein she lay prostrate before the Lord.

2And she called her maid, and going down into her house she took off her haircloth, and put away the garments of her widowhood,

3And she washed her body, and anointed herself with the best ointment, and plaited the hair of her head, and put a bonnet upon her head, and clothed herself with the garments of her gladness, and put sandals on her feet, and took her bracelets, and lilies, and earlets, and rings, and adorned herself with all her ornaments.

4And the Lord also gave her more beauty: because all this dressing up did not proceed from sensuality, lent from virtue: and therefore the Lord increased this her beauty, so that she appeared to all men’s eyes incomparably lovely.

5And she gave to her maid a bottle of wine to carry, and a vessel of oil, and parched corn, and dry figs, and bread and cheese, and went out.

6And when they came to the gate of the city, they found Ozias, and the ancients of the city waiting.

7And when they saw her they were astonished, and admired her beauty exceedingly.

8But they asked her no question, only they let her pass, saying: The God of our fathers give thee grace, and may he strengthen all the counsel of thy heart with his power, that Jerusalem may glory in thee, and thy name may be in the number of the holy and just.

9And they that were there said, all with one voice: So be it, so be it.

10But Judith praying to the Lord, passed through the gates, she and her maid.

11And it came to pass, when she went down the hill, about break of day, that the watchmen of the Assyrians met her and stopped her, saying: Whence comest thou? or whither goest thou?

12And she answered: I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fled from them, because I knew they would be made a prey to you, because they despised you, and would not of their own accord yield themselves, that they might find mercy in your sight.

13For this reason I thought with myself, saying: I will go to the presence of the prince Holofernes, that I may tell him their secrets, and shew him by what way he may take them, without the loss of one man of his army.

14And when the men had heard her words, they beheld her face, and their eyes were amazed, for they wondered exceedingly at her beauty.

15And they said to her: Thou hast saved thy life by taking this resolution, to come down to our lord.

16And be assured of this, that when thou shalt stand before him, he will treat thee well, and thou wilt be most acceptable to his heart. And they brought her to the tent of Holofernes, telling him of her.

17And when she was come into his presence, forthwith Holofernes was caught by his eyes.

18And his officers said to him: Who can despise the people of the Hebrews who have such beautiful women, that we should not think it worth our while for their sakes to fight against them?

19And Judith seeing Holofernes sitting under a canopy, which was woven of purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stones:

20After she had looked on his face bowed down to him, prostrating herself to the ground. And the servants of Holofernes lifted her up, by the command of their master.

1Factum est autem, cum cessasset clamare ad Dominum, surrexit de loco in quo jacuerat prostrata ad Dominum.

2Vocavitque abram suam, et descendens in domum suam, abstulit a se cilicium, et exuit se vestimentis viduitatis suæ,

3et lavit corpus suum, et unxit se myro optimo, et discriminavit crinem capitis sui, et imposuit mitram super caput suum, et induit se vestimentis jucunditatis suæ, induitque sandalia pedibus suis, assumpsitque dextraliola, et lilia, et inaures, et annulos, et omnibus ornamentis suis ornavit se.

4Cui etiam Dominus contulit splendorem: quoniam omnis ista compositio non ex libidine, sed ex virtute pendebat: et ideo Dominus hanc in illam pulchritudinem ampliavit, ut incomparabili decore omnium oculis appareret.

5Imposuit itaque abræ suæ ascoperam vini, et vas olei, et polentam, et palathas, et panes, et caseum, et profecta est.

6Cumque venissent ad portam civitatis, invenerunt expectantem Oziam et presbyteros civitatis.

7Qui cum vidissent eam, stupentes mirati sunt nimis pulchritudinem ejus.

8Nihil tamen interrogantes eam, dimiserunt transire, dicentes: Deus patrum nostrorum det tibi gratiam, et omne consilium tui cordis sua virtute corroboret, ut glorietur super te Jerusalem, et sit nomen tuum in numero sanctorum et justorum.

9Et dixerunt hi qui illic erant omnes una voce: Fiat, fiat.

10Judith vero orans Dominum, transivit per portas, ipsa et abra ejus.

11Factum est autem cum descenderet montem, circa ortum diei, occurrerunt ei exploratores Assyriorum, et tenuerunt eam, dicentes: Unde venis? aut quo vadis?

12Quæ respondit: Filia sum Hebræorum, ideo ego fugi a facie eorum, quoniam futurum agnovi quod dentur vobis in deprædationem, pro eo quod contemnentes vos, noluerunt ultro tradere seipsos ut invenirent misericordiam in conspectu vestro.

13Hac de causa cogitavi mecum, dicens: Vadam ad faciem principis Holofernis, ut indicem illi secreta illorum, et ostendam illi quo aditu possit obtinere eos, ita ut non cadat vir unus de exercitu ejus.

14Et cum audissent viri illi verba ejus, considerabant faciem ejus, et erat in oculis eorum stupor, quoniam pulchritudinem ejus mirabantur nimis.

15Et dixerunt ad eam: Conservasti animam tuam, eo quod tale reperisti consilium, ut descenderes ad dominum nostrum.

16Hoc autem scias, quoniam cum steteris in conspectu ejus, bene tibi faciet, et eris gratissima in corde ejus. Duxeruntque illam ad tabernaculum Holofernis, annuntiantes eam.

17Cumque intrasset ante faciem ejus, statim captus est in suis oculis Holofernes.

18Dixeruntque ad eum satellites ejus: Quis contemnat populum Hebræorum, qui tam decoras mulieres habent, ut non pro his merito pugnare contra eos debeamus?

19Videns itaque Judith Holofernem sedentem in conopeo, quod erat ex purpura, et auro, et smaragdo, et lapidibus pretiosis intextum,

20et cum in faciem ejus intendisset, adoravit eum, prosternens se super terram. Et elevaverunt eam servi Holofernis, jubente domino suo.

1And it happened that, when she had ceased to cry out to the Lord, she arose from the place where she lay prostrate before the Lord.

2And she called her handmaid, and descending into her house, she took away from herself the haircloth, and she put away from herself the garments of her widowhood,

3and she washed her body, and she anointed herself with the best ointment, and she plaited the hair of her head, and she put a headdress on her head, and she clothed herself with the garments of her elegance, and she put sandals on her feet, and she put on her little bracelets, and lilies, and earrings, and rings, and she adorned herself with all her ornaments.

4And also, the Lord conferred upon her a splendor. For all this dressing up did not proceed from sensuality, but from virtue. And therefore, the Lord increased this, her beauty, so that she appeared with incomparable honor before the eyes of all.

5And so, she appointed to her handmaid a wineskin, and a vessel of oil, and parched grain, and dried figs, and bread, and cheese, and they departed.

6And when they came to the gate of the city, they found Uzziah and the elders of the city waiting.

7And when they saw her, being astounded, they wondered at her surpassing beauty.

8So, not questioning her at all, they dismissed her to go forth, saying: “May the God of our fathers give you grace, and may he strengthen all the advice of your heart with his virtue, so that Jerusalem may glory over you, and your name may be counted among the holy and the just.”

9And those who were there, all with one voice, said: “Amen. Amen.”

10In truth, Judith was praying to the Lord as she crossed through the gates, she and her handmaid.

11But it happened that, when she descended the mountain at about the break of day, the scouts of the Assyrians met her, and they stopped her, saying, “Where are you coming from? And where are you going?”

12And she answered: “I am a daughter of the Hebrews. This is why I have fled from their face: because I realized that in the future they would be given over to you with pillaging, for they hold you in contempt, and they would never be willing to surrender themselves, so that they might find mercy in your sight.

13For this reason, I thought to myself, saying: I will go to the face of the leader Holofernes, so that I may reveal to him their secrets, and show him by what means he may be able to prevail over them, without one man of his army being slain.”

14And when the men had heard her words, they beheld her face, and their eyes were astounded, because they wondered exceedingly at her beauty.

15And they said to her: “You have preserved your life by following such an excellent plan, to descend to our lord.

16But know this, that when you will stand in his sight, he will treat you well, and you will be very pleasing to his heart.” And they led her to the tabernacle of Holofernes, announcing her.

17And when she had entered before his face, immediately Holofernes was captivated by his eyes.

18And his attendants said to him, “Who can hold the people of the Hebrews in contempt, who have such beautiful women? So, we ought to think it not worthwhile, for their sakes, to fight against them.”

19And so, Judith looked upon Holofernes, sitting under a canopy, which was woven from purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stones.

20And, after she had gazed into his face, she showed reverence for him, prostrating herself to the ground. And the servants of Holofernes lifted her up, at the command of their lord.