Judith 13

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 When it grew late, his servants quickly withdrew. Bagoas closed the tent from the outside and excluded the attendants from their master's presence. They went off to their beds, for they were all tired from the prolonged banquet.	1 It grew late and his staff hurried away. Bagoas closed the tent from the outside, having shown outthose who stil lingered in his lord's presence. They went to their beds wearied with too much drinking,
2 Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes, who lay prostrate on his bed, for he was sodden with wine.	2 and Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes who had col apsed wine-sodden on his bed.
3 She had ordered her maid to stand outside the bedroom and wait, as on the other days, for her to come out; she said she would be going out for her prayer. To Bagoas she had said this also.	3 Judith then told her maid to stay just outside the bedroom and wait for her to come out, as she didevery morning. She had let it be understood she would be going out to her prayers and had also spoken of herintention to Bagoas.
4 When all had departed, and no one, small or great, was left in the bedroom, Judith stood by Holofernes' bed and said within herself: "O Lord, God of all might, in this hour look graciously on my undertaking for the exaltation of Jerusalem;	4 By now everyone had left Holofernes, and no one, either important or unimportant, was left in thebedroom. Standing beside the bed, Judith murmured to herself: Lord God, to whom al strength belongs, prosperwhat my hands are now to do for the greater glory of Jerusalem;
5 now is the time for aiding your heritage and for carrying out my design to shatter the enemies who have risen against us."	5 now is the time to recover your heritage and to further my plans to crush the enemies arrayed againstus.
6 She went to the bedpost near the head of Holofernes, and taking his sword from it,	6 With that she went up to the bedpost by Holofernes' head and took down his scimitar;
7 drew close to the bed, grasped the hair of his head, and said, "Strengthen me this day, O God of Israel!"	7 coming closer to the bed she caught him by the hair and said, 'Make me strong today, Lord God ofIsrael!'
8 Then with all her might she struck him twice in the neck and cut off his head.	8 Twice she struck at his neck with all her might, and cut off his head.
9 She rolled his body off the bed and took the canopy from its supports. Soon afterward, she came out and handed over the head of Holofernes to her maid,	9 She then rol ed his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from the bedposts. After which, shewent out and gave the head of Holofernes to her maid
10 who put it into her food pouch; and the two went off together as they were accustomed to do for prayer. They passed through the camp, and skirting the ravine, reached Bethulia on the mountain. As they approached its gates,	10 who put it in her food bag. The two then left the camp together, as they always did when they went topray. Once they were out of the camp, they skirted the ravine, climbed the slope to Bethulia and made for thegates.
11 Judith shouted to the guards from a distance: "Open! Open the gate! God, our God, is with us. Once more he has made manifest his strength in Israel and his power against our enemies; he has done it this very day."	11 From a distance, Judith shouted to the guards on the gates, 'Open the gate! Open! For the Lord ourGod is with us stil , displaying his strength in Israel and his might against our enemies, as he has done today!'
12 When the citizens heard her voice, they quickly descended to their city gate and summoned the city elders.	12 Hearing her voice, the townsmen hurried down to the town gate and summoned the elders.
13 All the people, from the least to the greatest, hurriedly assembled, for her return seemed unbelievable. They opened the gate and welcomed the two women. They made a fire for light; and when they gathered around the two,	13 Everyone, great and smal , came running down, since her arrival was unexpected. They threw thegate open, welcomed the women, lit a fire to see by and crowded round them.
14 Judith urged them with a loud voice: "Praise God, praise him! Praise God, who has not withdrawn his mercy from the house of Israel, but has shattered our enemies by my hand this very night."	14 Then Judith raised her voice and said, 'Praise God! Praise him! Praise the God who has notwithdrawn his mercy from the House of Israel, but has shattered our enemies by my hand tonight!'
15 Then she took the head out of the pouch, showed it to them, and said: "Here is the head of Holofernes, general in charge of the Assyrian army, and here is the canopy under which he lay in his drunkenness. The Lord struck him down by the hand of a woman.	15 She pul ed the head out of the bag and held it for them to see. 'This is the head of Holofernes,general-in-chief of the Assyrian army; here is the canopy under which he lay drunk! The Lord has struck himdown by the hand of a woman!
16 As the Lord lives, who has protected me in the path I have followed, I swear that it was my face that seduced Holofernes to his ruin, and that he did not sin with me to my defilement or disgrace."	16 Glory to the Lord who has protected me in the course I took! My face seduced him, only to his ownundoing; he committed no sin with me to shame me or disgrace me.'
17 All the people were greatly astonished. They bowed down and worshiped God, saying with one accord, "Blessed are you, our God, who today have brought to nought the enemies of your people."	17 Overcome with emotion, the people al prostrated themselves and worshipped God, exclaiming withone voice, 'Blessings on you, our God, for confounding your people's enemies today!'
18 Then Uzziah said to her: "Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth, who guided your blow at the head of the chief of our enemies.	18 Uzziah then said to Judith: May you be blessed, my daughter, by God Most High, beyond al womenon earth; and blessed be the Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth, who guided you to cut off the head of theleader of our enemies!
19 Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God.	19 The trust which you have shown wil not pass from human hearts, as they commemorate the power ofGod for evermore.
20 May God make this redound to your everlasting honor, rewarding you with blessings, because you risked your life when your people were being oppressed, and you averted our disaster, walking uprightly before our God." And all the people answered, "Amen! Amen!"	20 God grant you may be always held in honour and rewarded with blessings, since you did not consideryour own life when our nation was brought to its knees, but warded off our ruin, walking in the right path beforeour God. And the people al said, 'Amen! Amen!'