Judith 10

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Thus Judith called on the God of Israel. When she had finished praying,	1 As soon as Judith had thus concluded, and ceased her invocation to the God of Israel,
2 she got up from the floor, summoned her maid and went down into the rooms which she used onSabbath days and festivals.	2 she rose from the ground. She called her maid and they went down into the house, which she used only on sabbaths and feast days.
3 There she removed the sackcloth she was wearing and taking off her widow's dress, she washed alover, anointed herself plentiful y with perfumes, dressed her hair, wrapped a turban round it and put on the robeof joy she used to wear when her husband Manasseh was alive.	3 She took off the sackcloth she had on, laid aside the garments of her widowhood, washed her body with water, and anointed it with rich ointment. She arranged her hair and bound it with a fillet, and put on the festive attire she had worn while her husband, Manasseh, was living.
4 She put sandals on her feet, put on her necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and al her jewel ery, andmade herself beautiful enough to beguile the eye of any man who saw her.	4 She chose sandals for her feet, and put on her anklets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and all her other jewelry. Thus she made herself very beautiful, to captivate the eyes of all the men who should see her.
5 Then she handed her maid a skin of wine and a flask of oil, fil ed a bag with barley girdle-cakes, cakesof dried fruit and pure loaves, and wrapping all these provisions up gave them to her as wel .	5 She gave her maid a leather flask of wine and a cruse of oil. She filled a bag with roasted grain, fig cakes, bread and cheese; all these provisions she wrapped up and gave to the maid to carry.
6 They then went out, making for the town gate of Bethulia. There they found Uzziah waiting with the twoelders of the town, Chabris and Charmis.	6 Then they went out to the gate of the city of Bethulia and found Uzziah and the elders of the city, Chabri and Charmis, standing there.
7 When they saw Judith, her face so changed and her clothes so different, they were lost in admiration ofher beauty. They said to her:	7 When these men saw Judith transformed in looks and differently dressed, they were very much astounded at her beauty and said to her,
8 May the God of our ancestors keep you in his favour! May he crown your designs with success to theglory of the children of Israel, to the greater glory of Jerusalem!	8 "May the God of our fathers bring you to favor, and make your undertaking a success, for the glory of the Israelites and the exaltation of Jerusalem." Judith bowed down to God. Then she said to them,
9 Judith worshipped God, and then she said, 'Have the town gate opened for me so that I can go out andfulfil all the wishes you expressed to me.' They did as she asked and gave orders to the young men to open thegate for her.	9 "Order the gate of the city opened for me, that I may go to carry out the business we discussed." So they ordered the youths to open the gate for her as she requested.
10 This done, Judith went out accompanied by her maid, while the men of the town watched her al theway down the mountain and across the valley, until they lost sight of her.	10 When they did so, Judith and her maid went out. The men of the city kept her in view as she went down the mountain and crossed the valley; then they lost sight of her.
11 As the women were making straight through the valley, an advance unit of Assyrians interceptedthem,	11 As Judith and her maid walked directly across the valley, they encountered the Assyrian outpost.
12 and, seizing Judith, began to question her. 'Which side are you on? Where do you come from? Whereare you going?' 'I am a daughter of the Hebrews,' she replied, 'and I am fleeing from them since they wil soon beyour prey.	12 The men took her in custody and asked her, "To what people do you belong? Where do you come from, and where are you going?" She replied: "I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fleeing from them, because they are about to be delivered up to you as prey.
13 I am on my way to see Holofernes, the general of your army, to give him trustworthy information. Ishall show him the road to take if he wants to capture all the hil -country without losing one man or one life.'	13 I have come to see Holofernes, the general in chief of your forces, to give him a trustworthy report; I will show him the route by which he can ascend and take possession of the whole mountain district without a single one of his men suffering injury or loss of life."
14 As the men listened to what she was saying, they stared in astonishment at the sight of such abeautiful woman.	14 When the men heard her words and gazed upon her face, which appeared wondrously beautiful to them, they said to her,
15 'It wil prove the saving of you,' they said to her, 'coming down to see our master of your own accord.You had better go to his tent; some of our men wil escort you and hand you over to him.	15 "By coming down thus promptly to see our master, you have saved your life. Now go to his tent; some of our men will accompany you to present you to him.
16 Once you are in his presence do not be afraid. Tel him what you have just told us and you wil be weltreated.'	16 When you stand before him, have no fear in your heart; give him the report you speak of, and he will treat you well."
17 They then detailed a hundred of their men as escort for herself and her attendant, and these led themto the tent of Holofernes.	17 So they detailed a hundred of their men as an escort for her and her maid, and these conducted them to the tent of Holofernes.
18 News of her coming had already spread through the tents, and there was a general stir in the camp.She was still outside the tent of Holofernes waiting to be announced, when a crowd began forming round her.	18 When the news of her arrival spread among the tents, a crowd gathered in the camp. They came and stood around her as she waited outside the tent of Holofernes, while he was being informed about her.
19 They were immediately impressed by her beauty and impressed with the Israelites because of her.'Who could despise a people who have women like this?' they kept saying. 'Better not leave one of them alive;let any go and they could twist the whole world round their fingers!'	19 They marveled at her beauty, regarding the Israelites with wonder because of her, and they said to one another, "Who can despise this people that has such women among them? It is not wise to leave one man of them alive, for if any were to be spared they could beguile the whole world."
20 The bodyguard and adjutants of Holofernes then came out and led Judith into the tent.	20 The guard of Holofernes and all his servants came out and ushered her into the tent.
21 Holofernes was resting on his bed under a canopy of purple and gold studded with emeralds andprecious stones.	21 Now Holofernes was reclining on his bed under a canopy with a netting of crimson and gold, emeralds and other precious stones.
22 The men announced her and he came out to the entrance to the tent, with silver torches carriedbefore him.	22 When they announced her to him, he came out to the antechamber, preceded by silver lamps;
23 When Judith confronted the general and his adjutant, the beauty of her face astonished them al . Shefel on her face and did homage to him, but his servants raised her from the ground.	23 and when Holofernes and his servants beheld Judith, they all marveled at the beauty of her face. She threw herself down prostrate before him, but his servants raised her up.