Judith 10

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Thus Judith called on the God of Israel. When she had finished praying,	1 And 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.
2 she got up from the floor, summoned her maid and went down into the rooms which she used onSabbath days and festivals.	2 And 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,
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 and 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.
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 And 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.
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 And 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.
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 And when they came to the gate of the city, they found Uzziah and the elders of the city waiting.
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 And when they saw her, being astounded, they wondered at her surpassing beauty.
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 So, 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.”
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 And those who were there, all with one voice, said: “Amen. Amen.”
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 In truth, Judith was praying to the Lord as she crossed through the gates, she and her handmaid.
11 As the women were making straight through the valley, an advance unit of Assyrians interceptedthem,	11 But 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?”
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 And 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.
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 For 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.”
14 As the men listened to what she was saying, they stared in astonishment at the sight of such abeautiful woman.	14 And when the men had heard her words, they beheld her face, and their eyes were astounded, because they wondered exceedingly at her beauty.
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 And they said to her: “You have preserved your life by following such an excellent plan, to descend to our lord.
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 But 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.
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 And when she had entered before his face, immediately Holofernes was captivated by his eyes.
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 And 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.”
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 And so, Judith looked upon Holofernes, sitting under a canopy, which was woven from purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stones.
20 The bodyguard and adjutants of Holofernes then came out and led Judith into the tent.	20 And, 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.
21 Holofernes was resting on his bed under a canopy of purple and gold studded with emeralds andprecious stones.
22 The men announced her and he came out to the entrance to the tent, with silver torches carriedbefore him.
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.