Judith 10

NEW JERUSALEM	BIBBIA RICCIOTTI
1 Thus Judith called on the God of Israel. When she had finished praying,	1 - Come poi ebbe finito di pregare il Signore, s'alzò dal luogo ove s'era prostrata innanzi al Signore;
2 she got up from the floor, summoned her maid and went down into the rooms which she used onSabbath days and festivals.	2 chiamò la sua ancella, e scese nella sua casa. Si levò il cilizio, si spogliò degli abiti della sua vedovanza
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 si lavò, s'unse con mirra preziosa, si fece la divisa ai capelli, si mise in capo la mitra, si vesti degli abiti da festa, si pose ai piedi i sandali, si mise braccialetti e gigli ed orecchini ed anelli, e s'ornò con tutt' i suoi ornamenti.
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 Ed anche il Signore le aggiunse splendore, perchè tutto questo ornarsi non procedeva in lei da passione ma da virtù; perciò il Signore accrebbe la sua bellezza, acciò agli occhi di tutti apparisse di un incomparabile splendore.
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 Essa poi dette a portare alla sua ancella un vaso di vino, uno d'olio, farina, fichi seccati, pane e cacio e parti.
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 Giunte alla porta della città, trovarono Ozia e gli anziani che l'aspettavano.
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 Quando la videro, restarono stupiti, ed ammirarono la sua bellezza;
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 ma la fecero passare senza niente domandarle, e le dissero: « Il Dio de' nostri padri ti dia grazia, e con la sua potenza rafforzi tutte le risoluzioni del tuo cuore, sì che di te si glorii Gerusalemme, ed il tuo nome sia nel numero de' santi e de' giusti ».
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 E quelli che erano lì, tutti ad una voce risposero: « Così sia, così sia ».
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 Giuditta dunque, pregando il Signore, uscì per la porta, essa e la sua ancella.
11 As the women were making straight through the valley, an advance unit of Assyrians interceptedthem,	11 Or avvenne che, discendendo essa il monte sul far del giorno, le si fecero incontro gli esploratori assiri, e la fermarono dicendole: « Di dove vieni, e dove vai? ».
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 Rispose: « Sono una figliuola degli Ebrei; son fuggita di fra loro, perchè ho conosciuto ch'e' son per divenire vostra preda, avendovi disprezzati e non essendovisi voluti arrendere spontaneamente per trovare innanzi a voi misericordia.
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 Perciò ho pensato fra me, ed ho detto: - Mi presenterò al principe Oloferne, per indicargli i loro segreti, e mostrargli per qual via egli possa sorprenderli senza perdere un sol uomo del suo esercito - ».
14 As the men listened to what she was saying, they stared in astonishment at the sight of such abeautiful woman.	14 Ora, udite che ebbero quegli uomini le sue parole, contemplavano il suo volto, e traluceva dai loro occhi lo stupore: tanto ammiravano la sua bellezza.
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 E le dissero: «Ti sei salvata la vita con l'aver presa questa risoluzione di presentarti al signor nostro.
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 Or sappi che, quando sarai alla sua presenza, ti farà del bene, e sarai accettissima al suo cuore ». La condussero dunque alla tenda d'Oloferne, ed a lui l'annunziarono.
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 Entrata che fu al cospetto di lui, subito Oloferne ne restò preso al primo vederla.
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 Ed i suoi ufficiali gli dissero: « Chi vorrà disprezzare il popolo ebreo, ove son donne così belle, che per conquistarle mette già conto di fare ad esso la guerra?». Giuditta dunque vedendo Oloferne seduto sotto un padiglione di porpora adorno d'oro, di smeraldi e di pietre preziose,
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 dopo averlo mirato in volto, lo adorò prostrandosi sino a terra; ed i servi di Oloferne, al comando del loro padrone, la rialzarono.
20 The bodyguard and adjutants of Holofernes then came out and led Judith into the tent.
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.