Judith 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 'Courage, woman,' Holofernes said, 'do not be afraid. I have never hurt anyone who chose to serveNebuchadnezzar, king of the whole world.	1 Then Holofernes said to her: "Take courage, lady; have no fear in your heart! Never have I harmed anyone who chose to serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth.
2 Even now, if your nation of mountain dwellers had not insulted me, I would not have raised a spearagainst them. This was their fault, not mine.	2 Nor would I have raised my spear against your people who dwell in the mountain region, had they not despised me and brought this upon themselves.
3 But tell me, why have you fled from them and come to us? . . . Anyhow, this wil prove the saving of you. Courage! You wil live through this night, and many after.	3 But now tell me why you fled from them and came to us. In any case, you have come to safety. Take courage! Your life is spared tonight and for the future.
4 No one wil hurt you. On the contrary, you wil be treated as wel as any who serve my lord KingNebuchadnezzar.'	4 No one at all will harm you. Rather, you will be well treated, as are all the servants of my lord, King Nebuchadnezzar."
5 Judith said, 'Please listen favourably to what your slave has to say. Permit your servant to speak inyour presence, I shal speak no word of a lie to my lord tonight.	5 Judith answered him: "Listen to the words of your servant, and let your handmaid speak in your presence! I will tell no lie to my lord this night,
6 You have only to fol ow your servant's advice and God will bring your work to a successful conclusion;in what my lord undertakes he wil not fail.	6 and if you follow out the words of your handmaid, God will give you complete success, and my lord will not fail in any of his undertakings.
7 Long life to Nebuchadnezzar, king of the whole world, who has sent you to set every living soul torights; may his power endure! Since, thanks to you, he is served not only by human beings, but because of yourmight the wild animals themselves, the cattle, and the birds of the air are to live in the service ofNebuchadnezzar and his whole House.	7 By the life of Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth, and by the power of him who has sent you to set all creatures aright! not only do men serve him through you; but even the wild beasts and the cattle and the birds of the air, because of your strength, will live for Nebuchadnezzar and his whole house.
8 'We have indeed heard of your genius and adroitness of mind. It is known everywhere in the world thatthroughout the empire you have no rival for ability, wealth of experience and brilliance in waging war.	8 Indeed, we have heard of your wisdom and sagacity, and all the world is aware that throughout the kingdom you alone are competent, rich in experience, and distinguished in military strategy.
9 We have also heard what Achior said in his speech to your council. The men of Bethulia having sparedhim, he has told them everything that he said to you.	9 "As for Achior's speech in your council, we have heard of it. When the men of Bethulia spared him, he told them all he had said to you.
10 Now, master and lord, do not disregard what he said; keep it in your mind, since it is true; our nationwil not be punished, the sword wil indeed have no power over them, unless they sin against their God.	10 So then, my lord and master, do not disregard his word, but bear it in mind, for it is true. For our people are not punished, nor does the sword prevail against them, except when they sin against their God.
11 But as it is, my lord need expect no repulse or setback, since death is about to fal on their heads, forsin has gained a hold over them, provoking the anger of their God each time that they commit it.	11 But now their guilt has caught up with them, by which they bring the wrath of their God upon them whenever they do wrong; so that my lord will not be repulsed and fail, but death will overtake them.
12 As they are short of food and their water is giving out, they have resolved to fall back on their cattleand decided to make use of al the things that God has, by his laws, forbidden them to eat.	12 Since their food gave out and all their water ran low, they decided to kill their animals, and determined to consume all the things which God in his laws forbade them to eat.
13 Not only have they made up their minds to eat the first-fruits of corn and the tithes of wine and oil,though these have been consecrated by them and set apart for the priests who serve in Jerusalem in thepresence of our God, and may not lawfully even be handled by ordinary people,	13 They decreed that they would use up the first fruits of grain and the tithes of wine and oil which they had sanctified and reserved for the priests who minister in the presence of our God in Jerusalem: things which no layman should even touch with his hands.
14 but they have sent men to Jerusalem -- where the inhabitants are doing much the same -- to bringthem back authorisation from the Council of Elders.	14 They have sent messengers to Jerusalem to bring back to them authorization from the council of the elders; for the inhabitants there have also done these things.
15 Now this wil be the outcome: when the permission arrives and they act on it, that very day they wil bedelivered over to you for destruction.	15 On the very day when the response reaches them and they act upon it, they will be handed over to you for destruction.
16 'When I, your servant, came to know al this, I fled from them. God has sent me to do things with youat which the world wil be astonished when it hears.	16 "As soon as I, your handmaid, learned all this, I fled from them. God has sent me to perform with you such deeds that people throughout the world will be astonished on hearing of them.
17 Your servant is a devout woman; she honours the God of heaven day and night. I therefore propose,my lord, to stay with you. I, your servant, shal go out every night into the val ey and pray to God to let me knowwhen they have committed their sin.	17 Your handmaid is, indeed, a God-fearing woman, serving the God of heaven night and day. Now I will remain with you, my lord; but each night your handmaid will go out to the ravine and pray to God. He will tell me when the Israelites have committed their crimes.
18 I shal then come and tel you, so that you can march out with your whole army; and none of them wilbe able to resist you.	18 Then I will come and let you know, so that you may go out with your whole force, and not one of them will be able to withstand you.
19 I shal be your guide right across Judaea until you reach Jerusalem; there I shall enthrone you in thevery middle of the city. And then you can round them up like shepherd-less sheep, with never a dog daring tobark at you. Foreknowledge tel s me this; this has been foretold to me and I have been sent to reveal it to you.'	19 I will lead you through Judea, till you come to Jerusalem, and there I will set up your judgment seat. You will drive them like sheep that have no shepherd, and not even a dog will growl at you. This was told me, and announced to me in advance, and I in turn have been sent to tell you."
20 Her words pleased Holofernes, and all his adjutants. Ful of admiration at her wisdom they exclaimed,	20 Her words pleased Holofernes and all his servants; they marveled at her wisdom and exclaimed,
21 'There is no woman like her from one end of the earth to the other, so lovely of face and so wise ofspeech!'	21 "No other woman from one end of the world to the other looks so beautiful and speaks so wisely!"
22 Holofernes said, 'God has done wel to send you ahead of the others. Strength will be ours, and ruintheirs who have insulted my lord.	22 Then Holofernes said to her: "God has done well in sending you ahead of your people, to bring victory to our arms, and destruction to those who have despised my lord.
23 As for you, you are as beautiful as you are eloquent; if you do as you have promised, your God shallbe my God, and you yourself shal make your home in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar and be famousthroughout the world.'	23 You are fair to behold, and your words are well spoken. If you do as you have said, your God will be my God; you shall dwell in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar, and shall be renowned throughout the earth."