Judith 12

¹ With that he had her brought in to where his silver dinner service was already laid, and had his ownfood served to her and his own wine poured out for her.

² But Judith said, 'I would rather not eat this, in case I incur some fault. What I have brought wil beenough for me.'

³ 'Suppose your provisions run out,' Holofernes asked, 'how could we get more of the same sort? Wehave no one belonging to your race here.'

⁴ 'May your soul live, my lord,' Judith answered, 'the Lord wil have used me to accomplish his plan,before your servant has finished these provisions.'

⁵ Holofernes' adjutants then took her to a tent where she slept until midnight. A little before the morningwatch, she got up.

⁶ She had already sent this request to Holofernes, 'Let my lord kindly give orders for your servant to beal owed to go out and pray,'

⁷ and Holofernes had ordered his guards not to prevent her. She stayed in the camp for three days; she went out each night to the val ey of Bethulia and washed at the spring where the picket had been posted.

⁸ As she went she prayed to the Lord God of Israel to guide her in her plan to relieve the children of herpeople.

⁹ Having purified herself, she would return and stay in her tent until her meal was brought her in theevening.

¹⁰ On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet, inviting only his own staff and none of the other officers.

¹¹ He said to Bagoas, the officer in charge of his personal affairs, 'Go and persuade that Hebrew womanyou are looking after to come and join us and eat and drink in our company.

¹² We shal be disgraced if we let a woman like this go without seducing her. If we do not seduce her,everyone wil laugh at us!'

¹³ Bagoas then left Holofernes and went to see Judith. 'Would this young and lovely woman condescendto come to my lord?' he asked. 'She will occupy the seat of honour opposite him, drink the joyful wine with usand be treated today like one of the Assyrian ladies who stand in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.'

¹⁴ 'Who am I', Judith replied, 'to resist my lord? I shal not hesitate to do whatever he wishes, and doingthis wil be my joy to my dying day.'

¹⁵ So she got up and put on her dress and al her feminine adornments. Her maid preceded her, and onthe floor in front of Holofernes spread the fleece which Bagoas had given Judith for her daily use to lie on as sheate.

¹⁶ Judith came in and took her place. The heart of Holofernes was ravished at the sight; his very soulwas stirred. He was seized with a violent desire to sleep with her; and indeed since the first day he saw her, hehad been waiting for an opportunity to seduce her.

¹⁷ 'Drink then!' Holofernes said. 'Enjoy yourself with us!'

¹⁸ 'I am delighted to do so, my lord, for since my birth I have never felt my life more worthwhile thantoday.'

¹⁹ She took what her maid had prepared, and ate and drank facing him.

²⁰ Holofernes was so enchanted with her that he drank far more wine than he had drunk on any otherday in his life.