Judith 12

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
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.	1 Then he commanded to bring her in where his plate was set; and bade that they should prepare for her of his own meats, and that she should drink of his own wine.
2 But Judith said, 'I would rather not eat this, in case I incur some fault. What I have brought wil beenough for me.'	2 And Judith said, I will not eat thereof, lest there be an offence: but provision shall be made for me of the things that I have brought.
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.'	3 Then Holofernes said unto her, If thy provision should fail, how should we give thee the like? for there be none with us of thy nation.
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.'	4 Then said Judith unto him As thy soul liveth, my lord, thine handmaid shall not spend those things that I have, before the Lord work by mine hand the things that he hath determined.
5 Holofernes' adjutants then took her to a tent where she slept until midnight. A little before the morningwatch, she got up.	5 Then the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept till midnight, and she arose when it was toward the morning watch,
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,'	6 And sent to Holofernes, saving, Let my lord now command that thine handmaid may go forth unto prayer.
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.	7 Then Holofernes commanded his guard that they should not stay her: thus she abode in the camp three days, and went out in the night into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water by the camp.
8 As she went she prayed to the Lord God of Israel to guide her in her plan to relieve the children of herpeople.	8 And when she came out, she besought the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the raising up of the children of her people.
9 Having purified herself, she would return and stay in her tent until her meal was brought her in theevening.	9 So she came in clean, and remained in the tent, until she did eat her meat at evening.
10 On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet, inviting only his own staff and none of the other officers.	10 And in the fourth day Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet.
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.	11 Then said he to Bagoas the eunuch, who had charge over all that he had, Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come unto us, and eat and drink with us.
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!'	12 For, lo, it will be a shame for our person, if we shall let such a woman go, not having had her company; for if we draw her not unto us, she will laugh us to scorn.
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.'	13 Then went Bagoas from the presence of Holofernes, and came to her, and he said, Let not this fair damsel fear to come to my lord, and to be honoured in his presence, and drink wine, and be merry with us and be made this day as one of the daughters of the Assyrians, which serve in the house of Nabuchodonosor.
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.'	14 Then said Judith unto him, Who am I now, that I should gainsay my lord? surely whatsoever pleaseth him I will do speedily, and it shall be my joy unto the day of my death.
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.	15 So she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman's attire, and her maid went and laid soft skins on the ground for her over against Holofernes, which she had received of Bagoas far her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them.
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.	16 Now when Judith came in and sat down, Holofernes his heart was ravished with her, and his mind was moved, and he desired greatly her company; for he waited a time to deceive her, from the day that he had seen her.
17 'Drink then!' Holofernes said. 'Enjoy yourself with us!'	17 Then said Holofernes unto her, Drink now, and be merry with us.
18 'I am delighted to do so, my lord, for since my birth I have never felt my life more worthwhile thantoday.'	18 So Judith said, I will drink now, my lord, because my life is magnified in me this day more than all the days since I was born.
19 She took what her maid had prepared, and ate and drank facing him.	19 Then she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared.
20 Holofernes was so enchanted with her that he drank far more wine than he had drunk on any otherday in his life.	20 And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank more wine than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born.