Judith 12

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 ordered her to enter where his valuables were stored, and he ordered her wait there, and he appointed what should be given to her from his own feast.
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 responded to him, and she said: “Now, I am not able to eat from these things which you instructed to be allotted to me, lest an offense come upon me. But I will eat from that which 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 And Holofernes said to her, “If these things that you have brought with you should fail you, what shall we do for you?”
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 And Judith said, “As your soul lives, my lord, your maidservant will not expend all these things, until God accomplishes by my hand what I have in mind.” And his servants led her into the tabernacle, as he instructed.
5 Holofernes' adjutants then took her to a tent where she slept until midnight. A little before the morningwatch, she got up.	5 And, as she was entering, she requested that it be permitted to her to go outside at night, before daylight, in order to pray and to petition the Lord.
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 he instructed his chamberlains that she may exit and enter, just as it may please her, to adore her God, for three days.
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 And she went out in the nights into the valley of Bethulia, and she washed herself in a fountain of water.
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, as she climbed up, she prayed to the Lord God of Israel that he would direct her way, to the liberation of his people.
9 Having purified herself, she would return and stay in her tent until her meal was brought her in theevening.	9 And entering, she remained pure in the tabernacle, until she received her own food in the evening.
10 On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet, inviting only his own staff and none of the other officers.	10 And it happened on the fourth day that Holofernes made a supper for his servants, and he said to Vagao his eunuch: “Go, and persuade that Hebrew woman to willingly consent to live with me.
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 For it is disgraceful among the Assyrians, if a woman mocks a man, acting so as to pass through with immunity from him.”
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 Then Vagao entered toward Judith, and he said, “May she not dread, my good young woman, to enter to my lord, so that she may be honored before his face, so that she may eat with him and drink wine with cheerfulness.”
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 Judith answered him: “Who am I, that I should contradict my lord?
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 All that will be good and best before his eyes, I will do. Moreover, whatever will please him, to me, that will be what is best, all the days of my life.”
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 And she arose and dressed herself with her garments, and entering, she stood before his face.
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 But the heart of Holofernes was struck. For he was burning with desire for her.
17 'Drink then!' Holofernes said. 'Enjoy yourself with us!'	17 And Holofernes said to her, “Drink now, and recline with cheerfulness, for you have found favor before me.”
18 'I am delighted to do so, my lord, for since my birth I have never felt my life more worthwhile thantoday.'	18 And Judith said, “I will drink, my lord, because my soul has been magnified this day, beyond all my days.”
19 She took what her maid had prepared, and ate and drank facing him.	19 And she accepted and ate and drank in his sight what her handmaid had prepared for her.
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 became pleased with her, and he drank very much wine, more than he had ever drunk in his life.