Judith 12

NEW JERUSALEM	VULGATA
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 Tunc jussit eam introire ubi repositi erant thesauri ejus, et jussit illic manere eam, et constituit quid daretur illi de convivio suo.
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 Cui respondit Judith, et dixit : Nunc non potero manducare ex his quæ mihi præcipis tribui, ne veniat super me offensio : ex his autem quæ mihi detuli, manducabo.
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 Cui Holofernes ait : Si defecerint tibi ista, quæ tecum detulisti, quid faciemus tibi ?
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 Et dixit Judith : Vivit anima tua, domine meus, quoniam non expendet omnia hæc ancilla tua, donec faciat Deus in manu mea hæc quæ cogitavi. Et induxerunt illam servi ejus in tabernaculum quod præceperat.
5 Holofernes' adjutants then took her to a tent where she slept until midnight. A little before the morningwatch, she got up.	5 Et petiit dum introiret, ut daretur ei copia nocte et ante lucem egrediendi foras ad orationem, et deprecandi Dominum.
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 Et præcepit cubiculariis suis ut sicut placeret illi, exiret et introiret ad adorandum Deum suum per triduum :
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 et exibat noctibus in vallem Bethuliæ, et baptizabat se in fonte aquæ.
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 Et ut ascendebat, orabat Dominum Deum Israël ut dirigeret viam ejus ad liberationem populi sui.
9 Having purified herself, she would return and stay in her tent until her meal was brought her in theevening.	9 Et introiens, munda manebat in tabernaculo usque dum acciperet escam suam in vespere.
10 On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet, inviting only his own staff and none of the other officers.	10 Et factum est, in quarto die Holofernes fecit c?nam servis suis, et dixit ad Vagao eunuchum suum : Vade, et suade Hebræam illam ut sponte consentiat habitare mecum.
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 F?dum est enim apud Assyrios, si femina irrideat virum agendo ut immunis ab eo transeat.
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 Tunc introivit Vagao ad Judith, et dixit : Non vereatur bona puella introire ad dominum meum, ut honorificetur ante faciem ejus, ut manducet cum eo, et bibat vinum in jucunditate.
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 Cui Judith respondit : Quæ ego sum, ut contradicam domino meo ?
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 omne quod erit ante oculos ejus bonum et optimum, faciam. Quidquid autem illi placuerit, hoc mihi erit optimum omnibus diebus vitæ meæ.
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 Et surrexit, et ornavit se vestimento suo, et ingressa stetit ante faciem ejus.
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 Cor autem Holofernes concussum est : erat enim ardens in concupiscentia ejus.
17 'Drink then!' Holofernes said. 'Enjoy yourself with us!'	17 Et dixit ad eam Holofernes : Bibe nunc, et accumbe in jucunditate, quoniam invenisti gratiam coram me.
18 'I am delighted to do so, my lord, for since my birth I have never felt my life more worthwhile thantoday.'	18 Et dixit Judith : Bibam, domine, quoniam magnificata est anima mea hodie præ omnibus diebus meis.
19 She took what her maid had prepared, and ate and drank facing him.	19 Et accepit, et manducavit et bibit coram ipso ea quæ paraverat illi ancilla ejus.
20 Holofernes was so enchanted with her that he drank far more wine than he had drunk on any otherday in his life.	20 Et jucundus factus est Holofernes ad eam, bibitque vinum multum nimis, quantum numquam biberat in vita sua.