Judith 13

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 It grew late and his staff hurried away. Bagoas closed the tent from the outside, having shown outthose who stil lingered in his lord's presence. They went to their beds wearied with too much drinking,	1 And when it was grown late, his servants made haste to their lodgings, and Vagao shut the chamber doors, and went his way.
2 and Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes who had col apsed wine-sodden on his bed.	2 And they were all overcharged with wine.
3 Judith then told her maid to stay just outside the bedroom and wait for her to come out, as she didevery morning. She had let it be understood she would be going out to her prayers and had also spoken of herintention to Bagoas.	3 And Judith was alone in the chamber.
4 By now everyone had left Holofernes, and no one, either important or unimportant, was left in thebedroom. Standing beside the bed, Judith murmured to herself: Lord God, to whom al strength belongs, prosperwhat my hands are now to do for the greater glory of Jerusalem;	4 But Holofernes lay on his bed, fast asleep, being exceedingly drunk.
5 now is the time to recover your heritage and to further my plans to crush the enemies arrayed againstus.	5 And Judith spoke to her maid to stand without before the chamber, and to watch:
6 With that she went up to the bedpost by Holofernes' head and took down his scimitar;	6 And Judith stood before the bed praying with tears, and the motion of her lips in silence,
7 coming closer to the bed she caught him by the hair and said, 'Make me strong today, Lord God ofIsrael!'	7 Saying: Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, and in this hour look on the works of my hands, that as thou hast promised, thou mayst raise up Jerusalem thy city: and that I may bring to pass that which I have purposed, having a belief that it might be done by thee.
8 Twice she struck at his neck with all her might, and cut off his head.	8 And when she had said this, she went to the pillar that was at his bed's head, and loosed his sword that hung tied upon it.
9 She then rol ed his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from the bedposts. After which, shewent out and gave the head of Holofernes to her maid	9 And when she had drawn it out, she took him by the hair of his head, and said: Strengthen me, O Lord God, at this hour.
10 who put it in her food bag. The two then left the camp together, as they always did when they went topray. Once they were out of the camp, they skirted the ravine, climbed the slope to Bethulia and made for thegates.	10 And she struck twice upon his neck, and out off his head, and took off his canopy from the pillars, and rolled away his headless body.
11 From a distance, Judith shouted to the guards on the gates, 'Open the gate! Open! For the Lord ourGod is with us stil , displaying his strength in Israel and his might against our enemies, as he has done today!'	11 And after a while she went out, and delivered the head of Holofernes to her maid, and bade her put it into her wallet.
12 Hearing her voice, the townsmen hurried down to the town gate and summoned the elders.	12 And they two went out according to their custom, as it were to prayer, and they passed the camp, and having compassed the valley, they came to the gate of the city.
13 Everyone, great and smal , came running down, since her arrival was unexpected. They threw thegate open, welcomed the women, lit a fire to see by and crowded round them.	13 And Judith from afar off cried to the watchmen upon the walls: Open the gates for God is with us, who hath shewn his power in Israel.
14 Then Judith raised her voice and said, 'Praise God! Praise him! Praise the God who has notwithdrawn his mercy from the House of Israel, but has shattered our enemies by my hand tonight!'	14 And it came to pass, when the men had heard her voice, that they called the ancients of the city.
15 She pul ed the head out of the bag and held it for them to see. 'This is the head of Holofernes,general-in-chief of the Assyrian army; here is the canopy under which he lay drunk! The Lord has struck himdown by the hand of a woman!	15 And all ran to meet her from the least to the greatest: for they now had no hopes that she would come.
16 Glory to the Lord who has protected me in the course I took! My face seduced him, only to his ownundoing; he committed no sin with me to shame me or disgrace me.'	16 And lighting up lights they all gathered round about her: and she went up to a higher place, and commanded silence to be made. And when all had held their peace,
17 Overcome with emotion, the people al prostrated themselves and worshipped God, exclaiming withone voice, 'Blessings on you, our God, for confounding your people's enemies today!'	17 Judith said: Praise ye the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in him.
18 Uzziah then said to Judith: May you be blessed, my daughter, by God Most High, beyond al womenon earth; and blessed be the Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth, who guided you to cut off the head of theleader of our enemies!	18 And by me his handmaid he hath fulfilled his mercy, which he promised to the house of Israel: and he hath killed the enemy of his people by my hand this night.
19 The trust which you have shown wil not pass from human hearts, as they commemorate the power ofGod for evermore.	19 Then she brought forth the head of Holofernes out of the wallet, and shewed it them, saying: Behold the head of Holofernes the general of the army of the Assyrians, and behold his canopy, wherein he lay in his drunkenness, where the Lord our God slew him by the hand of a woman.
20 God grant you may be always held in honour and rewarded with blessings, since you did not consideryour own life when our nation was brought to its knees, but warded off our ruin, walking in the right path beforeour God. And the people al said, 'Amen! Amen!'	20 But as the same Lord liveth, his angel hath been my keeper both going hence, and abiding there, and returning from thence hither: and the Lord hath not suffered me his handmaid to be defiled, but hath brought me back to you without pollution of sin, rejoicing for his victory, for my escape, and for your deliverance.
	21 Give all of you glory to him, because he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.
	22 And they all adored the Lord, and said to her: The Lord hath blessed thee by his power, because by thee he hath brought our enemies to nought.
	23 And Ozias the prince of the people of Israel, said to her: Blessed art thou, O daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women upon the earth.
	24 Blessed be the Lord who made heaven and earth, who hath directed thee to the cutting off the head of the prince of our enemies.
	25 Because he hath so magnified thy name this day, that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men who shall be mindful of the power of the Lord for ever, for that thou hast not spared thy life, by reason of the distress and tribulation of thy people, but hast prevented our ruin in the presence of our God.
	26 And all the people said: So be it, so be it.
	27 And Achior being called for came, and Judith said to him: The God of Israel, to whom thou gavest testimony, that he revengeth himself of his enemies, he hath cut off the head of all the unbelievers this night by my hand.
	28 And that thou mayst find that it is so, behold the head of Holofernes, who in the contempt of his pride despised the God of Israel: and threatened thee with death, saying: When the people of Israel shall be taken, I will command thy sides to be pierced with a sword.
	29 Then Achior seeing the head of Holofernes, being seized with a great fear he fell on his face upon the earth, and his soul swooned away.
	30 But after he had recovered his spirits he fell down at her feet, and reverenced her and said:
	31 Blessed art thou by thy God in every tabernacle of Jacob, for in every nation which shall hear thy name, the God of Israel shall be magnified on occasion of thee.