Judith 12

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Then he commanded them to bring her in where his silver dishes were kept, and ordered them to set a table for her with some of his own food and to serve her with his own wine.	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 cannot eat it, lest it be an offense; but I will be provided from the things I have brought with me."	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 Holofernes said to her, "If your supply runs out, where can we get more like it for you? For none of your people is here with us."	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 Judith replied, "As your soul lives, my lord, your servant will not use up the things I have with me before the Lord carries out by my hand what he has determined to do."	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 Then the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept until midnight. Along toward the morning watch she arose	5 Holofernes' adjutants then took her to a tent where she slept until midnight. A little before the morningwatch, she got up.
6 and sent to Holofernes and said, "Let my lord now command that your servant be permitted to go out and pray."	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 So Holofernes commanded his guards not to hinder her. And she remained in the camp for three days, and went out each night to the valley of Bethulia, and bathed at the spring in the camp.	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 When she came up from the spring she prayed the Lord God of Israel to direct her way for the raising up of her people.	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 So she returned clean and stayed in the tent until she ate her food toward evening.	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 held a banquet for his slave only, and did not invite any of his officers.	10 On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet, inviting only his own staff and none of the other officers.
11 And he said to Bagoas, the eunuch who had charge of his personal affairs, "Go now and persuade the Hebrew woman who is in your care to join us and eat and drink with us.	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 For it will be a disgrace if we let such a woman go without enjoying her company, for if we do not embrace her she will laugh at 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!'
13 So Bagoas went out from the presence of Holofernes, and approached her and said, "This beautiful maidservant will please come to my lord and be honored in his presence, and drink wine and be merry with us, and become today like one of the daughters of the Assyrians who serve in the house of Nebuchadnezzar."	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 And Judith said, "Who am I, to refuse my lord? Surely whatever pleases him I will do at once, and it will be a joy to me until the day of my death!"	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 arrayed herself in all her woman's finery, and her maid went and spread on the ground for her before Holofernes the soft fleeces which she had received from Bagoas for her daily use, so that she might recline on them when she ate.	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 Then Judith came in and lay down, and Holofernes' heart was ravished with her and he was moved with great desire to possess her; for he had been waiting for an opportunity to deceive her, ever since the day he first saw her.	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 So Holofernes said to her. "Drink now, and be merry with us!"	17 'Drink then!' Holofernes said. 'Enjoy yourself with us!'
18 Judith said, "I will drink now, my lord, because my life means more to me today than in all the days since I was born."	18 'I am delighted to do so, my lord, for since my birth I have never felt my life more worthwhile thantoday.'
19 Then she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared.	19 She took what her maid had prepared, and ate and drank facing him.
20 And Holofernes was greatly pleased with her, and drank a great quantity of wine, much more than he had ever drunk in any one day since he was born.	20 Holofernes was so enchanted with her that he drank far more wine than he had drunk on any otherday in his life.