Livre de Judith 13

JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Quand il se fit tard, ses officiers se hâtèrent de partir. Bagoas ferma la tente de l'extérieur, aprèsavoir éconduit d'auprès de son maître ceux qui s'y trouvaient encore. Ils allèrent se coucher, fatigués par l'excèsde boisson,	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 et Judith fut laissée seule dans la tente avec Holopherne effondré sur son lit, noyé dans le vin.	2 And they were all overcharged with wine.
3 Judith dit alors à sa servante de se tenir dehors, près de la chambre à coucher, et d'attendre sa sortiecomme elle le faisait chaque jour. Elle avait d'ailleurs eu soin de dire qu'elle sortirait pour sa prière et avait parlédans le même sens à Bagoas.	3 And Judith was alone in the chamber.
4 Tous s'en étaient allés de chez Holopherne et nul, petit ou grand, n'avait été laissé dans la chambre àcoucher. Debout près du lit Judith dit en elle-même: "Seigneur, Dieu de toute force, en cette heure, favorisel'oeuvre de mes mains pour l'exaltation de Jérusalem.	4 But Holofernes lay on his bed, fast asleep, being exceedingly drunk.
5 C'est maintenant le moment de ressaisir ton héritage et de réaliser mes plans pour écraser lesennemis levés contre nous."	5 And Judith spoke to her maid to stand without before the chamber, and to watch:
6 Elle s'avança alors vers la traverse du lit proche de la tête d'Holopherne, en détacha son cimeterre,	6 And Judith stood before the bed praying with tears, and the motion of her lips in silence,
7 puis s'approchant de la couche elle saisit la chevelure de l'homme et dit: "Rends-moi forte en ce jour,Seigneur, Dieu d'Israël!"	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 Par deux fois elle le frappa au cou, de toute sa force, et détacha sa tête.	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 Elle fit ensuite rouler le corps loin du lit et enleva la draperie des colonnes. Peu après elle sortit etdonna la tête d'Holopherne à sa servante,	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 qui la mit dans la besace à vivres, et toutes deux sortirent du camp comme elles avaient coutume dele faire pour aller prier. Une fois le camp traversé elles contournèrent le ravin, gravirent la pente de Béthulie etparvinrent aux portes.	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 De loin Judith cria aux gardiens des portes: "Ouvrez, ouvrez la porte! Car le Seigneur notre Dieuest encore avec nous pour accomplir des prouesses en Israël et déployer sa force contre nos ennemis comme il l'afait aujourd'hui!"	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 Quand les hommes de la ville eurent entendu sa voix, ils se hâtèrent de descendre à la porte de leurcité et appelèrent les anciens.	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 Du plus petit jusqu'au plus grand tout le monde accourut, car on ne s'attendait pas à son arrivée.Les gens ouvrirent la porte, accueillirent les deux femmes, firent du feu pour y voir et les entourèrent.	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 D'une voix forte Judith leur dit: "Louez Dieu! Louez-le! Louez le Dieu qui n'a pas détourné samiséricorde de la maison d'Israël, mais qui, cette nuit, a par ma main brisé nos ennemis."	14 And it came to pass, when the men had heard her voice, that they called the ancients of the city.
15 Elle tire alors la tête de sa besace et la leur montre: "Voici la tête d'Holopherne, le général en chefde l'armée d'Assur, et voici la draperie sous laquelle il gisait dans son ivresse! Le Seigneur l'a frappé par la maind'une femme!	15 And all ran to meet her from the least to the greatest: for they now had no hopes that she would come.
16 Vive le Seigneur qui m'a gardée dans mon entreprise! Car mon visage n'a séduit cet homme quepour sa perte. Il n'a pas péché avec moi pour ma honte et mon déshonneur."	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 En proie à une grande émotion tout le peuple se prosterna pour adorer Dieu et cria d'une seule voix:"Béni sois-tu, ô notre Dieu, toi qui, en ce jour, as anéanti les ennemis de ton peuple!"	17 Judith said: Praise ye the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in him.
18 Ozias, à son tour, dit à Judith: "Sois bénie, ma fille, par le Dieu Très-Haut, plus que toutes lesfemmes de la terre; et béni soit le Seigneur Dieu, Créateur du ciel et de la terre, lui qui t'a conduite pour trancherla tête du chef de nos ennemis!	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 Jamais la confiance dont tu as fait preuve ne s'effacera de l'esprit des hommes; mais ils sesouviendront éternellement de la puissance de Dieu.	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 Fasse Dieu que tu sois éternellement exaltée et récompensée de mille biens, puisque tu n'as pasménagé ta vie quand notre race était humiliée, mais que tu as conjuré notre ruine en marchant droit devant notreDieu." Tout le peuple répondit: "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.