Giuditta 13

BIBBIA CEI 1974	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Quando si fece buio, i suoi servi si affrettarono a ritirarsi. Bagoa chiuse dal di fuori la tenda e allontanò le guardie dalla vista del suo signore e ognuno andò al proprio giaciglio; in realtà erano tutti fiaccati, perché il bere era stato eccessivo.	1 So then, when it had become late, his servants hurried to their lodgings, and Vagao closed the chamber doors, and he went away.
2 Rimase solo Giuditta nella tenda e Oloferne buttato sul divano, ubriaco fradicio.	2 But they were all drowsy from the wine.
3 Allora Giuditta ordinò all'ancella di stare fuori della sua tenda e di aspettare che uscisse, come aveva fatto ogni giorno; aveva detto infatti che sarebbe uscita per la sua preghiera e anche con Bagoa aveva parlato in questo senso.	3 And Judith was alone in the chamber.
4 Si erano allontanati tutti dalla loro presenza e nessuno, piccolo o grande, era rimasto nella parte più interna della tenda; Giuditta, fermatasi presso il divano di lui, disse in cuor suo: "Signore, Dio d'ogni potenza, guarda propizio in quest'ora all'opera delle mie mani per l'esaltazione di Gerusalemme.	4 Moreover, Holofernes, being very inebriated, was fast asleep, reclining on his bed.
5 È venuto il momento di pensare alla tua eredità e di far riuscire il mio piano per la rovina dei nemici che sono insorti contro di noi".	5 And Judith told her handmaid to stand outside before the chamber, and to watch.
6 Avvicinatasi alla colonna del letto che era dalla parte del capo di Oloferne, ne staccò la scimitarra di lui;	6 And Judith stood in front of the bed, praying with tears, and her lips moved in silence,
7 poi, accostatasi al letto, afferrò la testa di lui per la chioma e disse: "Dammi forza, Signore Dio d'Israele, in questo momento".	7 saying: “Confirm me, O Lord God of Israel, and in this hour look kindly upon the works of my hands, so that, just as you promised, you may raise up Jerusalem, your city, and so that, believing through you that this plan is able to be accomplished, I may succeed.”
8 E con tutta la forza di cui era capace lo colpì due volte al collo e gli staccò la testa.	8 And when she had said this, she approached the pillar, which was at the head of the bed, and she released his blade, which was hanging tied to it.
9 Indi ne fece rotolare il corpo giù dal giaciglio e strappò via le cortine dai sostegni. Poco dopo uscì e consegnò la testa di Oloferne alla sua ancella,	9 And when she had unsheathed it, she grabbed him by the hair of his head, and she said, “Confirm me, O Lord God, in this hour.”
10 la quale la mise nella bisaccia dei viveri e uscirono tutt'e due, secondo il loro uso, per la preghiera; attraversarono il campo, fecero un giro nella valle, poi salirono sul monte verso Betulia e giunsero alle porte della città.	10 And she struck him twice on his neck, and she cut off his head, and she took off his canopy from the pillars, and she rolled away the trunk of his body.
11 Giuditta gridò di lontano al corpo di guardia delle porte: "Aprite, aprite subito la porta: è con noi Dio, il nostro Dio, per esercitare ancora la sua forza in Israele e la sua potenza contro i nemici, come ha dimostrato oggi".	11 And after a little while, she went out, and she delivered the head of Holofernes to her handmaid, and she ordered her to put it in her bag.
12 Non appena gli uomini della sua città sentirono la sua voce, corsero giù in fretta alla porta della città e chiamarono gli anziani.	12 And the two went out, according to their custom, as if to prayer, and they passed through the camp, and having circled around the valley, they came to the gate of the city.
13 Corsero tutti, piccoli e grandi, perché non s'aspettavano il suo arrivo; aprirono dunque la porta, le accolsero dentro e, acceso il fuoco per far chiaro, si fecero loro attorno.	13 And Judith, from a distance, spoke to the watchmen on the walls, “Open the gates, for God is with us, and he has acted with his power in Israel.”
14 Giuditta disse loro a gran voce: "Lodate Dio, lodatelo; lodate Dio, perché non ha distolto la sua misericordia dalla casa d'Israele, ma ha colpito i nostri nemici in questa notte per mano mia".	14 And it happened that, when the men had heard her voice, they called the elders of the city.
15 Estrasse allora la testa dalla bisaccia e la mise in mostra dicendo loro: "Ecco la testa di Oloferne, comandante supremo dell'esercito assiro; ecco le cortine sotto le quali giaceva ubriaco; Dio l'ha colpito per mano di donna.	15 And all rushed toward her, from the least to the greatest. For, until then, they held no hope that she would return.
16 Viva dunque il Signore, che mi ha protetto nella mia impresa, perché costui si è lasciato ingannare dal mio volto a sua rovina, ma non ha potuto compiere alcun male con me a mia contaminazione e vergogna".	16 And, enflaming the lights, they gathered all around her. But she climbed up to a higher place, and she ordered them to be made silent. And when all had quieted down,
17 Tutto il popolo era oltremodo fuori di sé e tutti si chinarono ad adorare Dio, esclamando in coro: "Benedetto sei tu, nostro Dio, che hai annientato in questo giorno i nemici del tuo popolo".	17 Judith said: “Praise the Lord our God, who has not abandoned those who hope in him.
18 Ozia a sua volta le disse: "Benedetta sei tu, figlia, davanti al Dio altissimo più di tutte le donne che vivono sulla terra e benedetto il Signore Dio che ha creato il cielo e la terra e ti ha guidato a troncare la testa del capo dei nostri nemici.	18 And by me, his handmaid, he has fulfilled his mercy, which he promised to the house of Israel. And he has killed the enemy of his people, by my hand this night.”
19 Davvero il coraggio che hai avuto non cadrà dal cuore degli uomini, che ricorderanno sempre la potenza di Dio.	19 Then, taking the head of Holofernes from the bag, she displayed it to them, saying: “Behold, the head of Holofernes the leader of the military of the Assyrians, and behold his canopy, under which he reclined in his drunkenness, where the Lord our God struck him by the hand of a woman.
20 Dio faccia riuscire questa impresa a tua perenne esaltazione, ricolmandoti di beni, in riconoscimento della prontezza con cui hai esposto la vita di fronte all'umiliazione della nostra stirpe, e hai sollevato il nostro abbattimento, comportandoti rettamente davanti al nostro Dio". E tutto il popolo esclamò: "Amen! Amen!".	20 But, as the Lord himself lives, his angel has been my guardian both from my departure, and while staying there, and when returning from there. And the Lord has not permitted me, his handmaid, to be defiled, but he has called me back to you without the pollution of sin, rejoicing in his victory, in my escape, and in your liberation.
	21 Confess everything to him, for he is good, for his mercy is with every generation.”
	22 Then everyone adored the Lord, and they said to her, “The Lord has blessed you by his power, because, through you, he has reduced our enemies to nothing.”
	23 Furthermore, Uzziah, the leader of the people of Israel, said to her: “O daughter, you have been blessed by the Lord, the most high God, above all the women on earth.
	24 Blessed is the Lord, who made heaven and earth, who has guided you in harming the head of the leader of our enemies.
	25 For he has so magnified your name this day, that your praise will not retire from the mouth of men, who will be mindful of the power of the Lord forever, because you have risked your life for the sake of the distress and tribulation of your people, and you have prevented our ruin before the sight of our God.”
	26 And all the people said: “Amen. Amen.”
	27 And so, Achior was called, and he drew near, and Judith said to him: “The God of Israel, to whom you gave testimony, has avenged himself on his enemies. He has cut down the head of all unbelievers, by my hand this night.
	28 And, so that you may determine that this is so, behold, the head of Holofernes, who, in the contempt of his pride, despised the God of Israel and threatened Israel with ruin, saying, ‘When the people of Israel have been captured, I will instruct your sides to be pierced through with a sword.’ ”
	29 Then Achior, seeing the head of Holofernes, and being distressed by fear, fell upon his face on the ground, and his soul became agitated.
	30 In truth, after this, when he had recovered his breath, he fell down before her feet, and he showed reverence for her, and he said:
	31 “Blessed are you by your God, in every tabernacle of Jacob, for in every nation that will hear of your name, the God of Israel will be magnified over you.”