Giuditta 12

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Et iussit introduci eam, ubi reponebatur argentum ipsius. Et praecepitsterni ei et dare ei ex obsoniis suis et ex vino suo bibere.	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 Et dixit Iudith:“ Non manducabo ex eis, ne fiat mihi offensio, sed ex eis, quae allata sunt,praebebitur mihi ”.	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 Et dixit ad eam Holofernes: “ Si autem defecerint, quae tecum sunt, undeafferemus et dabimus tibi similia eis? Non enim est homo nobiscum ex genere tuo,qui habeat similia ”.	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 Dixitque ad eum Iudith: “ Vivit anima tua, dominemi, quoniam non impendet ancilla tua, quae sunt mecum, quousque faciat Dominusin manu mea, quae voluit ”.	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 Et induxerunt eam servi Holofernis intabernaculum, et dormivit usque in mediam noctem. Surrexitque ante vigiliammatutinam	5 Holofernes' adjutants then took her to a tent where she slept until midnight. A little before the morningwatch, she got up.
6 et misit ad Holofernen dicens: “ Praecipiat nunc dominus meuspermitti ancillam suam exire ad orationem ”.	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 Et praecepit Holofernescustodibus suis, ne prohiberent eam. Et permansit in castris triduum. Et exiebatper noctem in vallem Betuliae et baptizabat se in fontem aquae.	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 Et, utascendebat, orabat Dominum, Deum Israel, ut dirigeret viam eius in exaltationempo puli sui.	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 Et introiens munda manebat in tabernaculo, usque dum afferreturesca eius in vesperum.	9 Having purified herself, she would return and stay in her tent until her meal was brought her in theevening.
10 Et factum est, in quarta die fecit Holofernes cenam famulis suis solis etneminem eorum, qui erant super officia, vocavit ad convivium.	10 On the fourth day Holofernes gave a banquet, inviting only his own staff and none of the other officers.
11 Et dixit Bagoaespadoni, qui erat praepositus super omnia ipsius: “ Vadens suade mulieriHebraeae, quae est apud te, ut veniat ad nos et manducet et bibat nobiscum.	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 Ecce enim turpe est in conspectu nostro, ut mulierem talem dimittamus nonfabulantes ei, quoniam, si non eam attraxerimus, deridebit nos ”.	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 Et exiitBagoas a facie Holofernis et introivit ad eam et dixit ei: “ Non pigeatpuellam bonam hanc introeuntem ad dominum meum glorificari ante faciem eius etbibere nobiscum vinum in iucunditatem et fieri in hodierno die honorificam sicutunam filiarum magnatorum Assyriae, quae assistunt in domo Nabuchodonosor ”.	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 Dixitque ad eum Iudith: “ Et quae sum ego, ut contradicam domino meo? Quoniamomne, quod erit optimum in oculis eius, festinans faciam, et erit hoc mihigaudium usque ad diem mortis meae ”.	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 Et surgens exornavit se vestimento suo et omni muliebri ornatu, et praecessitancilla eius et stravit ei contra Holofernen in terra stragula, quae acceperat aBagoa in cotidianum usum, ut manducaret discumbens super ea.	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 Et introiensIudith discubuit. Et obstupuit cor Holofernis in eam, et commota est anima eius,et erat concupiscens valde, ut concumberet cum ea; quaerebatque tempus seducendieam ex die, quo viderat illam.	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 Et dixit ad eam Holofernes: “ Bibe et estonobiscum in iucunditatem ”.	17 'Drink then!' Holofernes said. 'Enjoy yourself with us!'
18 Et dixit Iudith: “ Bibam, domine, quiamagnificata est vita mea in me hodie prae omnibus diebus nativitatis meae ”.	18 'I am delighted to do so, my lord, for since my birth I have never felt my life more worthwhile thantoday.'
19 Et accipiens manducavit et bibit coram illo ea, quae praeparaverat ipsiancilla sua.	19 She took what her maid had prepared, and ate and drank facing him.
20 Et iucundatus est Holofernes de ea et bibit multum vinum,quantum numquam bibit in uno die, ex quo natus est.	20 Holofernes was so enchanted with her that he drank far more wine than he had drunk on any otherday in his life.