Giuditta 13

NOVA VULGATA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Et, ut vesper factus est, festinaverunt servi eius abire, et Bagoasconclusit tabernaculum a foris et dimisit adstantes a facie domini sui. Etabierunt omnes in cubilia sua; erant enim omnes fatigati, quoniam plurimusfactus erat potus.	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 Derelicta est autem sola Iudith in tabernaculo, etHolofernes prociderat in lectum suum; circumfusum enim erat ei vinum.	2 And they were all overcharged with wine.
3 Et dixitIudith ancillae suae, ut staret extra cubiculum et observaret exitum eius sicutcotidie; exire enim se dixit ad orationem suam, et Bagoae locuta est secundumverba haec.	3 And Judith was alone in the chamber.
4 Discesseruntque omnes a facie, et nemo relictus est in cubiculo eius, a minimousque ad magnum. Et stans Iudith ad caput eius dixit: “ Domine, Domine, Deusomnium virtutum, respice in hac hora ad opera manuum mearum, ut exalteturIerusalem.	4 But Holofernes lay on his bed, fast asleep, being exceedingly drunk.
5 Quia nunc est tempus, ut suscipias hereditatem tuam et faciascogitationem meam in quassationem inimicorum, qui insurrexerunt super nos ”.	5 And Judith spoke to her maid to stand without before the chamber, and to watch:
6 Et accedens ad columnam lectus, quae erat ad caput Holofernis, deposuit pugionemillius ab illa.	6 And Judith stood before the bed praying with tears, and the motion of her lips in silence,
7 Et accedens ad lectum comprehendit comam capitis eius etdixit: “ Deus Israel, confirma me, Domine, Deus Israel, in hoc die ”.	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 Etpercussit in cervicem eius bis in virtute sua et abstulit caput eius ab eo.	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 Etvolutavit corpus eius a toro et abstulit conopeum eius a columnis; et postpusillum exiit et tradidit abrae suae caput Holofernis,	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 et misit illud inperam escarum suarum. Et exierunt ambae simul secundum consuetudinem suam quasiad orationem. Transeuntesque castra gyraverunt totam vallem illam etsubascenderunt montem Betuliae et venerunt ad portas eius.	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 Et dixit Iudith a longe eis, qui custodiebant in portis: “ Aperite, aperiteportam! Nobiscum est Deus, Deus noster, ut faciat adhuc virtutem in Israel etpotentiam adversus inimicos nostros, sicut et hodie fecit ”.	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 Et factum est,ut audierunt viri civitatis vocem eius, festinaverunt descendere ad portamcivitatis suae et convocaverunt seniores civitatis.	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 Et concurrerunt omnes aminimo usque ad magnum, quoniam mirum erat eis illam reversam esse. Etaperuerunt portam et receperunt eas et accendentes ignem ad lumen congyraverunteam.	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 Quae dixit ad eos voce magna: “ Laudate Dominum nostrum, laudate, quianon abstulit misericordiam suam a domo Israel, sed conteruit inimicos nostrosper manum meam in hac nocte ”.	14 And it came to pass, when the men had heard her voice, that they called the ancients of the city.
15 Et proferens caput de pera sua ostendit etdixit eis: “ Ecce caput Holofernis principis militiae virtutis Assyriorum, etecce conopeum, in quo recumbebat in ebrietate sua. Et percussit eum Dominus inmanu feminae.	15 And all ran to meet her from the least to the greatest: for they now had no hopes that she would come.
16 Et vivit Dominus, qui custodivit me in via mea, qua profectasum, quoniam seduxit eum facies mea in perditionem eius, et non fecit peccatummecum in coinquinationem et confusionem ”.	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 Et obstupuit omnis populus valde et inclinantes se adoraverunt Deum etdixerunt unanimes: “ Benedictus es, Deus noster, qui ad nihilum redegistiinimicos populi tui in hodierna die ”.	17 Judith said: Praise ye the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in him.
18 Et dixit ad eam Ozias: “ Benedictatu es, filia, a Deo excelso prae omnibus mulieribus, quae sunt super terram. Etbenedictus Dominus Deus noster, qui creavit caelum et terram, qui direxit te invulnus capitis principis inimicorum nostrorum.	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 Quoniam non discedet laus tuaa corde hominum memorantium virtutis Dei usque in sempiternum.	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 Et faciat tibiea Deus in exaltationem aeternam, ut visitet te in bonis, pro eo quod nonpepercisti animae tuae propter humilitatem generis nostri, sed prosilisti inruinam nostram in directum ambulans in conspectu Dei nostri ”. Et dixit omnispopulus: “ Fiat, fiat! ”.	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.