Iudith 10

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Factum est autem, cum cessasset clamare ad Dominum, surrexit de loco in quo jacuerat prostrata ad Dominum.	1 As soon as Judith had thus concluded, and ceased her invocation to the God of Israel,
2 Vocavitque abram suam, et descendens in domum suam, abstulit a se cilicium, et exuit se vestimentis viduitatis suæ,	2 she rose from the ground. She called her maid and they went down into the house, which she used only on sabbaths and feast days.
3 et lavit corpus suum, et unxit se myro optimo, et discriminavit crinem capitis sui, et imposuit mitram super caput suum, et induit se vestimentis jucunditatis suæ, induitque sandalia pedibus suis, assumpsitque dextraliola, et lilia, et inaures, et annulos, et omnibus ornamentis suis ornavit se.	3 She took off the sackcloth she had on, laid aside the garments of her widowhood, washed her body with water, and anointed it with rich ointment. She arranged her hair and bound it with a fillet, and put on the festive attire she had worn while her husband, Manasseh, was living.
4 Cui etiam Dominus contulit splendorem : quoniam omnis ista compositio non ex libidine, sed ex virtute pendebat : et ideo Dominus hanc in illam pulchritudinem ampliavit, ut incomparabili decore omnium oculis appareret.	4 She chose sandals for her feet, and put on her anklets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and all her other jewelry. Thus she made herself very beautiful, to captivate the eyes of all the men who should see her.
5 Imposuit itaque abræ suæ ascoperam vini, et vas olei, et polentam, et palathas, et panes, et caseum, et profecta est.	5 She gave her maid a leather flask of wine and a cruse of oil. She filled a bag with roasted grain, fig cakes, bread and cheese; all these provisions she wrapped up and gave to the maid to carry.
6 Cumque venissent ad portam civitatis, invenerunt expectantem Oziam et presbyteros civitatis.	6 Then they went out to the gate of the city of Bethulia and found Uzziah and the elders of the city, Chabri and Charmis, standing there.
7 Qui cum vidissent eam, stupentes mirati sunt nimis pulchritudinem ejus.	7 When these men saw Judith transformed in looks and differently dressed, they were very much astounded at her beauty and said to her,
8 Nihil tamen interrogantes eam, dimiserunt transire, dicentes : Deus patrum nostrorum det tibi gratiam, et omne consilium tui cordis sua virtute corroboret, ut glorietur super te Jerusalem, et sit nomen tuum in numero sanctorum et justorum.	8 "May the God of our fathers bring you to favor, and make your undertaking a success, for the glory of the Israelites and the exaltation of Jerusalem." Judith bowed down to God. Then she said to them,
9 Et dixerunt hi qui illic erant omnes una voce : Fiat, fiat.	9 "Order the gate of the city opened for me, that I may go to carry out the business we discussed." So they ordered the youths to open the gate for her as she requested.
10 Judith vero orans Dominum, transivit per portas, ipsa et abra ejus.	10 When they did so, Judith and her maid went out. The men of the city kept her in view as she went down the mountain and crossed the valley; then they lost sight of her.
11 Factum est autem cum descenderet montem, circa ortum diei, occurrerunt ei exploratores Assyriorum, et tenuerunt eam, dicentes : Unde venis ? aut quo vadis ?	11 As Judith and her maid walked directly across the valley, they encountered the Assyrian outpost.
12 Quæ respondit : Filia sum Hebræorum, ideo ego fugi a facie eorum, quoniam futurum agnovi quod dentur vobis in deprædationem, pro eo quod contemnentes vos, noluerunt ultro tradere seipsos ut invenirent misericordiam in conspectu vestro.	12 The men took her in custody and asked her, "To what people do you belong? Where do you come from, and where are you going?" She replied: "I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fleeing from them, because they are about to be delivered up to you as prey.
13 Hac de causa cogitavi mecum, dicens : Vadam ad faciem principis Holofernis, ut indicem illi secreta illorum, et ostendam illi quo aditu possit obtinere eos, ita ut non cadat vir unus de exercitu ejus.	13 I have come to see Holofernes, the general in chief of your forces, to give him a trustworthy report; I will show him the route by which he can ascend and take possession of the whole mountain district without a single one of his men suffering injury or loss of life."
14 Et cum audissent viri illi verba ejus, considerabant faciem ejus, et erat in oculis eorum stupor, quoniam pulchritudinem ejus mirabantur nimis.	14 When the men heard her words and gazed upon her face, which appeared wondrously beautiful to them, they said to her,
15 Et dixerunt ad eam : Conservasti animam tuam, eo quod tale reperisti consilium, ut descenderes ad dominum nostrum.	15 "By coming down thus promptly to see our master, you have saved your life. Now go to his tent; some of our men will accompany you to present you to him.
16 Hoc autem scias, quoniam cum steteris in conspectu ejus, bene tibi faciet, et eris gratissima in corde ejus. Duxeruntque illam ad tabernaculum Holofernis, annuntiantes eam.	16 When you stand before him, have no fear in your heart; give him the report you speak of, and he will treat you well."
17 Cumque intrasset ante faciem ejus, statim captus est in suis oculis Holofernes.	17 So they detailed a hundred of their men as an escort for her and her maid, and these conducted them to the tent of Holofernes.
18 Dixeruntque ad eum satellites ejus : Quis contemnat populum Hebræorum, qui tam decoras mulieres habent, ut non pro his merito pugnare contra eos debeamus ?	18 When the news of her arrival spread among the tents, a crowd gathered in the camp. They came and stood around her as she waited outside the tent of Holofernes, while he was being informed about her.
19 Videns itaque Judith Holofernem sedentem in conopeo, quod erat ex purpura, et auro, et smaragdo, et lapidibus pretiosis intextum,	19 They marveled at her beauty, regarding the Israelites with wonder because of her, and they said to one another, "Who can despise this people that has such women among them? It is not wise to leave one man of them alive, for if any were to be spared they could beguile the whole world."
20 et cum in faciem ejus intendisset, adoravit eum, prosternens se super terram. Et elevaverunt eam servi Holofernis, jubente domino suo.	20 The guard of Holofernes and all his servants came out and ushered her into the tent.
	21 Now Holofernes was reclining on his bed under a canopy with a netting of crimson and gold, emeralds and other precious stones.
	22 When they announced her to him, he came out to the antechamber, preceded by silver lamps;
	23 and when Holofernes and his servants beheld Judith, they all marveled at the beauty of her face. She threw herself down prostrate before him, but his servants raised her up.