Judith 10

1And it came to pass, when she had ceased to cry to the Lord, that she rose from the place wherein she lay prostrate before the Lord.

2And she called her maid, and going down into her house she took off her haircloth, and put away the garments of her widowhood,

3And she washed her body, and anointed herself with the best ointment, and plaited the hair of her head, and put a bonnet upon her head, and clothed herself with the garments of her gladness, and put sandals on her feet, and took her bracelets, and lilies, and earlets, and rings, and adorned herself with all her ornaments.

4And the Lord also gave her more beauty: because all this dressing up did not proceed from sensuality, but from virtue: and therefore the Lord increased this her beauty, so that she appeared to all men’s eyes incomparably lovely.

5And she gave to her maid a bottle of wine to carry, and a vessel of oil, and parched corn, and dry figs, and bread and cheese, and went out.

6And when they came to the gate of the city, they found Ozias, and the ancients of the city waiting.

7And when they saw her they were astonished, and admired her beauty exceedingly.

8But they asked her no question, only they let her pass, saying: The God of our fathers give thee grace, and may he strengthen all the counsel of thy heart with his power, that Jerusalem may glory in thee, and thy name may be in the number of the holy and just.

9And they that were there said, all with one voice: So be it, so be it.

10But Judith praying to the Lord, passed through the gates, she and her maid.

11And it came to pass, when she went down the hill, about break of day, that the watchmen of the Assyrians met her, and stopped her, saying: Whence comest thou or whither goest thou?

12And she answered: I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fled from them, because I knew they would be made a prey to you, because they despised you, and would not of their own accord yield themselves, that they might find mercy in your sight.

13For this reason I thought with myself, saying: I will go to the presence of the prince Holofernes, that I may tell him their secrets, and show him by what way he may take them, without the loss of one man of his army.

14And when the men had heard her words, they beheld her face, and their eyes were amazed, for they wondered exceedingly at her beauty.

15And they said to her: Thou hast saved thy life by taking this resolution, to come down to our lord.

16And be assured of this, that when thou shalt stand before him, he will treat thee well, and thou wilt be most acceptable to his heart. And they brought her to the tent of Holofernes, telling him of her.

17And when she was come into his presence, forthwith Holofernes was caught by his eyes.

18And his officers said to him: Who can despise the people of the Hebrews, who have such beautiful women, that we should not think it worth our while for their sakes to fight against them?

19And Judith seeing Holofernes sitting under a canopy, which was woven of purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stones:

20After she had looked on his face, bowed down to him, prostrating herself to the ground. And the servants of Holofernes lifted her up, by the command of their master.

1Factum est autem, cum cessasset clamare ad Dominum, surrexit de loco in quo jacuerat prostrata ad Dominum.

2Vocavitque abram suam, et descendens in domum suam, abstulit a se cilicium, et exuit se vestimentis viduitatis suæ,

3et 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.

4Cui 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.

5Imposuit itaque abræ suæ ascoperam vini, et vas olei, et polentam, et palathas, et panes, et caseum, et profecta est.

6Cumque venissent ad portam civitatis, invenerunt expectantem Oziam et presbyteros civitatis.

7Qui cum vidissent eam, stupentes mirati sunt nimis pulchritudinem ejus.

8Nihil 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.

9Et dixerunt hi qui illic erant omnes una voce : Fiat, fiat.

10Judith vero orans Dominum, transivit per portas, ipsa et abra ejus.

11Factum est autem cum descenderet montem, circa ortum diei, occurrerunt ei exploratores Assyriorum, et tenuerunt eam, dicentes : Unde venis? aut quo vadis?

12Quæ 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.

13Hac 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.

14Et cum audissent viri illi verba ejus, considerabant faciem ejus, et erat in oculis eorum stupor, quoniam pulchritudinem ejus mirabantur nimis.

15Et dixerunt ad eam : Conservasti animam tuam, eo quod tale reperisti consilium, ut descenderes ad dominum nostrum.

16Hoc autem scias, quoniam cum steteris in conspectu ejus, bene tibi faciet, et eris gratissima in corde ejus. Duxeruntque illam ad tabernaculum Holofernis, annuntiantes eam.

17Cumque intrasset ante faciem ejus, statim captus est in suis oculis Holofernes.

18Dixeruntque ad eum satellites ejus : Quis contemnat populum Hebræorum, qui tam decoras mulieres habent, ut non pro his merito pugnare contra eos debeamus?

19Videns itaque Judith Holofernem sedentem in conopeo, quod erat ex purpura, et auro, et smaragdo, et lapidibus pretiosis intextum,

20et cum in faciem ejus intendisset, adoravit eum, prosternens se super terram. Et elevaverunt eam servi Holofernis, jubente domino suo.

1καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐπαύσατο βοῶσα πρὸς τὸν θεὸν Ισραηλ καὶ συνετέλεσεν πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα

2καὶ ἀνέστη ἀπὸ τῆς πτώσεως καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὴν ἅβραν αὐτῆς καὶ κατέβη εἰς τὸν οἶκον ἐν ᾧ διέτριβεν ἐν αὐτῷ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν σαββάτων καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς αὐτῆς

3καὶ περιείλατο τὸν σάκκον ὃν ἐνεδεδύκει καὶ ἐξεδύσατο τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς χηρεύσεως αὐτῆς καὶ περιεκλύσατο τὸ σῶμα ὕδατι καὶ ἐχρίσατο μύρῳ παχεῖ καὶ διέξανε τὰς τρίχας τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέθετο μίτραν ἐπ' αὐτῆς καὶ ἐνεδύσατο τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς εὐφροσύνης αὐτῆς ἐν οἷς ἐστολίζετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς Μανασση

4καὶ ἔλαβεν σανδάλια εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτῆς καὶ περιέθετο τοὺς χλιδῶνας καὶ τὰ ψέλια καὶ τοὺς δακτυλίους καὶ τὰ ἐνώτια καὶ πάντα τὸν κόσμον αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκαλλωπίσατο σφόδρα εἰς ἀπάτησιν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀνδρῶν ὅσοι ἂν ἴδωσιν αὐτήν

5καὶ ἔδωκεν τῇ ἅβρᾳ αὐτῆς ἀσκοπυτίνην οἴνου καὶ καψάκην ἐλαίου καὶ πήραν ἐπλήρωσεν ἀλφίτων καὶ παλάθης καὶ ἄρτων καθαρῶν καὶ περιεδίπλωσε πάντα τὰ ἀγγεῖα αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ

6καὶ ἐξήλθοσαν ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην τῆς πόλεως Βαιτυλουα καὶ εὕροσαν ἐφεστῶτα ἐπ' αὐτῇ Οζιαν καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς πόλεως Χαβριν καὶ Χαρμιν

7ὡς δὲ εἶδον αὐτὴν καὶ ἦν ἠλλοιωμένον τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς καὶ τὴν στολὴν μεταβεβληκυῖαν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐθαύμασαν ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει αὐτῆς ἐπὶ πολὺ σφόδρα καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῇ

8ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν δῴη σε εἰς χάριν καὶ τελειώσαι τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματά σου εἰς γαυρίαμα υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ὕψωμα Ιερουσαλημ

9καὶ προσεκύνησεν τῷ θεῷ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς ἐπιτάξατε ἀνοῖξαί μοι τὴν πύλην τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐξελεύσομαι εἰς τελείωσιν τῶν λόγων ὧν ἐλαλήσατε μετ' ἐμοῦ καὶ συνέταξαν τοῖς νεανίσκοις ἀνοῖξαι αὐτῇ καθότι ἐλάλησεν

10καὶ ἐποίησαν οὕτως καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Ιουδιθ αὐτὴ καὶ ἡ παιδίσκη αὐτῆς μετ' αὐτῆς ἀπεσκόπευον δὲ αὐτὴν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως ἕως οὗ κατέβη τὸ ὄρος ἕως διῆλθεν τὸν αὐλῶνα καὶ οὐκέτι ἐθεώρουν αὐτήν

11καὶ ἐπορεύοντο ἐν τῷ αὐλῶνι εἰς εὐθεῖαν καὶ συνήντησεν αὐτῇ προφυλακὴ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων

12καὶ συνέλαβον αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν τίνων εἶ καὶ πόθεν ἔρχῃ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ καὶ εἶπεν θυγάτηρ εἰμὶ τῶν Εβραίων καὶ ἀποδιδράσκω ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν ὅτι μέλλουσιν δίδοσθαι ὑμῖν εἰς κατάβρωμα

13κἀγὼ ἔρχομαι εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον Ολοφέρνου ἀρχιστρατήγου δυνάμεως ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαι ῥήματα ἀληθείας καὶ δείξω πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ὁδὸν καθ' ἣν πορεύσεται καὶ κυριεύσει πάσης τῆς ὀρεινῆς καὶ οὐ διαφωνήσει τῶν ἀνδρῶν αὐτοῦ σὰρξ μία οὐδὲ πνεῦμα ζωῆς

14ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν οἱ ἄνδρες τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῆς καὶ κατενόησαν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς καὶ ἦν ἐναντίον αὐτῶν θαυμάσιον τῷ κάλλει σφόδρα καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτήν

15σέσωκας τὴν ψυχήν σου σπεύσασα καταβῆναι εἰς πρόσωπον τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ νῦν πρόσελθε ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀφ' ἡμῶν προπέμψουσίν σε ἕως παραδώσουσίν σε εἰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ

16ἐὰν δὲ στῇς ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ μὴ φοβηθῇς τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀλλὰ ἀνάγγειλον κατὰ τὰ ῥήματά σου καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσει

17καὶ ἐπέλεξαν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρας ἑκατὸν καὶ παρέζευξαν αὐτῇ καὶ τῇ ἅβρᾳ αὐτῆς καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὰς ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν Ολοφέρνου

18καὶ ἐγένετο συνδρομὴ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ παρεμβολῇ διεβοήθη γὰρ εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα ἡ παρουσία αὐτῆς καὶ ἐλθόντες ἐκύκλουν αὐτήν ὡς εἱστήκει ἔξω τῆς σκηνῆς Ολοφέρνου ἕως προσήγγειλαν αὐτῷ περὶ αὐτῆς

19καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει αὐτῆς καὶ ἐθαύμαζον τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἀπ' αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ τίς καταφρονήσει τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ὃς ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ γυναῖκας τοιαύτας ὅτι οὐ καλόν ἐστιν ὑπολείπεσθαι ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρα ἕνα οἳ ἀφεθέντες δυνήσονται κατασοφίσασθαι πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν

20καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ παρακαθεύδοντες Ολοφέρνῃ καὶ πάντες οἱ θεράποντες αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν σκηνήν

21καὶ ἦν Ολοφέρνης ἀναπαυόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κωνωπίῳ ὃ ἦν ἐκ πορφύρας καὶ χρυσίου καὶ σμαράγδου καὶ λίθων πολυτελῶν καθυφασμένων

22καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν αὐτῷ περὶ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς τὸ προσκήνιον καὶ λαμπάδες ἀργυραῖ προάγουσαι αὐτοῦ

23ὡς δὲ ἦλθεν κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ Ιουδιθ καὶ τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει τοῦ προσώπου αὐτῆς καὶ πεσοῦσα ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἤγειραν αὐτὴν οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ