Judit 12

1Entonces mandó que la llevasen adonde se guardaban sus tesoros, y que se quedase allí, y señaló lo que debía dársele de su mesa.

2Judit le respondió y dijo: “Por ahora no podré comer de esas cosas que mandas darme, por no acarrear culpa sobre mí, sino que comeré de lo que he traído conmigo.”

3Holofernes le replicó: “Y cuando te lleguen a faltar esas cosas que has traído, ¿qué haremos contigo?”

4“Yo juro por tu vida, mi señor, respondió Judit, que no consumirá tu sierva todas estas cosas, sin que cumpla Dios por mi mano lo que he pensado.” Y los siervos de Holofernes la acompañaron al pabellón señalado.

5Entrando allí, pidió permiso para salir fuera por la noche y antes de amanecer, para orar e invocar al Señor.

6Dio, pues, Holofernes orden a sus camareros que durante tres días la dejasen salir y entrar para adorar a su Dios como ella quisiese.

7De modo que salía por las noches al valle de Betulia, para lavarse en una fuente de agua.

8Cuando volvía oraba al Señor, Dios de Israel, para que enderezase su camino, a fin de librar a su pueblo.

9Y volviéndose a su pabellón permanecía allí purificada hasta que al anochecer tomaba su alimento.

10A los cuatro días celebró Holofernes un convite con sus servidores, y dijo a Vagao, su eunuco: “Anda y persuade a esa hebrea que espontáneamente consienta en cohabitar conmigo.

11Porque es cosa vergonzosa entre los asirios que una mujer se burle de un hombre, logrando salir intacta de sus manos.”

12Entonces Vagao entró donde estaba Judit, y le dijo: “No vacile esta hermosa sierva en venir a casa de mi señor, para ser honrada en su presencia, comer con él y beber vino con alegría.”

13Judit le respondió: “¿Quién soy yo para oponerme a mi señor?

14Haré todo lo que le guste y mejor le parezca; y todo lo que sea de su agrado, esto será para mí lo mejor en todos los días de mi vida.”

15Con esto se levantó, y adornada con todas sus galas, entró a presentarse delante de él.

16Y se conmovió el corazón de Holofernes, pues se abrasaba en deseos de poseerla;

17y le dijo: “Bebe ahora y siéntate a comer alegremente, porque has hallado gracia delante de mí.”

18Judit le contestó: “Beberé, señor, pues recibo en este día mayor gloria que en todos los días de mi vida.”

19Y tomó de lo que su criada le había preparado, y comió y bebió en su presencia.

20Holofernes estuvo muy alegre a causa de ella; y bebió vino sin medida, más de lo que nunca en su vida había tomado.

1Tunc jussit eam introire ubi repositi erant thesauri ejus, et jussit illic manere eam, et constituit quid daretur illi de convivio suo.

2Cui respondit Judith, et dixit: Nunc non potero manducare ex his quæ mihi præcipis tribui, ne veniat super me offensio: ex his autem quæ mihi detuli, manducabo.

3Cui Holofernes ait: Si defecerint tibi ista, quæ tecum detulisti, quid faciemus tibi?

4Et dixit Judith: Vivit anima tua, domine meus, quoniam non expendet omnia hæc ancilla tua, donec faciat Deus in manu mea hæc quæ cogitavi. Et induxerunt illam servi ejus in tabernaculum quod præceperat.

5Et petiit dum introiret, ut daretur ei copia nocte et ante lucem egrediendi foras ad orationem, et deprecandi Dominum.

6Et præcepit cubiculariis suis ut sicut placeret illi, exiret et introiret ad adorandum Deum suum per triduum:

7et exibat noctibus in vallem Bethuliæ, et baptizabat se in fonte aquæ.

8Et ut ascendebat, orabat Dominum Deum Israël ut dirigeret viam ejus ad liberationem populi sui.

9Et introiens, munda manebat in tabernaculo usque dum acciperet escam suam in vespere.

10Et factum est, in quarto die Holofernes fecit cœnam servis suis, et dixit ad Vagao eunuchum suum: Vade, et suade Hebræam illam ut sponte consentiat habitare mecum.

11Fœdum est enim apud Assyrios, si femina irrideat virum agendo ut immunis ab eo transeat.

12Tunc introivit Vagao ad Judith, et dixit: Non vereatur bona puella introire ad dominum meum, ut honorificetur ante faciem ejus, ut manducet cum eo, et bibat vinum in jucunditate.

13Cui Judith respondit: Quæ ego sum, ut contradicam domino meo?

14omne quod erit ante oculos ejus bonum et optimum, faciam. Quidquid autem illi placuerit, hoc mihi erit optimum omnibus diebus vitæ meæ.

15Et surrexit, et ornavit se vestimento suo, et ingressa stetit ante faciem ejus.

16Cor autem Holofernes concussum est: erat enim ardens in concupiscentia ejus.

17Et dixit ad eam Holofernes: Bibe nunc, et accumbe in jucunditate, quoniam invenisti gratiam coram me.

18Et dixit Judith: Bibam, domine, quoniam magnificata est anima mea hodie præ omnibus diebus meis.

19Et accepit, et manducavit et bibit coram ipso ea quæ paraverat illi ancilla ejus.

20Et jucundus factus est Holofernes ad eam, bibitque vinum multum nimis, quantum numquam biberat in vita sua.

1Then he ordered that she should go in where his treasures were laid up, and bade her tarry there, and he appointed what should be given her from his own table.

2And Judith answered him and said: Now I cannot eat of these things which thou commandest to be given me, lest sin come upon me: but I will eat of the things which I have brought.

3And Holofernes said to her: If these things which thou hast brought with thee fail thee, what shall we do for thee?

4And Judith said: As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy handmaid shall not spend all these things till God do by my hand that which I have purposed. And his servants brought her into the tent which he had commanded.

5And when she was going in, she desired that she might have liberty to go out at night and before day to prayer, and to beseech the Lord.

6And he commanded his chamberlains, that she might go out and in, to adore her God as she pleased, for three days.

7And she went out in the nights into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water.

8And as she came up, she prayed to the Lord the God of Israel, that he would direct her way to the deliverance of his people.

9And going in, she remained pure in the tent, until she took her own meat in the evening.

10And it came to pass on the fourth day, that Holofernes made a supper for his servants, and said to Vagao his eunuch: Go, and persuade that Hebrew woman, to consent of her own accord to dwell with me.

11For it is looked upon as shameful among the Assyrians, if a woman mock a man, by doing so as to pass free from him.

12Then Vagao went in to Judith, and said: Let not my good maid be afraid to go in to my lord, that she may be honoured before his face, that she may eat with him and drink wine and be merry.

13And Judith answered him: Who am I, that I should gainsay my lord?

14All that shall be good and best before his eyes, I will do. And whatsoever shall please him, that shall be best to me all the days of my life.

15And she arose and dressed herself out with her garments, and going in she stood before his face.

16And the heart of Holofernes was smitten, for he was burning with the desire of her.

17And Holofernes said to her: Drink now, and sit down and be merry for thou hast found favour before me.

18And Judith said: I will drink my lord, because my life is magnified this day above all my days.

19And she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared for her.

20And Holofernes was made merry on her occasion, and drank exceeding much wine, so much as he had never drunk in his life.