Judith 10

Apo

1 Now after that she had ceased to cry unto the God of Israel, and bad made an end of all these words.

2 She rose where she had fallen down, and called her maid, and went down into the house in the which she abode in the sabbath days, and in her feast days,

3 And pulled off the sackcloth which she had on, and put off the garments of her widowhood, and washed her body all over with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment, and braided the hair of her head, and put on a tire upon it, and put on her garments of gladness, wherewith she was clad during the life of Manasses her husband.

4 And she took sandals upon her feet, and put about her her bracelets, and her chains, and her rings, and her earrings, and all her ornaments, and decked herself bravely, to allure the eyes of all men that should see her.

5 Then she gave her maid a bottle of wine, and a cruse of oil, and filled a bag with parched corn, and lumps of figs, and with fine bread; so she folded all these things together, and laid them upon her.

6 Thus they went forth to the gate of the city of Bethulia, and found standing there Ozias and the ancients of the city, Chabris and Charmis.

7 And when they saw her, that her countenance was altered, and her apparel was changed, they wondered at her beauty very greatly, and said unto her.

8 The God, the God of our fathers give thee favour, and accomplish thine enterprizes to the glory of the children of Israel, and to the exaltation of Jerusalem. Then they worshipped God.

9 And she said unto them, Command the gates of the city to be opened unto me, that I may go forth to accomplish the things whereof ye have spoken with me. So they commanded the young men to open unto her, as she had spoken.

10 And when they had done so, Judith went out, she, and her maid with her; and the men of the city looked after her, until she was gone down the mountain, and till she had passed the valley, and could see her no more.

11 Thus they went straight forth in the valley: and the first watch of the Assyrians met her,

12 And took her, and asked her, Of what people art thou? and whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I am a woman of the Hebrews, and am fled from them: for they shall be given you to be consumed:

13 And I am coming before Holofernes the chief captain of your army, to declare words of truth; and I will shew him a way, whereby he shall go, and win all the hill country, without losing the body or life of any one of his men.

14 Now when the men heard her words, and beheld her countenance, they wondered greatly at her beauty, and said unto her,

15 Thou hast saved thy life, in that thou hast hasted to come down to the presence of our lord: now therefore come to his tent, and some of us shall conduct thee, until they have delivered thee to his hands.

16 And when thou standest before him, be not afraid in thine heart, but shew unto him according to thy word; and he will entreat thee well.

17 Then they chose out of them an hundred men to accompany her and her maid; and they brought her to the tent of Holofernes.

18 Then was there a concourse throughout all the camp: for her coming was noised among the tents, and they came about her, as she stood without the tent of Holofernes, till they told him of her.

19 And they wondered at her beauty, and admired the children of Israel because of her, and every one said to his neighbour, Who would despise this people, that have among them such women? surely it is not good that one man of them be left who being let go might deceive the whole earth.

20 And they that lay near Holofernes went out, and all his servants and they brought her into the tent.

21 Now Holofernes rested upon his bed under a canopy, which was woven with purple, and gold, and emeralds, and precious stones.

22 So they shewed him of her; and he came out before his tent with silver lamps going before him.

23 And when Judith was come before him and his servants they all marvelled at the beauty of her countenance; and she fell down upon her face, and did reverence unto him: and his servants took her up.

Sep

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

2 καὶ 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

3 καὶ 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

4 καὶ 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

5 καὶ 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

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

7 ὡς 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

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

9 καὶ 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

10 καὶ 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

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

12 καὶ 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

13 κἀγὼ 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

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

15 σέσωκας 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

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

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

18 καὶ 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

19 καὶ 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

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

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

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

23 ὡς 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

Vul

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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