Judith 11

Apo

1 Then said Holofernes unto her, Woman, be of good comfort, fear not in thine heart: for I never hurt any that was willing to serve Nabuchodonosor, the king of all the earth.

2 Now therefore, if thy people that dwelleth in the mountains had not set light by me, I would not have lifted up my spear against them: but they have done these things to themselves.

3 But now tell me wherefore thou art fled from them, and art come unto us: for thou art come for safeguard; be of good comfort, thou shalt live this night, and hereafter:

4 For none shall hurt thee, but entreat thee well, as they do the servants of king Nabuchodonosor my lord.

5 Then Judith said unto him, Receive the words of thy servant, and suffer thine handmaid to speak in thy presence, and I will declare no lie to my lord this night.

6 And if thou wilt follow the words of thine handmaid, God will bring the thing perfectly to pass by thee; and my lord shall not fail of his purposes.

7 As Nabuchodonosor king of all the earth liveth, and as his power liveth, who hath sent thee for the upholding of every living thing: for not only men shall serve him by thee, but also the beasts of the field, and the cattle, and the fowls of the air, shall live by thy power under Nabuchodonosor and all his house.

8 For we have heard of thy wisdom and thy policies, and it is reported in all the earth, that thou only art excellent in all the kingdom, and mighty in knowledge, and wonderful in feats of war.

9 Now as concerning the matter, which Achior did speak in thy council, we have heard his words; for the men of Bethulia saved him, and he declared unto them all that he had spoken unto thee.

10 Therefore, O lord and governor, respect not his word; but lay it up in thine heart, for it is true: for our nation shall not be punished, neither can sword prevail against them, except they sin against their God.

11 And now, that my lord be not defeated and frustrate of his purpose, even death is now fallen upon them, and their sin hath overtaken them, wherewith they will provoke their God to anger whensoever they shall do that which is not fit to be done:

12 For their victuals fail them, and all their water is scant, and they have determined to lay hands upon their cattle, and purposed to consume all those things, that God hath forbidden them to eat by his laws:

13 And are resolved to spend the firstfruits of the the tenths of wine and oil, which they had sanctified, and reserved for the priests that serve in Jerusalem before the face of our God; the which things it is not lawful for any of the people so much as to touch with their hands.

14 For they have sent some to Jerusalem, because they also that dwell there have done the like, to bring them a licence from the senate.

15 Now when they shall bring them word, they will forthwith do it, and they shall be given to thee to be destroyed the same day.

16 Wherefore I thine handmaid, knowing all this, am fled from their presence; and God hath sent me to work things with thee, whereat all the earth shall be astonished, and whosoever shall hear it.

17 For thy servant is religious, and serveth the God of heaven day and night: now therefore, my lord, I will remain with thee, and thy servant will go out by night into the valley, and I will pray unto God, and he will tell me when they have committed their sins:

18 And I will come and shew it unto thee: then thou shalt go forth with all thine army, and there shall be none of them that shall resist thee.

19 And I will lead thee through the midst of Judea, until thou come before Jerusalem; and I will set thy throne in the midst thereof; and thou shalt drive them as sheep that have no shepherd, and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth at thee: for these things were told me according to my foreknowledge, and they were declared unto me, and I am sent to tell thee.

20 Then her words pleased Holofernes and all his servants; and they marvelled at her wisdom, and said,

21 There is not such a woman from one end of the earth to the other, both for beauty of face, and wisdom of words.

22 Likewise Holofernes said unto her. God hath done well to send thee before the people, that strength might be in our hands and destruction upon them that lightly regard my lord.

23 And now thou art both beautiful in thy countenance, and witty in thy words: surely if thou do as thou hast spoken thy God shall be my God, and thou shalt dwell in the house of king Nabuchodonosor, and shalt be renowned through the whole earth.

Sep

1 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν Ολοφέρνης θάρσησον γύναι μὴ φοβηθῇς τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ἐγὼ οὐκ ἐκάκωσα ἄνθρωπον ὅστις ᾑρέτικεν δουλεύειν βασιλεῖ Ναβουχοδονοσορ πάσης τῆς γῆς

2 καὶ νῦν ὁ λαός σου ὁ κατοικῶν τὴν ὀρεινὴν εἰ μὴ ἐφαύλισάν με οὐκ ἂν ἦρα τὸ δόρυ μου ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς ἀλλὰ αὐτοὶ ἑαυτοῖς ἐποίησαν ταῦτα

3 καὶ νῦν λέγε μοι τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀπέδρας ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ ἦλθες πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἥκεις γὰρ εἰς σωτηρίαν θάρσει ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ ζήσῃ καὶ εἰς τὸ λοιπόν

4 οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ὃς ἀδικήσει σε ἀλλ᾽ εὖ σε ποιήσει καθὰ γίνεται τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ κυρίου μου βασιλέως Ναβουχοδονοσορ

5 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ιουδιθ δέξαι τὰ ῥήματα τῆς δούλης σου καὶ λαλησάτω ἡ παιδίσκη σου κατὰ πρόσωπόν σου καὶ οὐκ ἀναγγελῶ ψεῦδος τῷ κυρίῳ μου ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ

6 καὶ ἐὰν κατακολουθήσῃς τοῖς λόγοις τῆς παιδίσκης σου τελείως πρᾶγμα ποιήσει μετὰ σοῦ ὁ θεός καὶ οὐκ ἀποπεσεῖται ὁ κύριός μου τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων αὐτοῦ

7 ζῇ γὰρ βασιλεὺς Ναβουχοδονοσορ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ ζῇ τὸ κράτος αὐτοῦ ὃς ἀπέστειλέν σε εἰς κατόρθωσιν πάσης ψυχῆς ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἄνθρωποι διὰ σὲ δουλεύουσιν αὐτῷ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ καὶ τὰ κτήνη καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διὰ τῆς ἰσχύος σου ζήσονται ἐπὶ Ναβουχοδονοσορ καὶ πάντα τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ

8 ἠκούσαμεν γὰρ τὴν σοφίαν σου καὶ τὰ πανουργεύματα τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἀνηγγέλη πάσῃ τῇ γῇ ὅτι σὺ μόνος ἀγαθὸς ἐν πάσῃ βασιλείᾳ καὶ δυνατὸς ἐν ἐπιστήμῃ καὶ θαυμαστὸς ἐν στρατεύμασιν πολέμου

9 καὶ νῦν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἐλάλησεν Αχιωρ ἐν τῇ συνεδρίᾳ σου ἠκούσαμεν τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ ὅτι περιεποιήσαντο αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες Βαιτυλουα καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς πάντα ὅσα ἐξελάλησεν παρὰ σοί

10 διό δέσποτα κύριε μὴ παρέλθῃς τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ ἀλλὰ κατάθου αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀληθής οὐ γὰρ ἐκδικᾶται τὸ γένος ἡμῶν οὐ κατισχύει ῥομφαία ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς ἐὰν μὴ ἁμάρτωσιν εἰς τὸν θεὸν αὐτῶν

11 καὶ νῦν ἵνα μὴ γένηται ὁ κύριός μου ἔκβολος καὶ ἄπρακτος καὶ ἐπιπεσεῖται θάνατος ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν καὶ κατελάβετο αὐτοὺς ἁμάρτημα ἐν ᾧ παροργιοῦσιν τὸν θεὸν αὐτῶν ὁπηνίκα ἂν ποιήσωσιν ἀτοπίαν

12 ἐπεὶ παρεξέλιπεν αὐτοὺς τὰ βρώματα καὶ ἐσπανίσθη πᾶν ὕδωρ ἐβουλεύσαντο ἐπιβαλεῖν τοῖς κτήνεσιν αὐτῶν καὶ πάντα ὅσα διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς τοῖς νόμοις αὐτοῦ μὴ φαγεῖν διέγνωσαν δαπανῆσαι

13 καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τοῦ σίτου καὶ τὰς δεκάτας τοῦ οἴνου καὶ τοῦ ἐλαίου ἃ διεφύλαξαν ἁγιάσαντες τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν τοῖς παρεστηκόσιν ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ἀπέναντι τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν κεκρίκασιν ἐξαναλῶσαι ὧν οὐδὲ ταῖς χερσὶν καθῆκεν ἅψασθαι οὐδένα τῶν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ

14 καὶ ἀπεστάλκασιν εἰς Ιερουσαλημ ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἐκεῖ κατοικοῦντες ἐποίησαν ταῦτα τοὺς μετακομίσοντας αὐτοῖς τὴν ἄφεσιν παρὰ τῆς γερουσίας

15 καὶ ἔσται ὡς ἂν ἀναγγείλῃ αὐτοῖς καὶ ποιήσωσιν δοθήσονταί σοι εἰς ὄλεθρον ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ

16 ὅθεν ἐγὼ ἡ δούλη σου ἐπιγνοῦσα ταῦτα πάντα ἀπέδρων ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπέστειλέν με ὁ θεὸς ποιῆσαι μετὰ σοῦ πράγματα ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐκστήσεται πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ὅσοι ἐὰν ἀκούσωσιν αὐτά

17 ὅτι ἡ δούλη σου θεοσεβής ἐστιν καὶ θεραπεύουσα νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας τὸν θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ νῦν μενῶ παρὰ σοί κύριέ μου καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἡ δούλη σου κατὰ νύκτα εἰς τὴν φάραγγα καὶ προσεύξομαι πρὸς τὸν θεόν καὶ ἐρεῖ μοι πότε ἐποίησαν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῶν

18 καὶ ἐλθοῦσα προσανοίσω σοι καὶ ἐξελεύσῃ σὺν πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει σου καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀντιστήσεταί σοι ἐξ αὐτῶν

19 καὶ ἄξω σε διὰ μέσου τῆς Ιουδαίας ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἀπέναντι Ιερουσαλημ καὶ θήσω τὸν δίφρον σου ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς καὶ ἄξεις αὐτοὺς ὡς πρόβατα οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν ποιμήν καὶ οὐ γρύξει κύων τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ ἀπέναντί σου ὅτι ταῦτα ἐλαλήθη μοι κατὰ πρόγνωσίν μου καὶ ἀπηγγέλη μοι καὶ ἀπεστάλην ἀναγγεῖλαί σοι

20 καὶ ἤρεσαν οἱ λόγοι αὐτῆς ἐναντίον Ολοφέρνου καὶ ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθαύμασαν ἐπὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπαν

21 οὐκ ἔστιν τοιαύτη γυνὴ ἀπ᾽ ἄκρου ἕως ἄκρου τῆς γῆς ἐν καλῷ προσώπῳ καὶ συνέσει λόγων

22 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν Ολοφέρνης εὖ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς ἀποστείλας σε ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ γενηθῆναι ἐν χερσὶν ἡμῶν κράτος ἐν δὲ τοῖς φαυλίσασι τὸν κύριόν μου ἀπώλειαν

23 καὶ νῦν ἀστεία εἶ σὺ ἐν τῷ εἴδει σου καὶ ἀγαθὴ ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου ὅτι ἐὰν ποιήσῃς καθὰ ἐλάλησας ὁ θεός σου ἔσται μου θεός καὶ σὺ ἐν οἴκῳ βασιλέως Ναβουχοδονοσορ καθήσῃ καὶ ἔσῃ ὀνομαστὴ παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν

Vul

1 Tunc Holofernes dixit ei: Æquo animo esto, et noli pavere in corde tuo: quoniam ego numquam nocui viro qui voluit servire Nabuchodonosor regi:

2 populus autem tuus, si non contempsisset me, non levassem lanceam meam super eum.

3 Nunc autem dic mihi, qua ex causa recessisti ab illis, et placuit tibi ut venires ad nos?

4 Et dixit illi Judith: Sume verba ancillæ tuæ, quoniam si secutus fueris verba ancillæ tuæ, perfectam rem faciet Dominus tecum.

5 Vivit enim Nabuchodonosor rex terræ, et vivit virtus ejus, quæ est in te ad correptionem omnium animarum errantium: quoniam non solum homines serviunt illi per te, sed et bestiæ agri obtemperant illi.

6 Nuntiatur enim animi tui industria universis gentibus, et indicatum est omni sæculo quoniam tu solus bonus et potens es in omni regno ejus: et disciplina tua omnibus provinciis prædicatur.

7 Nec hoc latet, quod locutus est Achior, nec illud ignoratur, quod ei jusseris evenire.

8 Constat enim Deum nostrum sic peccatis offensum, ut mandaverit per prophetas suos ad populum quod tradat eum pro peccatis suis.

9 Et quoniam sciunt se offendisse Deum suum filii Israël, tremor tuus super ipsos est.

10 Insuper etiam fames invasit eos, et ab ariditate aquæ jam inter mortuos computantur.

11 Denique hoc ordinant, ut interficient pecora sua, et bibant sanguinem eorum:

12 et sancta Domini Dei sui, quæ præcepit Deus non contingi, in frumento, vino, et oleo, hæc cogitaverunt impendere, et volunt consumere quæ nec manibus deberent contingere: ergo quoniam hæc faciunt, certum est quod in perditionem dabuntur.

13 Quod ego ancilla tua cognoscens, fugi ab illis, et misit me Dominus hæc ipsa nuntiare tibi.

14 Ego enim ancilla tua Deum colo, etiam nunc apud te: et exiet ancilla tua, et orabo Deum,

15 et dicet mihi quando eis reddat peccatum suum, et veniens nuntiabo tibi, ita ut ego adducam te per mediam Jerusalem, et habebis omnem populum Israël, sicut oves quibus non est pastor, et non latrabit vel unus canis contra te:

16 quoniam hæc mihi dicta sunt per providentiam Dei,

17 et quoniam iratus est illis Deus, hæc ipsa missa sum nuntiare tibi.

18 Placuerunt autem omnia verba hæc coram Holoferne, et coram pueris ejus, et mirabantur sapientiam ejus, et dicebant alter ad alterum:

19 Non est talis mulier super terram in aspectu, in pulchritudine, et in sensu verborum.

20 Et dixit ad illam Holofernes: Benefecit Deus, qui misit te ante populum, ut des illum tu in manibus nostris:

21 et quoniam bona est promissio tua, si fecerit mihi hoc Deus tuus, erit et Deus meus, et tu in domo Nabuchodonosor magna eris, et nomen tuum nominabitur in universa terra.