Judith 12

Judith 12, Catholic Public Domain Version

1. Then he ordered her to enter where his valuables were stored, and he ordered her to wait there, and he appointed what should be given to her from his own feast.

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

2. 2

   And Judith responded to him, and she said: “Now, I am not able to eat from these things which you instructed to be allotted to me, lest an offense come upon me. But I will eat from that which I have brought.”

   Cui 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.

3. 3

   And Holofernes said to her, “If these things that you have brought with you should fail you, what shall we do for you?”

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

4. 4

   And Judith said, “As your soul lives, my lord, your maidservant will not expend all these things, until God accomplishes by my hand what I have in mind.” And his servants led her into the tabernacle, as he instructed.

   Et 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.

5. 5

   And, as she was entering, she requested that it be permitted to her to go outside at night, before daylight, in order to pray and to petition the Lord.

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

6. 6

   And he instructed his chamberlains that she may exit and enter, just as it may please her, to adore her God, for three days.

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

7. 7

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

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

8. 8

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

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

9. 9

   And entering, she remained pure in the tabernacle, until she received her own food in the evening.

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

10. 10

    And it happened on the fourth day that Holofernes made a supper for his servants, and he said to Vagao his eunuch: “Go, and persuade that Hebrew woman to willingly consent to live with me.

    Et 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.

11. 11

    For it is disgraceful among the Assyrians, if a woman mocks a man, acting so as to pass through with immunity from him.”

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

12. 12

    Then Vagao entered toward Judith, and he said, “May she not dread, my good young woman, to enter to my lord, so that she may be honored before his face, so that she may eat with him and drink wine with cheerfulness.”

    Tunc 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.

13. 13

    Judith answered him: “Who am I, that I should contradict my lord?

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

14. 14

    All that will be good and best before his eyes, I will do. Moreover, whatever will please him, to me, that will be what is best, all the days of my life.”

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

15. 15

    And she arose and dressed herself with her garments, and entering, she stood before his face.

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

16. 16

    But the heart of Holofernes was struck. For he was burning with desire for her.

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

17. 17

    And Holofernes said to her, “Drink now, and recline with cheerfulness, for you have found favor before me.”

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

18. 18

    And Judith said, “I will drink, my lord, because my soul has been magnified this day, beyond all my days.”

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

19. 19

    And she accepted and ate and drank in his sight what her handmaid had prepared for her.

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

20. 20

    And Holofernes became pleased with her, and he drank very much wine, more than he had ever drunk in his life.

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

Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain · Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592)