The Book of Judith

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

Judith goes out in the night to pray: she is invited to a banquet with Holofernes.

Then 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.

And 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.

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

And 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.

And 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.

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

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

And 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.

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

And 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.

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

Then 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.

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

All 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Judith goes out in the night to pray: she is invited to a banquet with Holofernes.

He commanded that she should be brought in where his silver vessels were set, and asked that his servants should prepare some of his own delicacies for her, and that she should drink from his own wine.

And Judith said, “I can’t eat of it, lest there be an occasion of stumbling; but provision will be made for me from the things that have come with me.”

And Holofernes said to her, “But if the things that are with you should run out, from where will we be able to give you more like it? For there is none of your race with us.”

And Judith said to him, “As your soul lives, my lord, your servant will not use up those things that are with me until the Lord works by my hand the things that he has determined.”

Then Holofernes’ servants brought her into the tent, and she slept until midnight. Then she rose up toward the morning watch,

and sent to Holofernes, saying, “Let my lord now command that they allow your servant to go out to pray.”

Holofernes commanded his guards that they should not stop her. She stayed in the camp three days, and went out every night into the valley of Bethulia and washed herself at the fountain of water in the camp.

And when she came up, she implored the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the triumph of the children of his people.

She came in clean and remained in the tent until she ate her food toward evening.

It came to pass on the fourth day, that Holofernes made a feast for his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet.

And he said to Bagoas the eunuch, who had charge over all that he had, “Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman who is with you that she come to us, and eat and drink with us.

For behold, it would be a disgrace if we shall let such a woman go, not having had her company; for if we don’t draw her to ourselves, she will laugh us to scorn.”

Bagoas went from the presence of Holofernes, and came in to her, and said, “Let this fair lady not fear to come to my lord, and to be honored in his presence, and to drink wine and be merry with us, and to be made this day as one of the daughters of the children of Asshur who serve in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace.”

Judith said to him, “Who am I, that I should contradict my lord? For whatever would be pleasing in his eyes, I will do speedily, and this will be my joy to the day of my death.”

She arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman’s attire; and her servant went and laid fleeces on the ground for her next to Holofernes, which she had received from Bagoas for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them.

Judith came in and sat down, and Holofernes’ heart was ravished with her. His passion was aroused, and he exceedingly desired her company. He was watching for a time to deceive her from the day that he had seen her.

Holofernes said to her, “Drink now, and be merry with us.”

Judith said, “I will drink now, my lord, because my life is magnified in me this day more than all the days since I was born.”

Then she took and ate and drank before him what her servant had prepared.

Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank exceedingly much wine, more than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born.