Judith 11

¹Then Holofernes said to her: “Be steadfast in soul, and do not be terrified in your heart. For I have never harmed a man who was willing to serve king Nebuchadnezzar.

²But if your people had not despised me, I would not have lifted up my lance over them.

³But now, tell me, for what reason have you withdrawn from them, and why has it pleased you to come to us?”

⁴And Judith said to him: “Receive the words of your maidservant. For, if you will follow the words of your maidservant, the Lord will accomplish an excellent thing by you.

⁵For, as Nebuchadnezzar the king of the earth lives, and as his power lives, which is with you for the chastising of all straying souls: not only men serve him through you, but also the beasts of the field are submissive to him.

⁶For the diligence of your mind is being reported to all nations, and it has been revealed to all of this age that you alone are good and powerful in all his kingdom, and your discipline is being announced beforehand in all the provinces.

⁷This is not hidden, what Achior has said, nor are we ignorant of what you have ordered to befall him.

⁸For it is agreed that our God is so offended with sins that he has commanded, through his prophets to the people, that he will deliver them up for their sins.

⁹And since the sons of Israel know that they have offended their God, your trembling is upon them.

¹⁰Moreover, now also a famine has assailed them, and, by drought of water, they are already counted among the dead.

¹¹And finally, they have a plan to put to death their herds, and to drink their blood.

¹²And the sacred things of the Lord their God, which God instructed them not to touch, among the grain, wine, and oil, these they have decided to expend, and they are willing to consume the things that they ought not to touch with their hands. Therefore, because they do these things, it is certain that they will be given over to perdition.

¹³And I, your maidservant, knowing this, have fled from them, and the Lord has sent me to report to you these same things.

¹⁴For I, your maidservant, worship God even now that I am with you, and your maidservant will go out, and I will pray to God.

¹⁵And he will tell me when he will repay them for their sins, and I will return and announce it to you, so that I may bring you through the midst of Jerusalem, and you will hold all the people of Israel, like sheep that have no shepherd, and there will not be so much as one dog that barks against you.

¹⁶For these things have been told to me through the providence of God.

¹⁷And because God has been angry with them, I have been sent to report these same things to you.”

¹⁸And so, all these words were pleasing before Holofernes, and before his servants, and they wondered at her wisdom, and they said to one another:

¹⁹“There is not another woman so great upon the earth: in appearance, in beauty, and in charming words.”

²⁰And Holofernes said to her: “God has done well, who sent you ahead of the people, so that you may give them into our hands.

²¹And if your promise is good, if your God will do this for me, he will also be my God, and you will be great in the house of Nebuchadnezzar, and your name will be renowned through all the earth.”

Judith 11

¹Then 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.

²Now 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.

³But 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:

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

⁵Then 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.

⁶And 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.

⁷As 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.

⁸For 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.

⁹Now 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.

¹⁰Therefore, 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.

¹¹And 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:

¹²For 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:

¹³And 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.

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

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

¹⁶Wherefore 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.

¹⁷For 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:

¹⁸And 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.

¹⁹And 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.

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

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

²²Likewise 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.

²³And 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.