Judith 12

¹Thanne Holofernes comaundide hir to entre, where his tresouris weren kept, and he comaundide hir to dwelle there; and he ordeynede, what schulde be youun to hir of his feeste.

²To whom Judith answeride, and seide, Now Y may not ete of these thingis, which thou comaundidist to be youun to me, lest offence come on me; but Y schal ete of these thingis, whiche Y brouyte with me.

³To whom Holofernes seide, If these thingis failen, whiche thou brouytist with thee, what schulen we do to thee?

⁴And Judith seide, Lord, thi soule lyueth, for thin handmaide schal not spende alle these thingis, til God schal do in myn hondis these thingis which Y thouyte. And hise seruauntis ledden hir in to the tabernacle, whidur he hadde comaundid.

⁵And sche axide, the while sche entride, that fredom schulde be youun to hir to go out to preier, in the nyyt, and bifor the liyt, and to biseche the Lord.

⁶And he comaundide to his chaumberleyns, that, as it pleside hir, sche schulde go out, and entre, for to preie hir God bi thre daies.

⁷And sche yede out in nyytis in to the valei of Bethulia, and waischide hir silf in the welle of watir.

⁸And as sche stiede, sche preiede the Lord God of Israel, that he wolde dresse hir weie to the delyueraunce of his puple.

⁹And sche entride, and dwellide clene in the tabernacle, til that sche took hir mete in the euentid.

¹⁰And it was doon in the fourthe dai, Holofernes made a soper to hise seruauntis, and he seide to Vagao, the chaumburleyn, Go thou, and councele that Ebrew womman, that sche consente wilfuli to dwelle with me.

¹¹For it is foul anentis Assiriens, if a womman scorne a man, in doynge that sche passe `with out part fro hym.

¹²Thanne Vagao entride to Judith, and seide, A good damesele be not aschamed to entre to my lord, that sche be onourid bifor his face, and that sche eete with hym, and drynke wiyn with gladnesse.

¹³To whom Judith answeryde, Who am Y, that Y ayenseie my lord?

¹⁴Y schal do al thing, that schal be good and best bifor hise iyen. Sotheli what euer thing plesith hym, this schal be best to me in alle the daies of my lijf.

¹⁵And sche roos, and ournede hir silf with hir clothis, and entride, and stood bifor `his face.

¹⁶Forsothe the herte of Holofernes was stirid; for he was brennynge in the coueitise of hir.

¹⁷And Holofernes seide to hir, Drynke thou now, and take mete in gladnesse; for thou hast founde grace bifor me.

¹⁸And Judith seide, Lord, Y schal drynke, for my soule is magnyfied to dai bifor alle the daies of my lijf.

¹⁹And sche took, and eet, and drank bifor hym tho thingis, whiche hir handmayde hadde maad redi to hir.

²⁰And Holofernes was maad glad `to hir, and he drank ful myche wiyn, hou myche he hadde neuere drank in o dai in his lijf.

Judith 12

¹Then he commanded to bring her in where his plate was set; and bade that they should prepare for her of his own meats, and that she should drink of his own wine.

²And Judith said, I will not eat thereof, lest there be an offence: but provision shall be made for me of the things that I have brought.

³Then Holofernes said unto her, If thy provision should fail, how should we give thee the like? for there be none with us of thy nation.

⁴Then said Judith unto him As thy soul liveth, my lord, thine handmaid shall not spend those things that I have, before the Lord work by mine hand the things that he hath determined.

⁵Then the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept till midnight, and she arose when it was toward the morning watch,

⁶And sent to Holofernes, saving, Let my lord now command that thine handmaid may go forth unto prayer.

⁷Then Holofernes commanded his guard that they should not stay her: thus she abode in the camp three days, and went out in the night into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water by the camp.

⁸And when she came out, she besought the Lord God of Israel to direct her way to the raising up of the children of her people.

⁹So she came in clean, and remained in the tent, until she did eat her meat at evening.

¹⁰And in the fourth day Holofernes made a feast to his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet.

¹¹Then said he to Bagoas the eunuch, who had charge over all that he had, Go now, and persuade this Hebrew woman which is with thee, that she come unto us, and eat and drink with us.

¹²For, lo, it will be a shame for our person, if we shall let such a woman go, not having had her company; for if we draw her not unto us, she will laugh us to scorn.

¹³Then went Bagoas from the presence of Holofernes, and came to her, and he said, Let not this fair damsel fear to come to my lord, and to be honoured in his presence, and drink wine, and be merry with us and be made this day as one of the daughters of the Assyrians, which serve in the house of Nabuchodonosor.

¹⁴Then said Judith unto him, Who am I now, that I should gainsay my lord? surely whatsoever pleaseth him I will do speedily, and it shall be my joy unto the day of my death.

¹⁵So she arose, and decked herself with her apparel and all her woman’s attire, and her maid went and laid soft skins on the ground for her over against Holofernes, which she had received of Bagoas far her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them.

¹⁶Now when Judith came in and sat down, Holofernes his heart was ravished with her, and his mind was moved, and he desired greatly her company; for he waited a time to deceive her, from the day that he had seen her.

¹⁷Then said Holofernes unto her, Drink now, and be merry with us.

¹⁸So 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.

¹⁹Then she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared.

²⁰And Holofernes took great delight in her, and drank more wine than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born.