And it came to pass, when she had ceased to cry to the Lord, that she rose from the place wherein she lay prostrate before the Lord.

Factum est autem, cum cessasset clamare ad Dominum, surrexit de loco in quo jacuerat prostrata ad Dominum.

Then, her plea for the divine succour ended, Judith rose from the ground where she lay prostrate in the Lord’s presence,

And she called her maid, and going down into her house she took off her haircloth, and put away the garments of her widowhood,

Vocavitque abram suam, et descendens in domum suam, abstulit a se cilicium, et exuit se vestimentis viduitatis suæ,

called her maidservant to her, and went downstairs into her house. Flung aside, now, the sackcloth, folded away her widow’s weeds;

And she washed her body, and anointed herself with the best ointment, and plaited the hair of her head, and put a bonnet upon her head, and clothed herself with the garments of her gladness, and put sandals on her feet, and took her bracelets, and lilies, and earlets, and rings, and adorned herself with all her ornaments.

et lavit corpus suum, et unxit se myro optimo, et discriminavit crinem capitis sui, et imposuit mitram super caput suum, et induit se vestimentis jucunditatis suæ, induitque sandalia pedibus suis, assumpsitque dextraliola, et lilia, et inaures, et annulos, et omnibus ornamentis suis ornavit se.

she bathed herself, anointed herself with the finest myrrh, parted and tied her hair. The garments of happier days she donned anew, put on her sandals, took bracelet and anklet, ear-ring and finger-ring; decked herself with every ornament she had.

And the Lord also gave her more beauty: because all this dressing up did not proceed from sensuality, but from virtue: and therefore the Lord increased this her beauty, so that she appeared to all men’s eyes incomparably lovely.

Cui etiam Dominus contulit splendorem: quoniam omnis ista compositio non ex libidine, sed ex virtute pendebat: et ideo Dominus hanc in illam pulchritudinem ampliavit, ut incomparabili decore omnium oculis appareret.

The Lord himself lent grace to her mien; manly resolve, not woman’s wantonness, was the occasion of her finery, and he would enhance her beauty till all beholders should vow there was never woman so fair.

And she gave to her maid a bottle of wine to carry, and a vessel of oil, and parched corn, and dry figs, and bread and cheese, and went out.

Imposuit itaque abræ suæ ascoperam vini, et vas olei, et polentam, et palathas, et panes, et caseum, et profecta est.

A bottle of wine she bade her serving-maid carry, and a phial of oil, parched corn and dry figs, and bread, and cheese, and so she went out on her journey.

And when they came to the gate of the city, they found Ozias, and the ancients of the city waiting.

Cumque venissent ad portam civitatis, invenerunt expectantem Oziam et presbyteros civitatis.

When they reached the gates, they found Ozias and the elders of the city awaiting them there;

And when they saw her they were astonished, and admired her beauty exceedingly.

Qui cum vidissent eam, stupentes mirati sunt nimis pulchritudinem ejus.

and no sooner did these catch sight of her, than they fell into a great wonderment of her beauty.

But they asked her no question, only they let her pass, saying: The God of our fathers give thee grace, and may he strengthen all the counsel of thy heart with his power, that Jerusalem may glory in thee, and thy name may be in the number of the holy and just.

Nihil tamen interrogantes eam, dimiserunt transire, dicentes: Deus patrum nostrorum det tibi gratiam, et omne consilium tui cordis sua virtute corroboret, ut glorietur super te Jerusalem, et sit nomen tuum in numero sanctorum et justorum.

Still they did not question her, but let her pass; May the God of our fathers, they said, grant thee his favour, and his strength speed whatever design is in thy heart. Cause may Jerusalem have to be proud of thee; may thy name live among the holy and the just!

And they that were there said, all with one voice: So be it, so be it.

Et dixerunt hi qui illic erant omnes una voce: Fiat, fiat.

And all the bystanders, as with one voice, said Amen to that.

But Judith praying to the Lord, passed through the gates, she and her maid.

Judith vero orans Dominum, transivit per portas, ipsa et abra ejus.

So, with a prayer to the Lord, Judith passed out at the gate, and her maidservant with her.

And it came to pass, when she went down the hill, about break of day, that the watchmen of the Assyrians met her, and stopped her, saying: Whence comest thou? or whither goest thou?

Factum est autem cum descenderet montem, circa ortum diei, occurrerunt ei exploratores Assyriorum, et tenuerunt eam, dicentes: Unde venis? aut quo vadis?

At break of day, while she was yet making her way down the mountain-slope, she fell in with the advance-guard of the Assyrians, who stopped her, and asked whence she came, whither she was bound?

And she answered: I am a daughter of the Hebrews, and I am fled from them, because I knew they would be made a prey to you, because they despised you, and would not of their own accord yield themselves, that they might find mercy in your sight.

Quæ respondit: Filia sum Hebræorum, ideo ego fugi a facie eorum, quoniam futurum agnovi quod dentur vobis in deprædationem, pro eo quod contemnentes vos, noluerunt ultro tradere seipsos ut invenirent misericordiam in conspectu vestro.

A Hebrew, she said, but I have given my fellow-countrymen the slip, well knowing that the city must fall into your hands. Why did they defy you, and refuse to surrender, instead of throwing themselves on your mercy?

For this reason I thought with myself, saying: I will go to the presence of the prince Holofernes, that I may tell him their secrets, and shew him by what way he may take them, without the loss of one man of his army.

Hac de causa cogitavi mecum, dicens: Vadam ad faciem principis Holofernis, ut indicem illi secreta illorum, et ostendam illi quo aditu possit obtinere eos, ita ut non cadat vir unus de exercitu ejus.

What was I to do? I determined to win audience with your general, Holofernes, and tell him of their secret plans; shew him, too, means by which he may reduce the city without losing a man of his army.

And when the men had heard her words, they beheld her face, and their eyes were amazed, for they wondered exceedingly at her beauty.

Et cum audissent viri illi verba ejus, considerabant faciem ejus, et erat in oculis eorum stupor, quoniam pulchritudinem ejus mirabantur nimis.

Her story told, they must next scan her face; and now their eyes dazzled with the admiration they had of her beauty.

And they said to her: Thou hast saved thy life by taking this resolution, to come down to our lord.

Et dixerunt ad eam: Conservasti animam tuam, eo quod tale reperisti consilium, ut descenderes ad dominum nostrum.

It has been the saving of thy life, they told her, this plan thou hast formed of betaking thyself to our master yonder.

And be assured of this, that when thou shalt stand before him, he will treat thee well, and thou wilt be most acceptable to his heart. And they brought her to the tent of Holofernes, telling him of her.

Hoc autem scias, quoniam cum steteris in conspectu ejus, bene tibi faciet, et eris gratissima in corde ejus. Duxeruntque illam ad tabernaculum Holofernis, annuntiantes eam.

Of this be well assured, once thou hast found thy way to his presence he will use thee well; none so welcome as thou. And so they led her to Holofernes’ tent, and advised him of her coming.

And when she was come into his presence, forthwith Holofernes was caught by his eyes.

Cumque intrasset ante faciem ejus, statim captus est in suis oculis Holofernes.

No sooner did she stand before him, than Holofernes’ eyes made him her prisoner.

And his officers said to him: Who can despise the people of the Hebrews, who have such beautiful women, that we should not think it worth our while for their sakes to fight against them?

Dixeruntque ad eum satellites ejus: Quis contemnat populum Hebræorum, qui tam decoras mulieres habent, ut non pro his merito pugnare contra eos debeamus?

Meanwhile, his lords were saying to one another, Who shall belittle the Hebrew folk, or doubt they are worth the attacking, when for prize there are such women as this?

And Judith seeing Holofernes sitting under a canopy, which was woven of purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stones:

Videns itaque Judith Holofernem sedentem in conopeo, quod erat ex purpura, et auro, et smaragdo, et lapidibus pretiosis intextum,

As for Judith, she saw only Holofernes, as he sat there with a canopy over him, a canopy of purple, with gold and emeralds and other precious stones worked into it.

After she had looked on his face, bowed down to him, prostrating herself to the ground. And the servants of Holofernes lifted her up, by the command of their master.

et cum in faciem ejus intendisset, adoravit eum, prosternens se super terram. Et elevaverunt eam servi Holofernis, jubente domino suo.

She looked him full in the face, then did reverence, bowing down to earth, until his servants raised her to her feet, at their master’s bidding.