1 Then 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.

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

2 And 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.

2 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 Then 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.

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

4 Then 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.

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

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

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

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

7 Then 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.

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

8 And 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.

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

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

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

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

10 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 Then 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.

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

12 For, 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.

12 ¶ 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 Then 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.

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

14 Then 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.

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

15 So 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 for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them.

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

16 Now 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.

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

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

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

18 So 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.

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

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

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

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

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