The Book of Judith, Chapter 13 Das Buch Judith, Kapitel 13 The Book of Judith, Chapter 13 El Libro de Judit, Capítulo 13 O Livro de Judith, Capítulo 13

1 Ut autem sero factum est, festinaverunt servi illius ad hospitia sua, et conclusit Vagao ostia cubiculi, et abiit. 1 But as it became late, his servants hastened to their lodgings, and Vagao closed the doors of the chamber and went away. 2 Erant autem omnes fatigati a vino, 3 eratque Judith sola in cubiculo. 2 Now they were all tired from the wine, 3 and Judith was alone in the room. 4 Porro Holofernes jacebat in lecto, nimia ebrietate sopitus. 4 Now Holofernes was lying in bed, drowsy from excessive drunkenness. 5 Dixitque Judith puellæ suæ ut staret foris ante cubiculum, et observaret. 5 And Judith told her maid to stand outside the room and watch. 6 Stetitque Judith ante lectum, orans cum lacrimis, et labiorum motu in silentio, 7 dicens : Confirma me, Domine Deus Israël, et respice in hac hora ad opera manuum mearum, ut, sicut promisisti, Jerusalem civitatem tuam erigas : et hoc quod credens per te posse fieri cogitavi, perficiam. 8 Et cum hæc dixisset, accessit ad columnam quæ erat ad caput lectuli ejus, et pugionem ejus, qui in ea ligatus pendebat, exsolvit. 8 And when he had said these things, he went to the pillar that was at the head of his bed, and untied his dagger, which hung tied to it. 9 Cumque evaginasset illum, apprehendit comam capitis ejus, et ait : Confirma me, Domine Deus, in hac hora. 10 Et percussit bis in cervicem ejus, et abscidit caput ejus, et abstulit conopeum ejus a columnis, et evolvit corpus ejus truncum. 10 And he struck him twice on the neck, and cut off his head, and removed his canopy from the pillars, and twisted his body into a trunk. 11 Et post pusillum exivit, et tradidit caput Holofernis ancillæ suæ, et jussit ut mitteret illud in peram suam. 12 Et exierunt duæ, secundum consuetudinem suam, quasi ad orationem, et transierunt castra, et gyrantes vallem, venerunt ad portam civitatis. 13 Et dixit Judith a longe custodibus murorum : Aperite portas, quoniam nobiscum est Deus, qui fecit virtutem in Israël.

14 Et factum est cum audissent viri vocem ejus, vocaverunt presbyteros civitatis. 15 Et concurrerunt ad eam omnes, a minimo usque ad maximum : quoniam sperabant eam jam non esse venturam. 16 Et accendentes luminaria, congyraverunt circa eam universi : illa autem ascendens in eminentiorem locum, jussit fieri silentium. Cumque omnes tacuissent, 17 dixit Judith : Laudate Dominum Deum nostrum, qui non deseruit sperantes in se, 18 et in me ancilla sua adimplevit misericordiam suam, quam promisit domui Israël : et interfecit in manu mea hostem populi sui hac nocte. And when all were silent, 17 Judith said: Praise the Lord our God, who has not forsaken those who hope in him, 18 and in me his handmaid has fulfilled his mercy, which he promised to the house of Israel: and he has killed the enemy of his people this night at my hand. 19 Et proferens de pera caput Holofernis, ostendit illis, dicens : Ecce caput Holofernis principis militiæ Assyriorum, et ecce conopeum illius, in quo recumbebat in ebrietate sua, ubi per manum feminæ percussit illum Dominus Deus noster. 19 And taking out the head of Holofernes from the bag, he showed them, saying: Behold the head of Holofernes, the chief of the Assyrian army, and behold his canopy, in which he reclined in his drunkenness, where the Lord our God struck him by the hand of a woman. 20 Vivit autem ipse Dominus, quoniam custodivit me angelus ejus et hinc euntem, et ibi commorantem, et inde huc revertentem, et non permisit me Dominus ancillam suam coinquinari, sed sine pollutione peccati revocavit me vobis gaudentem in victoria sua, in evasione mea, et in liberatione vestra. 21 Confitemini illi omnes, quoniam bonus, quoniam in sæculum misericordia ejus. 22 Universi autem adorantes Dominum, dixerunt ad eam : Benedixit te Dominus in virtute sua, quia per te ad nihilum redegit inimicos nostros. 23 Porro Ozias princeps populi Israël dixit ad eam : Benedicta es tu, filia, a Domino Deo excelso præ omnibus mulieribus super terram. 24 Benedictus Dominus, qui creavit cælum et terram, qui te direxit in vulnera capitis principis inimicorum nostrorum : 25 quia hodie nomen tuum ita magnificavit, ut non recedat laus tua de ore hominum qui memores fuerint virtutis Domini in æternum, pro quibus non pepercisti animæ tuæ propter angustias et tribulationem generis tui, sed subvenisti ruinæ ante conspectum Dei nostri. 26 Et dixit omnis populus : Fiat, fiat.

27 Porro Achior vocatus venit, et dixit ei Judith : Deus Israël, cui tu testimonium dedisti quod ulciscatur se de inimicis suis, ipse caput omnium incredulorum incidit hac nocte in manu mea.28 Et ut probes quia ita est, ecce caput Holofernis, qui in contemptu superbiæ suæ Deum Israël contempsit, et tibi interitum minabatur, dicens : Cum captus fuerit populus Israël, gladio perforari præcipiam latera tua.29 Videns autem Achior caput Holofernis, angustiatus præ pavore cecidit in faciem suam super terram, et æstuavit anima ejus.30 Postea vero quam resumpto spiritu recreatus est, procidit ad pedes ejus, et adoravit eam, et dixit :31 Benedicta tu a Deo tuo in omni tabernaculo Jacob, quoniam in omni gente quæ audierit nomen tuum, magnificabitur super te Deus Israël.