1   ‘Take heart, madam,’ said Holophernes; ‘do not be afraid. I have never harmed anyone who chose to serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth. 2   I should never have raised my spear against your people in the hill-country if they had not insulted me; they brought it on themselves. 3   Now tell me why you have run away from them and joined us. By coming here you have saved your life. Take heart! You are in no danger tonight or in the future; no one will harm you. 4   You will enjoy the good treatment which is given to the subjects of my master King Nebuchadnezzar.’

5   Judith replied, ‘My lord, grant your slave a hearing and listen to what I have to say to you. The information I am giving you tonight is the truth. 6   If you follow my advice, God will do some great thing through you, and my lord will not fail to attain his ends. 7   By the life of Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth, and by the living might of him who sent you to bring order to all creatures, I swear: not only do men serve him, thanks to you, but wild animals also, cattle, and birds, will owe their lives to your power as long as Nebuchadnezzar and his dynasty reign. ^note 8   We have heard how wise and clever you are. You are known throughout the world as the man of ability unrivalled in the whole empire, of powerful intelligence and amazing skill in the art of war. 9   We know about the speech that Achior made in your council, because the men of Bethulia rescued him, and he told them what he had said to you. 10   Do not disregard what he said, my lord and master, but give full weight to his words. They are true. No punishment ever falls on our race and the sword does not subdue them, except when they sin against their God. 11   But now, my lord, you are not to be thwarted and cheated of success, for they are doomed to die. Sin has them in its power, and when they do wrong they will arouse their God's anger. 12   Because they have run out of food and their water-supply is low, they have decided to lay hands on their cattle; they mean to consume everything that God by his laws has prohibited as food; 13   and they have resolved to use up the firstfruits of the grain and the tithes of wine and oil, although these are dedicated

Judith kills Holophernes and reserved for the priests who stand in attendance before our God in Jerusalem, and no layman may so much as handle them. 14   They have sent men to Jerusalem to get permission from the senate, because even the people there have done this. 15   As soon as ever word reaches them and they act on it, on that very day they will be given up to you to be destroyed.

16   ‘So, my lord, when I learnt all this, I ran away from them; and God has sent me to do with you things that will be the wonder of the world, wherever men hear about them. 17   For I, your servant, am a religious woman: day and night I worship the God of heaven. I will stay with you now, my lord; and each night I shall go out into the valley and pray to God, and he will tell me when they have committed their sins. 18   Then, when I return and bring you word, you may lead out your whole army, and you will meet with no resistance from any of them. 19   I will guide you across Judaea until you reach Jerusalem, and I will set up your throne in the heart of the city. They will follow you like sheep that have lost their shepherd, and not a dog will so much as growl at you. I have been given foreknowledge of this. It has been revealed to me, and I have been sent to announce it to you.’

20   Judith's words delighted Holophernes and all his attendants, and they were amazed at her wisdom. 21   ‘In the whole wide world’, they said, ‘there is not a woman to compare with her for beauty of face or shrewdness of speech.’ 22   Holophernes said to her, ‘Thank God for sending you out from your people, to bring strength to us and destruction to those who have insulted my lord! 23   You are a beautiful woman and your words are good. If you do as you have promised, your God shall be my God, and you shall live in King Nebuchadnezzar's palace and be renowned throughout the world.’

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