Judith

Then Holofernes said to her: Be of good comfort, and fear not in thy heart: for I have never hurt any man that would serve Nabuchodonosor the king.

And if thy people had not despised me, I would never have lifted up my spear against them.

But now tell me, for what cause hast thou left them, and why it hath pleased thee to come to us?

And Judith said to him: Receive the words of thy handmaid, for if thou wilt follow the words of thy handmaid, the Lord will do a perfect thing with thee.

For as Nabuchodonosor the king of the earth liveth, and his power liveth, which is in thee for chastising of all straying souls: not only men serve him through thee, but also the beasts of the field obey him.

For the industry of thy mind is spoken of among all nations, and it is told through the whole world, that thou only art excellent, and mighty in all his kingdom, and thy discipline is cried up in all provinces.

It is known also what Achior said, nor are we ignorant of what thou hast commanded to be done to him.

And it is certain that our God is so offended with sins, that he hath sent word by his prophets to the people, that he will deliver them up for their sins.

And because the children of Israel know they have offended their God, the fear of the Lord is upon them from them.

Moreover a famine also hath come upon them, and beside the drought of water they are already to be counted among the dead.

Finally they have a design even to kill their cattle, and to drink the blood of them.

And the consecrated things of the Lord their God, which God forbade them to touch, in corn, wine, and oil, these have they purposed to make use of, and they design to consume the things which they should not touch with their hands: therefore because they do these things, it is certain they will be given up to destruction.

And I thy handmaid knowing this, am fled from them, and the Lord hath sent me to tell thee these very things.

For I thy handmaid worship God even now that I am with thee, and thy handmaid will go out in the night, and I will pray to God, and he will tell me when they shall commit their sin.

And I will come and tell thee, that thou mayst go out with all thy army, and there shall be none that shall resist thee.

And I will lead thee through the midst of Judea, till thou come to Jerusalem, and I will set thy throne in the midst thereof: and thou shalt drive them as sheep that have no shepherd, and there shall not so much as one dog bark against thee: because these things are told me by my providence, and are told me, and I am commanded to tell thee.

And her words pleased Holofernes, and all his servants, and they admired the wisdom of her, and said one to another:

There is not such a woman upon earth in countenance, in beauty, and in sense of words.

And Holofernes said to her: God hath done well who sent thee before the people, that thou mightest give them into our hands:

And because thy promise is good, if thy God shall do this for me, he shall also be my God, and thou shalt be great in the house of Nabuchodonosor, and thy name shall be renowned through all the earth.