Judith

And Judith said to all the people: Hear me, my brethren, hang ye this head upon our bulwarks.

And as soon as the sun shall rise, let every man take his arms, and rush ye out, not as going down beneath, but as making an assault.

Then the watchmen must needs run to awake their prince for the battle.

And when the captains of them shall run to the tent of Holofernes, and shall find him without his head, wallowing in his blood, fear shall fall upon them.

And when you shall know that they are fleeing, go after them securely, for the Lord will destroy them under your feet.

Then Achior seeing the power that the God of Israel had wrought, leaving the religion of the Gentiles, he believed God, and circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and was joined to the people of Israel, with all the succession of his kindred until this present day.

And immediately at break of day, they hung the head of Holofernes upon the walls, and every man took his arms, and they went out with a great noise and shouting.

And the watchmen seeing this, ran to the tent of Holofernes.

And they that were in the tent came, and made a noise, before the door of the chamber to awake him, endeavoring by art to break his rest, that Holofernes might awake, not by their calling him, but by their noise.

For no man durst knock, or open and go into the chamber of the general of the Assyrians.

But when his captains and tribunes were come, and all the chiefs of the army of the king of the Assyrians, they said to the chamberlains:

Go in, and awake him, for the mice are come out of their holes, and have dared to challenge us to fight.

Then Vagao going into his chamber, stood before the curtain, and made a clapping with his hands: for he thought that he was sleeping with Judith.

But when with hearkening he perceived no motion of one lying, he came near to the curtain, and lifting it up, and seeing the body of Holofernes, lying on the ground, without the head, wallowing in his blood, he cried out with a loud voice, with weeping, and rent his garments.

And he went into the tent of Judith, and not finding her, he ran out to the people,

And said: One Hebrew woman hath made confusion in the house of king Nabuchodonosor: for behold Holofernes lieth upon the ground, and his head is not upon him.

Now when the chiefs of the army of the Assyrians had heard this, they all rent their garments, and an intolerable fear and dread fell upon them, and their minds were troubled exceedingly.

And there was a very great cry in the midst of their camp.

And when the men of Israel heard it, they all fell upon their enemies with one accord, and they slew them as far as Chobai.

And they that were in Jerusalem came to the rest of the people: and the inhabitants of the mountains: and they that dwelt in the plains, hearing that the enemies had turned their backs, laid hold of them, and slew them till they were destroyed.

And the rest that were in Bethulia went into the camp of the Assyrians, and took away the spoils which the Assyrians had left, and were loaded exceedingly.

And they that returned conquerors to Bethulia, brought with them all things that were theirs, so that there was no numbering of their cattle, and beasts, and all their moveables, insomuch that from the least to the greatest all were made rich by their spoils.

And Joachim the high priest came from Jerusalem to Bethulia with all his ancients, to see Judith.

And when she was come out to him, they all blessed her with one voice, saying: Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the joy of Israel, thou art the honour of our people:

For thou hast done manfully, and thy heart has been strengthened, because thou hast loved chastity, and after thy husband hast not known any other: therefore also the hand of the Lord hath strengthened thee, and therefore thou shalt be blessed for ever.

And all the people said: So be it, so be it.

And it came to pass after these things, that all the people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord: and when they were purified, they all offered holocausts, and vows, and their promises.

And Judith offered for an anathema of oblivion all the arms of Holofernes, which the people gave her, and the canopy that she had taken away out of his chamber.

And the people were joyful in the sight of the sanctuary, and for three months the joy of this victory was celebrated with Judith.

And after those days every one returned to his house, and Judith was made great in Bethulia, and she was most renowned in all the land of Israel.

And chastity was joined to her virtue, so that she knew no man all the days of her life, after the death of Manasses her husband.

And on festival days she came forth with great glory.

And she abode in her husband's house a hundred and five years, and made her handmaid free, and she died, and was buried with her husband in Bethulia.

And all the people mourned for seven days.

And all the time of her life there was no one that troubled Israel, nor many years after her death.

But the day of the festivity of this victory is received by the Hebrews in the number of holy days, and is religiously observed by the Jews from that time until this day.