Judīte nocērt Holofernam galvu
1 Bet, kad vakars iestājās, viņa kalpi steidzās to atstāt. Bagojs aizslēdza telti no ārpuses un atlaida kunga klātesošos, un viņi devās uz savām gultām, jo visi bija noguruši no pārlieku ieilgušajām dzīrēm. 2 Palika tikai Judīte viena viņa teltī un Holoferns, no pārguruma nogāzies savā gultā, jo bija pārlieku piedzēries vīna. 3 Judīte pavēlēja savai kalponei nostāties telts ārpusē un tāpat kā citdien gaidīt viņu izejam un sacīt, ka viņa ies uz savu lūgšanu. Bagojam viņa teica tāpat. 4 Un tā visi bija aizgājuši no tās vietas, un neviens nebija palicis mājoklī ne tuvu, ne tālu, un, piecēlusies no gultas, Judīte savā sirdī sacīja: “Kungs, visa spēka Dievs, uzlūko šajā brīdī darbu, ko manas rokas darīs, Jeruzālemes pacelšanai, 5 jo tagad ir laiks pārtvert tavu mantojumu un piepildīt manu nolūku sadauzīt ienaidniekus, kas spiežas mums virsū.” 6 Piegājusi pie staba tajā gultas galā, kur bija Holoferna galva, Judīte izvilka no maksts zobenu, 7 tuvojās gultai, sagrāba viņa galvu aiz matiem un, teikdama: “Dod spēku, Kungs, Israēla Dievs, šajā dienā,” 8 cirta pa viņa kaklu divreiz no visa spēka un nocirta viņa galvu nost no ķermeņa. 9 Viņa novēla tā miesu no gultas, norāva aizkaru no stabiem un pēc brīža izgāja un atdeva Holoferna galvu kalponei, 10 un viņa to iemeta savā pārtikas maisā. Pēc tam abas reizē, kā parasti, gāja uz lūgšanu un, izgājušas cauri nometnei, apgāja ieleju un uzkāpa Betulijas kalnā un nonāca līdz tās vārtiem.
Judīte atgriežas pie saviem ļaudīm
11 Jau no tālienes Judīte sauca vārtu sargātājiem: “Atveriet, atveriet vārtus, ar mums ir Dievs, mūsu Kungs, kas vēl dos Israēlam spēku un uzvaru pār ienaidniekiem, tāpat kā to darīja šodien.” 12 Tiklīdz vīri pilsētā izdzirdēja viņas balsi, tie steidzās nokāpt pie pilsētas vārtiem un sasauca pilsētas vecajos. 13 Un saskrēja visi no maza līdz lielam, jo tas šķita tiem neiespējami, ka viņa atnāks atpakaļ, un tie atvēra vārtus, uzņēma viņas un, aizdedzinājuši lāpās ugunis, ielenca abas. 14 Viņa tiem varenā balsī sacīja: “Dievam slavu dziediet, slavu dziediet, Dievam slavu dziediet! Viņa žēlastība neatkāpās no Israēla nama, un viņš sadauzīja ar manu roku mūsu ienaidniekus šajā naktī.” 15 Tad viņa, izņēmusi nocirsto galvu no maisa, rādīja visiem un sauca: “Redziet, Holoferna, asīriešu karaspēka virspavēlnieka, galva un, redzi, aizkars, aiz kura viņš piedzēries gulēja, un Kungs viņu sita ar sievietes roku. 16 Dzīvs ir Kungs, kas mani nosargāja ceļā, ko es gāju, jo Holofernu piekrāpa mana seja viņam par pazudināšanu, bet viņš neizdarīja ar mani nekādu grēku, kas mani apgānītu vai apkaunotu.” 17 Visu tautu sagrāba izbrīns, un tie krita pie zemes un pielūdza Dievu un vienprātībā sauca: “Slavēts, mūsu Dievs, kas šajā dienā esi nonicinājis savas tautas ienaidniekus.” 18 Ozija viņai sacīja: “Visaugstais Dievs lai tevi svētī, meita, vairāk par visām sievām uz zemes, un lai svētīts Kungs Dievs, kas radīja debesis un zemi un kas tevi sagatavoja sadauzīt mūsu ienaidnieku vadoņa galvu, 19 jo tava cerība neatkāpsies no cilvēku sirdīm, kas pieminēs Dieva spēku mūžam. Lai Dievs tev to piešķir par mūžīgu slavu, apbalvodams tevi ar labumu, tādēļ ka tu nesaudzēji savu dzīvību mūsu tautas pazemojuma dēļ, bet devi pretsparu mūsu krišanai, staigājot taisni mūsu Dieva priekšā.” 20 Un visa tauta sauca: “Lai notiek, lai notiek!”
1 Finally, when it got late, the guests excused themselves and left. Bagoas then closed up the tent from the outside and prevented Holofernes' servants from going in. So they all went to bed; everyone was very tired because the banquet had lasted so long. 2 Judith was left alone in the tent with Holofernes who was lying drunk on his bed. 3 Judith's slave woman was waiting outside the tent for Judith to go and pray, as she had done each night. Judith had also told Bagoas that she would be going out to pray as usual.
4 All the guests and servants were now gone, and Judith and Holofernes were alone in the tent. Judith stood by Holofernes' bed and prayed silently, “O Lord, God Almighty, help me with what I am about to do for the glory of Jerusalem. 5 Now is the time to rescue your chosen people and to help me carry out my plan to destroy the enemies who are threatening us.” 6 Judith went to the bedpost by Holofernes' head and took down his sword. 7 She came closer, seized Holofernes by the hair of his head, and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, give me strength now.” 8 Then Judith raised the sword and struck him twice in the neck as hard as she could, chopping off his head. 9 She rolled his body off the bed and took down the mosquito net from the bedposts. Then she came out and gave Holofernes' head to her slave, 10 who put it in the food bag.
Judith and Her Slave Return to Bethulia
Then the two women left together, as they always did when they went to pray. After they had walked through the Assyrian camp, they crossed the valley and went up the mountainside until they came to the gates of Bethulia. 11 When they were a short distance away, Judith called out to the guards at the gate, “Open the gate! Open the gate! Our God is still with us. Today he has once again shown his strength in Israel and used his power against our enemies.”
12 When the men heard her voice, they hurried down to the gates and called for the town officials. 13 Everyone, young and old, ran together to the gate. No one could believe that Judith had come back. They opened the gate for her and her slave and welcomed them. Then, when they had lit a fire to give some light and had gathered around the two women, 14 Judith shouted, “Praise God, give him praise! Praise God, who has not held back his mercy from the people of Israel. Tonight he has used me to destroy our enemies.” 15 She then took the head out of the food bag and showed it to the people. “Here,” she said, “is the head of Holofernes, the general of the Assyrian army, and here is the mosquito net from his bed, where he lay in a drunken stupor. The Lord used a woman to kill him. 16 As the Lord lives, I swear that Holofernes never touched me, although my beauty deceived him and brought him to his ruin. I was not defiled or disgraced; the Lord took care of me through it all.”
17 Everyone in the city was utterly amazed. They bowed down and worshiped God, praying together, “Our God, you are worthy of great praise. Today you have triumphed over the enemies of your people.”
18 Then Uzziah said, “Judith, my dear, the Most High God has blessed you more than any other woman on earth. How worthy of praise is the Lord God who created heaven and earth! He guided you as you cut off the head of our deadliest enemy. 19 Your trust in God will never be forgotten by those who tell of God's power. 20 May God give you everlasting honor for what you have done. May he reward you with blessings, because you remained faithful to him and did not hesitate to risk your own life to relieve the oppression of your people.”
All the people replied, “Amen, amen!”
