Judith 10
Judith arose from prayer, removed her mourning clothes, and adorned herself with fine garments and jewelry, and the Lord increased her beauty. She then set out with her handmaid, carrying food and drink, and was met with admiration by the city elders at the gate. Judith was stopped by Assyrian scouts, who were struck by her beauty, and she told them she was a Hebrew who had fled to reveal secrets to Holofernes, their leader. The scouts led her to Holofernes' tabernacle, where she captivated him with her beauty, and he was immediately taken with her.
And it happened that, when she had ceased to cry out to the Lord, she arose from the place where she lay prostrate before the LordAnd she called her handmaid, and descending into her house, she took away from herself the haircloth, and she put away from herself the garments of her widowhoodand she washed her body, and she anointed herself with the best ointment, and she plaited the hair of her head, and she put a headdress on her head, and she clothed herself with the garments of her elegance, and she put sandals on her feet, and she put on her little bracelets, and lilies, and earrings, and rings, and she adorned herself with all her ornamentsAnd also, the Lord conferred upon her a splendor. For all this dressing up did not proceed from sensuality, but from virtue. And therefore, the Lord increased this, her beauty, so that she appeared with incomparable honor before the eyes of allAnd so, she appointed to her handmaid a wineskin, and a vessel of oil, and parched grain, and dried figs, and bread, and cheese, and they departedAnd when they came to the gate of the city, they found Uzziah and the elders of the city waitingAnd when they saw her, being astounded, they wondered at her surpassing beautySo, not questioning her at all, they dismissed her to go forth, saying: "May the God of our fathers give you grace, and may he strengthen all the advice of your heart with his virtue, so that Jerusalem may glory over you, and your name may be counted among the holy and the just.And those who were there, all with one voice, said: "Amen. Amen.In truth, Judith was praying to the Lord as she crossed through the gates, she and her handmaidBut it happened that, when she descended the mountain at about the break of day, the scouts of the Assyrians met her, and they stopped her, saying, "Where are you coming from? And where are you going?And she answered: "I am a daughter of the Hebrews. This is why I have fled from their face: because I realized that in the future they would be given over to you with pillaging, for they hold you in contempt, and they would never be willing to surrender themselves, so that they might find mercy in your sightFor this reason, I thought to myself, saying: I will go to the face of the leader Holofernes, so that I may reveal to him their secrets, and show him by what means he may be able to prevail over them, without one man of his army being slain.And when the men had heard her words, they beheld her face, and their eyes were astounded, because they wondered exceedingly at her beautyAnd they said to her: "You have preserved your life by following such an excellent plan, to descend to our lordBut know this, that when you will stand in his sight, he will treat you well, and you will be very pleasing to his heart." And they led her to the tabernacle of Holofernes, announcing herAnd when she had entered before his face, immediately Holofernes was captivated by his eyesAnd his attendants said to him, "Who can hold the people of the Hebrews in contempt, who have such beautiful women? So, we ought to think it not worthwhile, for their sakes, to fight against them.And so, Judith looked upon Holofernes, sitting under a canopy, which was woven from purple and gold, with emeralds and precious stonesAnd, after she had gazed into his face, she showed reverence for him, prostrating herself to the ground. And the servants of Holofernes lifted her up, at the command of their lord
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