11:1
Then Holofernes said to her: “Take courage, ishah, and do not fear in your heart, for I have never harmed any ish who chose to serve Nevukhadnetzar, king of all the earth.
11:2
And now, if your people who dwell in the hill country had not despised me, I would not have lifted my spear against them. But they themselves have done these things to themselves.
11:3
And now tell me why you fled from them and came to us. For you have come for salvation. Take courage. You shall live this night and afterward.
11:4
For no one shall harm you, but they shall deal well with you, just as they deal with the servants of my master, King Nevukhadnetzar.”
11:5
And Yehudit said to him: “Receive the words of your maidservant, and let your servant speak before your face. And I shall declare no falsehood to my master this night.
11:6
And if you follow the words of your maidservant, Elohim shall bring the matter to completion with you, and my master shall not fail in his purposes.
11:7
For by the life of Nevukhadnetzar, king of all the earth, and by the life of his power, who sent you to set every living being in order, not only Adam shall serve him through you, but even the beasts of the field, and the cattle, and the birds of the heavens shall live under Nevukhadnetzar and under all his house.
11:8
For we have heard of your wisdom and the skill of your being, and it has been reported throughout all the earth that you alone are good in all the Kingdom, and mighty in knowledge, and wonderful in the ordering of war.
11:9
And now, concerning the word which Achior spoke in your council, we have heard his words, for the men of Beit-Uluyah spared him, and he declared to them all that he had spoken before you.
11:10
Therefore, master and ruler, do not disregard his word, but set it in your heart, for it is true: our nation shall not be punished, nor shall the sword prevail against them, unless they sin against their Elohim.
11:11
And now, lest my master be turned back and fail, death has fallen upon them, and their sin has overtaken them, by which they shall provoke their Elohim to anger whenever they do what is not fitting.
11:12
For their food has failed, and all their water has become scarce, and they have determined to lay hands upon their cattle, and they have resolved to consume all those things which Elohim commanded them by His Torah not to eat.
11:13
And they have determined to consume the firstfruits of grain and the tithes of wine and oil, which they set apart and reserved for the kohenim who stand before the face of our Elohim in Yerushalayim, though it is not lawful for any of the people even to touch them with their hands.
11:14
And they have sent to Yerushalayim, because those dwelling there have also done such things, to obtain permission from the council of elders.
11:15
And it shall be, when word comes to them and they do it, that on that very day they shall be given to you for destruction.
11:16
Therefore I, your maidservant, knowing all this, fled from before them. And Elohim sent me to perform with you things at which all the earth shall be astonished, whoever hears them.
11:17
For your maidservant fears Elohim and serves the Elohim of the heavens day and night. And now, my master, I shall remain with you. And your maidservant shall go out during the night into the valley, and I shall pray to Elohim. And He shall tell me when they have committed their sins.
11:18
Then I shall come and make it known to you. And you shall go out with all your army, and there shall be no ish among them who shall withstand you.
11:19
And I shall lead you through the midst of Yehudah until you come before Yerushalayim. And I shall set your throne in the midst of her. And you shall drive them like sheep that have no shepherd, and no dog shall even open its mouth against you. For these things were spoken to me according to my foreknowledge, and they were declared to me, and I was sent to tell you.”
11:20
And her words were good in the eyes of Holofernes and in the eyes of all his servants. And they marveled at her wisdom and said:
11:21
“There is not such an ishah from one end of the earth to the other in beauty of face and wisdom of words.”
11:22
And Holofernes said to her: “Elohim has done well to send you before the people, that strength might be in our hands and destruction among those who despised my master.
11:23
And now you are beautiful in appearance and good in your words. For if you do as you have spoken, your Elohim shall be my Elohim, and you shall dwell in the house of King Nevukhadnetzar and shall be renowned throughout all the earth.”