Judith 13

¹ For it is knowun, that oure God is so offendid bi synnes, that he sente bi hise profetis to the puple, that he wolde bitake hem for her synnes. ² And for the sones of Israel witen, that thei han offendid her Lord God, the tremblyng of hym is on hem. 3 Ferthermore also hungur hath asailid hem, and for drynesse of watir thei ben rikenyd now among deed men. 4 Forsothe thei ordeynen this, that thei sle her beestis, and drynke her blood; 5 and thei thouyten to yyue these hooli thingis of her Lord in wheete, wyn, and oile, whiche God comaundide to be not touchid, and thei wolen waste the thingis, which thei ouyten not touche with hondis; therfor for thei doen these thingis, it is certeyn that thei schulen be youun in to perdicioun. ⁶ Which thing Y, thin handmaide, knew, and fledde fro hem, and the Lord sente me to telle these same thingis to thee. ⁷ For Y, thin handmaide, worschipe God, also now at thee; and thin handmaide schal go out, and Y schal preie God; ⁸ and he schal seie to me, whanne he schal yelde to hem her synne; and Y schal come, and telle to thee, so that Y brynge thee thorouy the myddis of Jerusalem, and thou schalt haue al the puple of Israel as scheep `to whiche is no scheepherde, and ther schal not berke ayens thee nameli oon; ⁹ for these thingis ben seid to me bi the puruyaunce of God. ¹⁰ And for God is wrooth to hem, Y am sente to telle to thee these same thingis. ¹¹ Sotheli alle these wordis plesiden bifor Holofernes, and bifore hise children; and thei wondriden at the wisdom of hir; and oon seide to another, ¹² Ther is not sich a womman on erthe in siyt, in fairenesse, and in wit of wordis. ¹³ And Holofernes seide to hir, God dide wel, that sente thee bifor the puple, that thou yyue it in myn hondis; ¹⁴ and for thi biheest is good, if thi God doith these thingis to me, he schal be also my God, and thow schalt be greet in the hows of Nabugodonosor, and thi name schal be nemyd in al erthe. ¹⁶ Thanne Holofernes comaundide hir to entre, where his tresouris weren kept, and he comaundide hir to dwelle there; and he ordeynede, what schulde be youun to hir of his feeste. ¹⁷ To whom Judith answeride, and seide, Now Y may not ete of these thingis, which thou comaundidist to be youun to me, lest offence come on me; but Y schal ete of these thingis, whiche Y brouyte with me. ¹⁸ To whom Holofernes seide, If these thingis failen, whiche thou brouytist with thee, what schulen we do to thee? ¹⁹ And Judith seide, Lord, thi soule lyueth, for thin handmaide schal not spende alle these thingis, til God schal do in myn hondis these thingis which Y thouyte. And hise seruauntis ledden hir in to the tabernacle, whidur he hadde comaundid. ²⁰ And sche axide, the while sche entride, that fredom schulde be youun to hir to go out to preier, in the nyyt, and bifor the liyt, and to biseche the Lord.