Judith 16

¹ Knouleche ye alle to hym, for he is good, for his mercy is in to the world. 2 Sotheli alle men worschipiden the Lord, and seiden to hir, The Lord hath blessid thee in his vertu, for bi thee he hath brouyt to nouyt oure enemyes. 3 Certis Ozie, prince of the puple of Israel, seide to hir, Douytir, thou art blessid of the hiy Lord God, bifor alle wymmen on erthe. 4 Blessid be the Lord, that made heuene and erthe, and that dresside thee in to the woundis of the heed of the prince of oure enemyes; 5 for to dai he hath magnefied so thi name, that thi preisyng go not awei fro the mouth of men, that schulen be myndeful of the vertu of the Lord with outen ende; for whiche thou sparidist not thi lijf for the angwischis and tribulaciouns of thi kyn, but helpidist the fallinge bifor the siyt of oure God. 6 And al the puple seide, Be it! be it! ⁷ Forsothe Achior was clepid, and cam; and Judith seide to hym, Thilke God of Israel, to whom thou yauest witnessyng, that he auengith hym of hise enemyes, hath kit of the heed of alle vnbileueful men in this niyt bi myn hond. ⁸ And that thou preue that it is so, lo! the heed of Holofernes, which in the dispit of his pride dispiside God of Israel, and manaasside deth to thee, and seide, Whanne the puple of Israel is takun, Y schal comaunde thi sidis to be persid with a swerd. ⁹ Sotheli Achior siy the heed of Holofernes, and was angwischid for drede, and felde doun on his face on the erthe, and his soule suffride eneyntisyng. ¹⁰ Sotheli aftir that he hadde take ayen spirit, and was coumfortid, he felde doun at hir feet, and worschipide hir, 11 and seide, Blessid art thou of thi God in al the tabernacle of Jacob; for in ech folk, that schal here thi name, God of Israel schal be magnyfied in thee. 13 Forsothe Judith seide to al the puple, Britheren, here ye; hang ye this heed on youre wallis. 14 And it schal be, whanne the sunne goith out, ech man take hise armuris, and go ye out with feersnesse, not that ye go doun binethe, but as makyng asauyt. ¹⁵ Thanne it schal be nede, that the spieris of the lond fle to reise her prynce to batel. ¹⁶ And whanne the duykis of hem rennen togidere to the tabernacle of Holofernes, and fynden hym heedles, waltrid in his blood, dreed schal falle doun on hem. ¹⁷ And whanne ye knowen that thei fleen, go ye sikirli aftir hem, for God schal al to-breke hem vndur youre feet. ¹⁸ Thanne Achior siy the vertu that God of Israel hadde do, and he forsook the custom of hethenesse, and bileuede to God; and he circumcidede the fleisch of his yerde, and he was put to the puple of Israel, and al the aftircomyng of his kyn `til in to this dai. ¹⁹ Forsothe anoon as the dai roos, thei hangiden the heed of Holofernes on the wallis; and ech man took his armuris, and thei yeden out with grete noise and yellyng. ²⁰ Which thing the aspieris sien, and runnen to the tabernacle of Holofernes. ²¹ Certis thei, that weren in the tabernacle, camen, and maden noise bifore the entryng of the bed, and ymagyneden by craft vnrestfulnesse for cause of reisyng, that Holofernes schulde awake not of the reiseris, but of sowneris. ²² For no man was hardi to opene the tabernacle of the vertu of Assiriens bi knockyng ethir bi entryng. ²³ But whanne hise duykis, and tribunes, and alle the grettere men of the oost of the kyng of Assiriens weren comen, thei seiden to the chaumburleyns, Entre ye, and reise ye hym; ²⁴ for myis ben goon out of her caues, and doren excite vs to batel. ²⁵ Thanne Vagao entride in to his closet, and stood bifor the curtyn, and made betyng togidere with hise hondis; for he supposide hym to slepe with Judith.