Agere Sequitur Esse

Judith Prepares to Go to Holofernes

1 Now after that she had ceased to cry vnto the God of Israel, and had made an end of all these words,

2 She rose where she had fallen downe, and called her maide, and went downe into the house, in the which she abode in the Sabbath dayes and in her feast dayes,

3 And pulled off the sackcloth which she had on, and put off the garments of her widowhood, and washed her body all ouer with water, and annointed herselfe with precious ointment, and braided the haire of her head, and put on a tire vpon it, and put on her garments of gladnesse, wherewith she was clad during the life of Manasses her husband.

4 And she tooke sandals vpon her feete, and put about her, her bracelets and her chaines, and her rings, and her earerings, and all her ornaments, and decked her selfe brauely to allure the eyes of all men that should see her.

5 Then she gaue her mayd a bottle of wine, and a cruse of oyle, and filled a bagge with parched corne, and lumpes of figs, and with fine bread, so she folded all these things together, and layd them vpon her.

6 Thus they went forth to the gate of the citie of Bethulia, and found standiug there Ozias, and the ancients of the city Chabris, and Charmis.

7 And when they saw her, that her countenance was altered, and her apparel was changed, they wondered at her beautie very greatly, and said vnto her,

8 The God, the God of our fathers giue thee fauour, and accomplish thine enterprises to the glory of the children of Israel, and to the exaltation of Ierusalem: then they worshipped God.

9 And she said vnto them, Command the gates of the city to be opened vnto me, that I may goe forth to accomplish the things, whereof you haue spoken with me; so they commanded the yong men to open vnto her, as shee had spoken.

10 And when they had done so, Iudeth went out, she and her mayd with her, and the men of the citie looked after her, vntill shee was gone downe the mountaine, and till she had passed the valley, and could see her no more.