1 Then he commanded to bring her in where his plate was layed; and asked that they should prepare for her from his own food, and that she should drink of his own wine.
2 And Yahuḏith said, “I shall not eat of it, lest there be a trespass; but provision may be made for me from that which I have brought.”
3 Then Holophernĕs said to her, “If your supply should fail, how shall we give you the same? For there are none of your nation with us.”
4 Then Yahuḏith said to him, “As your being lives my master, your female servant shall not use up that which I have before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 works that which He has determined by my hand.”
5 Then the servants of Holophernĕs brought her into the tent, and she slept till midnight. But she arose when it was toward the morning watch,
6 and sent to Holophernĕs saying, “Let my master now command that your female servant may go out to prayer.”
7 Then Holophernĕs commanded his guard that they should not hinder her; so she stayed in the camp three days, and went out at night into the valley of Bĕyth Yulia and washed herself in a spring of water by the camp.
8 And when she came out, she sought 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Yisra’ĕl to direct her way for the raising up of the children of her people.
9 So she returned clean, and remained in the tent until she ate her food in the evening.
10 And on the fourth day Holophernĕs made a feast for his own servants only, and called none of the officers to the banquet.
11 Then said he to Bagoas the eunuch, who oversaw all that he had, “Go now and persuade this Iḇri woman who is with you, that she would come and eat and drink with us.
12 “For look, it shall be a shame to us if we shall let such a woman go not having had her company; for if we do not draw her to us, she shall mock us.”
13 Then Bagoas went from the presence of Holophernĕs, and came to her and said, “Lovely young woman, do not fear to come to my master and be honoured in his presence, and drink wine and rejoice with us and become this day like one of the daughters of Ashshur who serve in the house of Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar.”
14 Then Yahuḏith said to him, “Who am I that I should refuse my master? Surely whatever pleases him I shall do speedily, and it shall be my joy to the day of my death.”
15 So she arose and adorned herself with her ornaments and all her woman’s finery, and her female servant went and laid soft skins on the ground for her opposite Holophernĕs, which she had received from Bagoas for her daily use, that she might sit and eat upon them.
16 Now when Yahuḏith came in and sat down, Holophernĕs’ heart was captivated by her, and his being was moved, and he desired her company greatly; for he had waited a time to seduce her from the day that he had seen her.
17 Then said Holophernĕs to her, “Drink now, and rejoice with us.”
18 So Yahuḏith said, “I shall drink my master, because this day is the greatest in my life; more than all the days since I was born.”
19 Then she took and ate and drank before him what her female servant had prepared.
20 And Holophernĕs took great delight in her, and drank more wine than he had drunk at any time in one day since he was born.