BIBLICAL EROTICISM

BY TORSTEN SCHWANKE

The heavens and the earth were finished 

Wth all their multitudes. 

And so on the seventh day Elohim 

Finished his works which he created, 

And rested on the seventh day 

From all his works which he created. 

And Elohim blessed the seventh day, 

Ad sanctified it, 

Hhaving rested that day 

From all his works 

Which Elohim created and made.

Thus the heavens and the earth 

Came into being 

When they were created, 

At the time when Elohim Yahweh 

Made the earth and the heavens. 

And all manner of trees in the field 

Were not yet in the earth, 

Neither were all manner of herbs 

In the field yet grown: 

For Elohim Yahweh had not yet caused it 

To rain upon the earth, 

Neither was there any man to till the ground. 

But a mist came up from the earth 

And moistened the land. 

And Elohim Yahweh made a man-being 

Out of a clay pot, 

And breathed into his nostrils the living breath. 

And so the human being 

Became a living soul.

And Elohim Yahweh planted a garden 

In Eden (delight) in the east, 

And put therein the man-being 

Which he had made. 

And Elohim Yahweh caused to grow 

Out of the earth all kinds of trees, 

Delightful to look upon and delicious to eat, 

And the tree of life in the midst of the garden, 

And the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And there went out a river from Eden 

To water the garden, 

And it divided thence into four main rivers. 

The first is called Pishon, 

Which flows round about the whole land of Evilah, 

And there is found gold. 

And the gold of the land is precious, 

And there is found bedellion resin, 

And the precious stone Shoham. 

The other river is called Gihon, 

Which flows around the whole of Africa. 

The third river is called Hiddekel (Tigris), 

Which flows in Assyria. 

The fourth river is the Euphrates.

And Elohim Yahweh took the man 

And put him in the Garden of Eden 

To till it and keep it. 

And Elohim Yahweh commanded the man, 

Saying, Thou mayest eat of every tree of the garden, 

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 

Thou shalt not eat, 

For in the day that thou eatest thereof 

Thou shalt surely die.

And Elohim Yahweh said, 

It is not good that the man should be alone; 

I will make him a help meet for him. 

For when Elohim Yahweh had made 

Of the earth all manner of beasts of the field, 

And all manner of fowls of the heaven, 

He brought them unto man, 

That he might see what he would call them: 

For he that would call like man all living beasts, 

So should they be called. 

And the man gave his name to every cattle, 

And to every bird of the air, 

And to every beast of the field: 

But there was found no help 

For the man that was about him.

Then Elohim Yahweh caused a deep trance 

To fall upon the man, and he fell asleep. 

And he took one of his flanks, 

And closed up the place with flesh. 

And Elohim Yahweh formed a woman 

Out of the flank which he took from man, 

And brought her unto him. 

And the man said, 

Surely this is bone of my bones, 

And flesh of my flesh; 

She shall be called Isha (woman), 

Because she is taken from Ish (man). 

Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, 

And shall cleave unto his wife; 

And they shall be One flesh. 

And they were both naked, 

The man and the woman, 

And were not ashamed.

And the serpent was more crafty 

Than all the beasts of the field 

Which Elohim Yahweh had made, 

And he said unto the woman, 

Should Elohim have said: 

Ye shall not eat of the fruit 

Of the trees of the garden? 

And the woman said unto the serpent, 

We eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 

But of the fruit of the tree 

Which is in the midst of the garden 

Hath Elohim said, Eat not of it, 

Neither touch it, lest ye die. 

Then said the serpent unto the woman, 

Ye shall not die indeed, 

But Elohim knoweth that in the day 

Ye eat thereof, then shall your eyes be opened, 

And ye shall be as Elohim, 

And shall be able to determine 

What is good and what is evil.

And the woman saw that the tree 

Was good to eat of, 

And that it was lascivious to behold, 

And a tree of pleasure, 

Because it maketh wise: 

And she took of the fruit, 

And did eat, and gave also unto her husband, 

And he did eat also. 

Then both of their eyes were opened 

And they realised that they were naked, 

So they wove fig leaves together 

And made themselves a loincloth.

And they heard the voice of Elohim Yahweh 

Walking in the garden 

When the day had grown cool. 

And Adam hid himself and his wife 

From the presence of Elohim Yahweh 

Under the trees of the garden. 

And Elohim Yahweh called Adam, 

And said unto him, Where art thou? 

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, 

And I was afraid, because I am naked; 

Therefore I hid myself. 

And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? 

Hast thou eaten of the tree, 

Whereof I commanded thee 

That thou shouldest not eat thereof? 

And Adam said, The woman 

Whom thou hast joined unto me 

Gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 

Then said Elohim Yahweh unto the woman, 

Why hast thou done this? 

And the woman said, 

The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.

Then said Elohim Yahweh unto the serpent, 

Because thou hast done this, 

Be thou accursed before all cattle, 

And before all beasts of the field. 

You shall crawl on your belly 

And eat dust all the days of your life. 

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, 

And between thy seed and her seed. 

She shall bruise thy head, 

And thou shalt bruise his heel.

And unto the woman he said, 

I will cause thee much pain, 

When thou art with child; 

Thou shalt bring forth children with pain; 

And thy desire shall be for thy husband, 

And he shall be thy master.

And unto Adam he said, 

Because thou hast hearkened 

Unto the voice of thy wife, 

And hast eaten of the tree 

Which I commanded thee, saying, 

Thou shalt not eat of it, - 

Cursed be the field because of thee; 

With sorrow shalt thou feed of it 

All the days of thy life. 

Thorns and nettles shall it bear unto thee, 

And thou shalt eat the herb of the field. 

In the sweat of thy face 

Shalt thou eat thy bread, 

Until thou return unto the ground 

From whence thou wast taken. 

For thou art earth, and shalt become earth.

And Adam called his wife's name Eve, 

Because she is the mother 

Of all living things. 

And Elohim Yahweh made Adam 

And his wife garments of skins, 

And clothed them therewith. 

And Elohim Yahweh said, Behold, 

Adam has become like Us 

And knows what is good and what is evil. 

But now, let him not stretch forth his hand, 

And pluck also of the tree of life, 

And eat, and live for ever. 

Then Yahweh Elohim sent him out 

Of the Garden of Eden 

To cultivate the field from which he was taken, 

And drove Adam out 

And encamped before the Garden of Eden 

The cherubim with the naked 

Circling flaming sword 

To protect the way to the Tree of Life.

And it came to pass that Judah 

Departed from his brethren, 

And joined himself to a man of Adullam, 

Whose name was Hira. 

And Judah saw there the daughter 

Of a Canaanite man, whose name was Shuah, 

And he took her. 

And when he entered into her, 

She conceived, and bare a son, 

Whom he called Ger. 

And she conceived again, and bare a son, 

And called his name Onan. 

And she bare again a son, 

And called his name Shelah: 

And it was in Cheshib that she bare him.

And Judah gave Ger his first son a wife, 

Whose name was Tamar (palm tree). 

But Ger was evil in the sight of Yahweh; 

Therefore Yahweh slew him.

And Judah said unto Onan, 

Go to thy brother's wife, and take her to wife, 

That thou mayest raise up seed unto thy brother. 

But Onan, knowing that the seed 

Should not be his own 

When it entered into his brother's wife, 

Let the seed fall to the ground and perish, 

Lest he should give seed to his brother. 

And it pleased Yahweh not at all what he did, 

And he slew him also.

Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, 

Stay as a widow in your father's house 

Until my son Selah grows up. 

For he thought that perhaps he too might die 

Like his brothers. 

So Tamar went and stayed in her father's house.

And it came to pass, after many days, 

That the daughter of Shuah, 

Judah's wife, died. 

And when Judah had passed the time of mourning, 

He went up to shear his sheep, 

Toward Timnath, with his friend Hira of Adullam. 

Then Tamar was told, 

Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnath 

To shear his sheep. 

So she took off the widow's garments 

Which she wore, and covered herself 

With a mantle, and veiled herself, 

And sat down at the gate of Enaiim 

By the way to Timnath; 

For she saw that Shelah was grown up, 

And yet she was not given to him to wife.

And when Judah saw her, 

He thought that she was a harlot, 

Because she had veiled her face. 

And he came to her by the way, and said, 

Let me come unto thee, 

For he knew not that she was 

His daughter in law. 

And she answered, 

What wilt thou give me, 

When thou comest to me? 

He said, I will send thee a kid of the flock. 

And she answered, 

Give me a pledge, till thou send him unto me. 

And he said, What pledge wilt thou 

That I will give it thee? 

She answered, Thy ring, and thy cord, and thy staff 

Which thou hast in thy hands. 

So he gave her the things, 

And entered into her, 

And she conceived by him. 

And she arose, and went 

And put on her widow's garments again.

And Judah sent the goat by his friend Adullam 

To fetch the pledge again from the woman, 

And he found her not. 

Then he asked the people, 

Where is the harlot 

Who was sitting by the road near Enajim? 

They answered, There was no harlot there. 

And he came again to Judah, and said, 

I have not found her, 

Neither do the people of the place say 

That there was no harlot there. 

And Judah said, She may keep it all, 

She cannot say anything bad against us, 

For I sent the goat, 

But thou hast not found her.

And it came to pass after three months, 

That Judah said, Tamar thy daughter in law 

Hath whored, behold, 

She hath conceived by whoredom. 

And Judah said, Bring her forth, 

That she may be burned. 

And when they brought her forth, 

She sent unto her father in law, saying, 

Of the man to whom this belongeth 

I am with child. 

And she said, Knowest thou whose is this ring, 

And whose is this cord, and whose is this staff? 

And Judah knew it, and said, 

She is more righteous than I,

Because I have not given them 

Unto Shelah my son. 

But he slept no more with her henceforth.

And when she was about to give birth, 

Twins were found in her womb. 

And when she gave birth, a hand came out. 

Then the midwife took a red thread 

And tied it around the hand, saying, 

This one will come out first. 

And when he drew in his hand again, 

His brother came out; and she said, 

Why hast thou for thy sake made such a breach? 

And they called him Perez. 

Then came out his brother, 

Wwhich had the red thread about his hand. 

And they called him Sera.

And Joseph was brought down into Egypt: 

And Potiphar, an Egyptian man, 

Pharaoh's chamberlain and captain, 

Bought him of the Ishmaelites that brought him. 

And Yahweh was with Joseph, 

That he became a blessed man; 

And he was in his master the Egyptian's house.

And his master saw that Yahweh was with him, 

For to all that he did 

Yahweh gave happiness through him, 

So he found favour in the sight of his master, 

Aand became his servant. 

Who set him over his house, 

And all that he had he put under his hands. 

And from the time that he set him over his house, 

And over all his goods, 

Yahweh blessed the Egyptian's house 

For Joseph's sake, 

And so all the blessings of Yahweh 

Came in all that he had in the house, 

And in the field. 

Therefore he left all that he had under Joseph's charge, 

And did not take any thing while he had it, 

Save that he did eat and drink. 

And Joseph was beautiful and kindly of face.

And it came to pass after this, 

That his master's wife cast her eyes 

Upon Joseph, and said, 

Sleep with me! 

But he refused, and said unto her, 

Behold, my lord taketh no charge 

Of any thing that is in the house, 

And all that he hath he hath 

Put under my charge, 

Aand hath nothing great in the house 

That he hath withheld from me, 

Save thee, because thou art his wife. 

How could I do such a wicked thing 

And sin against Elohim? 

And she said the same words 

To Joseph every day. 

But he did not obey her, 

That he should sleep with her, 

Nor come near to her.

And it came to pass one day, 

That Joseph went into the house 

To do his work, and there was none 

Of the servants of the house there. 

And she took him by his garment, and said, 

Sleep with me! 

But he left the garment in her hand, 

And fled, and ran out of the house. 

And when she saw that he had left 

His garment in her hand, and fled out, 

She called the servants of the house, 

And said unto them, Behold, 

He hath brought us the Hebrew man, 

That he may have his pleasure with me. 

He came in to me and wanted 

To make love to me, 

But I cried out with a loud voice. 

And when he heard me cry out and shout, 

He left his garment with me, and ran out.

And she laid his garment by her side, 

Until the master came home: 

And she spake the same words unto him, saying, 

The Hebrew slave, whom thou hast brought unto us, 

Came in unto me, 

And would have his pleasure with me. 

But when I cried out and called, 

He left his garment with me, and fled out.

And Samson went to Gaza, 

And saw a harlot there, 

And came unto her. 

And it was said unto the Gazites, 

Samson is come. 

And they compassed him about, 

And kept him under guard all night 

At the gate of the city, 

And were quiet all night, saying, 

Wait and see; tomorrow, when it is light, 

We will slay him. 

And Samson lay till midnight. 

And he arose at midnight, 

Aand took hold of the two doors 

Of the gate of the city, 

And the posts thereof, 

Aand lifted them up with the hinges, 

And put them upon his shoulders, 

And carried them up to the top 

Of the hill that is before Hebron.

After this he fell in love with a woman 

By the brook Sorek, 

Whose name was Delilah. 

And the lords of the Philistines came unto her, 

And said unto her, Persuade him, 

And see wherein his great strength is, 

And how we may overcome him, 

That we may bind him, and subdue him, 

And we will give thee a thousand 

And an hundred shekels of silver every one. 

And Delilah said unto Samson, 

Tell me, I pray thee, 

Wherein is thy great strength established, 

And wherewith shall they bind thee, 

That they may subdue thee? 

And Samson said unto her, 

If I were bound with seven ropes of fresh bast, 

Which are not yet withered, 

Then would I be weak, 

And be as another man. 

So the lords of the Philistines brought to her 

Seven ropes of fresh bast, 

Which were not yet withered, 

And she bound him with them. 

And they lay in wait for him 

With her in the room. 

And she said unto him, 

Philistines are upon thee, Samson. 

And he brake the ropes, 

As a flax cord is broken 

When it cometh to the fire: 

And it was not known 

Wherein his strength was.

Then said Delilah unto Samson, 

Behold, thou hast deceived me, 

And lied unto me. Now tell me, 

Wherewith can thou be bound? 

He answered her, 

If they should bind me with new cords, 

That no work should ever be done, 

I should be weak, and like another man. 

Then Delilah took new cords, 

And bound him therewith, and said, 

Philistines are upon thee, Samson. 

And they lay in wait for him in the room. 

And he rent them with his arms 

Like a thin thread. 

And Delilah said unto him, 

Thou hast hitherto deceived me, 

And lied unto me. Tell me, 

Wherewith can I bind thee? 

And he said unto her, 

If thou wilt braid the seven locks of my head 

Together with a web, 

And hammer them with a nail. 

And she said unto him, 

Philistines are upon thee, Samson. 

And he awoke from his sleep, 

And drew out the braided locks 

With the nail and the web. 

And she said unto him, 

How canst thou say that thou lovest me, 

When thine heart is not with me? 

Thrice hast thou deceived me, 

Ad hast not told me 

Wherein thy great strength is founded.

And when she had afflicted him 

Daily with her words, 

And had afflicted him greatly, 

His soul was weary unto death, 

And he opened unto her all his heart, 

And said unto her, A razor 

Hath never come upon my head: 

Ffor I am a consecrated husband of Elohim 

From my mother's womb. 

If my hair were cut off, 

My strength would depart from me, 

And I would become weak like all other men. 

When Delilah saw that he had revealed 

His heart to her, 

She sent word and called 

The lords of the Philistines, saying, 

Come again, for he has revealed his heart to me. 

So the lords of the Philistines came to her, 

And brought the money with them in their hands. 

And she made him fall asleep upon her lap, 

And called one to cut off 

The seven locks of his head. 

And she began to afflict him, 

And his strength was gone out of him.

And she said unto him, 

Philistines are upon thee, Samson. 

And when he awoke from his sleep, 

He thought, It shall be as I have done many times, 

I will break loose. 

But he knew not that Yahweh 

Was departed from him. 

And the Philistines took hold of him, 

And put out his eyes, 

And brought him to Gaza, 

And bound him with two iron chains, 

And made him grind corn in prison. 

But the hair of his head began to grow again 

Where it had been cut off.

For a time there was no king in Israel. 

And a Levite man was a stranger 

On the side of mount Ephraim, 

And had taken a concubine 

Of Bethlehem in Judah. 

And after she had conceived with him, 

She ran from him to her father's house 

To Bethlehem in Judah, 

And was there four months. 

And her husband arose, and went after her, 

That he might speak kindly unto her, 

And bring her again unto him: 

And he had a lad and a pair of asses with him. 

And she brought him into her father's house. 

And when the father of the damsel saw him, 

He was glad, and received him kindly. 

And his father-in-law, the girl's father, 

Detained him so that he stayed with him three days; 

They ate well 

And drank well and stayed there overnight.

On the fourth day they arose early in the morning, 

And he arose to go away. 

Then said the damsel's father unto his son in law, 

Set thy heart at ease with a morsel first, 

And then ye may go. 

And they sat down, and did eat well together, 

And drank well. 

Then said the damsel's father unto the man, 

Stay the night, and let thy heart be merry. 

But when the man got up 

And wanted to leave, 

His father-in-law urged him to stay the night. 

In the morning of the fifth day 

He got up early and wanted to leave. 

Then the girl's father said, 

Make your heart glad 

And let us wait until daybreak. 

So the two of them ate together. 

And the man arose, 

And would have gone with his concubine 

And with his lad. 

But his father-in-law, the girl's father, said to him, 

Look, the day has come 

And it will be evening; stay the night. 

Look, here is a room for you this very day, 

Stay here overnight 

And let your heart be in good spirits. 

Tomorrow you will get up early 

And go on your way to your home. 

But the man would not stay the night, 

But arose and departed, 

And came near Jebuz, which is Jerusalem; 

And his pair of asses were laden, 

And his concubine was with him.

Now when they were nigh unto Jebuz,

The day sank. 

And the lad said unto his lord, 

Come now, and let us enter into this city 

Of the Jebuzites, 

And tarry here for the night. 

And his master said unto him, 

We will not lodge in the city of strangers, 

Which are not of the children of Israel; 

But we will go on unto Gibeah. 

And he said unto his lad, 

Go on, that we may come to a place, 

And tarry in Gibeah, or in Ramah, for the night. 

And they went on, and wandered, 

And the sun went down even at Gibeah, 

Which is in Benjamin. 

And they turned in there, 

That they might come into the place, 

And tarry in Gibeah for the night. 

But when he came in, 

He sat down in the street, 

For there was no one there 

Who would receive them 

Into his house for the night.

And, behold, there came an old man 

From his labour out of the field in the evening, 

And he also was of mount Ephraim, 

And a stranger in Gibeah; 

But the people of the place were Benjamites. 

And when he lifted up his eyes, 

And saw the stranger in the street, 

He said unto him, Whither goest thou? 

And whence comest thou? 

And he said unto him, 

We come from Bethlehem in Judah, 

We go to the side of mount Ephraim, 

Whence come I actually, 

And I have gone to Bethlehem in Judah, 

And now I go to the house of Yahweh, 

And no man will receive me. 

We have straw and fodder for our asses, 

And bread and wine for me 

And for thy maid-servant, 

And for the lad that is with thy servant, 

So that we lack nothing. 

And the old man said, Peace be unto thee. 

All that thou lackest thou shalt find with me; 

Only stay not in the street overnight. 

And he brought him into his house, 

And fed the asses; 

And they washed their feet, 

And did eat well, and drank well.

And now when their heart was in good humour, 

Behold, the men of the city, wicked fellows, 

Came and compassed the house, 

And knocked at the door, 

And said to the old man, 

The master of the house, 

Bring out the man 

That is come into thy house, 

That we may sleep with him. 

But the man, the master of the house, 

Wnt out unto them, and said unto them, 

Not so, my brothers, 

Do not do such a bad thing 

After this man has come into my house, 

Do not do such foolishness! 

Look, I have a daughter, 

Sshe is still a virgin, 

And this man has a concubine, 

I will bring her out to you. 

You may rape her, 

And do with her as you please, 

But do not do such foolishness with this man. 

But the people would not obey him. 

So the man grabbed his concubine 

And brought her out to them. 

They slept with her 

And had their fun with her all night until morning, 

And when dawn broke they let her go.

Then the woman came in the morning 

Ad fell down at the door of the man's house 

Where her master was, 

And lay there until it was light. 

And when her lord arose in the morning, 

And opened the door of the house, 

And went out to go his way, behold, 

His concubine lay at the door of the house, 

And her hands were upon the threshold. 

And he said unto her, Arise, 

Let us go on our way. 

But she answered no more. 

So he put her on the donkey, 

Got up and went to his place. 

And when he was come home, 

He took a knife, 

Ad took his concubine, 

And cut her bones and all into twelve pieces, 

And sent them into all the coasts of Israel. 

And he that saw it said, 

Such a thing hath not been done, nor been seen, 

Since the children of Israel came out of Egypt, 

Even unto this day. 

Now think about it, 

Speak your thoughts about it and preach!

And Naomi, Ruth's mother in law, 

Ssaid unto her, My daughter, 

I will give thee rest, 

Tat it may go well with thee. 

Now Boaz our kinsman, 

With whose maidservants thou hast been, 

Winnoweth barley in his threshingfloor this night. 

Then bathe thyself, 

And anoint thyself, 

And put on thy garment, 

And go down into the threshingfloor, 

And make not thyself known unto the man, 

Until he have eaten and drunk. 

Then when he lies down, 

Mark the place where he lies down, 

And come and lift up the covering at his feet, 

And lie down by him, 

And he will surely tell thee 

What thou shalt do. 

And she said unto her, 

Whatsoever thou shalt tell me, that will I do. 

And she went down to the threshingfloor, 

And did according to all 

That her mother in law had told her.

And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, 

Hhis heart was in a good mood, 

And he came and lay down 

Behind a heap of corn, 

And she came softly, 

And lifted up the covering at his feet, 

And lay down beside him. 

Now when midnight came, 

The man was afraid, and turned to her, 

And behold, a woman was lying there at his feet. 

And he said, Who art thou? 

She answered, I am Ruth thy handmaid. 

Spread thy mantle over thy handmaid, 

For thou art the heir. 

And he said, Blessed art thou of Yahweh, 

My daughter. Thou hast proved thy love better 

Afterward than before, 

That thou hast not gone after the young men, 

Rich or poor. Now, my daughter, 

Do not be afraid. 

All that you say I will do, 

For all the city of my people know 

That you are a virtuous woman. 

Well, it is true that I am the heir, 

But there is one nearer kin than I. 

Stay the night. 

Tomorrow, if he take thee, well; 

But if he have no desire to take thee, 

II will take thee, as Yahweh liveth. 

Sleep till morning. 

And she slept until the morning at his feet. 

And she arose before any man knew the other: 

And he thought: that no man might know 

That the woman was come into the threshingfloor. 

And he said, Hand me thy cloak which thou wearest, 

And hold it up. And she held it up. 

And he measured out six measures of barley, 

And put it in the cloak. 

And she came again into the city.

And she came to her mother in law, and she said, 

How doest thou, my daughter? 

And she told her all that the man had done, 

Saying, These six measures of barley gave he me; 

And he said, Thou shalt not come home empty 

Unto thy mother in law. And she said, 

Be still, my daughter, 

Until thou know what it shall be: 

For the man will not rest, 

Let him bring it all to pass this day.

And when the year was expired, 

At the time when kings go forth, 

David sent Joab, and his servants with him, 

All Israel, to destroy the children of Ammon, 

And to besiege Rabbah. 

But David remained in Jerusalem. 

And it came to pass at the evening hour, 

That David arose from his bed, 

And walked upon the roof of the king's house, 

And saw a woman bathing 

From the roof; 

And the woman was of a very fair figure. 

And David sent messengers 

To inquire the name of the woman, 

And they said, Is not this Bath-sheva, 

Dhe daughter of Eliam, 

The wife of Uriah the Hittite? 

And David sent messengers to her, 

And sent for her. 

And when she came to him, 

He slept with her. 

And she purified herself from her uncleanness, 

And returned unto her house. 

And the woman conceived, 

And sent messengers, 

And told David, saying, 

I am with child.

And David sent a message unto Joab, saying, 

Send unto me Uriah the Hittite. 

And Joab sent Uriah unto David. 

And when Uriah came to him, 

David asked whether it was well with Joab, 

And with the people, and with the war? 

And David said unto Uriah, 

Go into thine house, and wash thy feet. 

And when Uriah went out of the king's house, 

The king's present followed him. 

But Uriah lay asleep at the door 

Of the king's house, 

Where all the servants of his lord lay, 

And went not into his house.

And when it was told David, 

Uriah went not into his house, 

David said unto him, 

Art thou not come from the battlefield? 

Why did you not go into your house? 

And Uriah said unto David, 

The ark of the covenant, 

And Israel, and Judah, dwell in tents; 

Ad Joab my lord, and my lord's servants, 

Le in the field of battle: 

Ad should I go into my house, 

That I might eat well, and drink well, 

And sleep with my wife? 

As thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, 

I will do no such thing. 

And David said unto Uriah, 

Stay thou here this day, 

And tomorrow I will let thee go. 

So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem 

That day and the next. 

And David invited him to eat 

And drink with him, and made him drunk. 

But in the evening he went out 

To lie down in his bed 

With his master's servants, 

Ad went not into his house.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab 

And sent it through Uriah. 

But he wrote in the letter, 

Put Uriah on the battlefront 

Where the war is hottest, 

And turn away from him, 

That he may be slain and die! 

So when Joab was outside the city, 

He put Uriah in the place 

Were he knew there were men of war. 

And when the men of the city rushed out 

And fought against Joab, 

Many of the people of David's servants died, 

And Uriah the Hittite died also.

Then Joab sent a message, 

And told David what was done in the war, 

And commanded the messenger, saying, 

When thou hast told all the things of war, 

And seest that the king is wroth, 

And saith unto thee, 

Why have ye come so nigh unto the city in the war? 

Know ye not how to shoot from the wall? 

Who slew Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? 

Did not a woman throw a millstone 

At him from the wall, 

So that he died in Thebez? 

Why have ye come so nigh unto the wall? 

Thus shalt thou say, 

Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

And the messenger went and came, 

And told David all things 

Wherefore Joab had sent him. 

And the messenger said unto David, 

The men were too many for us, 

And rushed out unto us unto the battle-field: 

And we were about them unto the gate of the castle: 

And the archers shot from the wall at thy servants, 

And slew many of the king's servants: 

Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 

And David said unto the messenger, 

Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, 

This shall not vex thee: 

For the sword devoureth this man today, 

And that man tomorrow. 

Continue thy war against the city 

Until thou break it, 

And be thou confident.

And when Uriah's wife heard 

That her husband Uriah was dead, 

She wore mourning garments 

Because of her husband. 

And it came to pass, 

When the mourning was ended, 

That David sent messengers unto her, 

And brought her into his house: 

And she became his wife, 

And bare him a son.

And it came to pass after this, 

That Absalom the son of David 

Had a fair sister, 

Whose name was Tamar; 

And Amnon the son of David 

Fell in love with her. 

And Amnon was grieved, 

As if he should be lovesick 

Because of Tamar his sister. 

For she was a virgin, 

And it seemed hard to Amnon 

Tthat he should harm her.

But Amnon had a friend, 

Whose name was Jonadab, 

The son of Simeas, David's brother; 

And this Jonadab was a very clever man. 

And he said unto him, 

Why dost thou grow fainter, 

O king's son, from day to day? 

Wilt thou not tell me? 

And Amnon said unto him, 

I have fallen in love 

With Tamar my brother Absalom's sister. 

And Jonadab said unto him, 

Lie down in thy bed, 

And pretend thou art sick. 

Then when thy father cometh to visit thee, 

Say unto him, 

Let my sister Tamar come, 

That she may feed me, 

And make supper before me, 

That I may look on, 

And receive supper at her hand.

So Amnon lay down 

And pretended to be sick. 

And when the king came to see him, 

Amnon said unto the king, 

Let my sister Tamar come, 

That she may make a cake or two before me, 

And that I may receive meat at her hand. 

Then David sent messengers to Tamar's house, 

Saying, Go to thy brother Amnon's house, 

And make him something to eat. 

And Tamar went into the house 

Of her brother Amnon, 

And he lay in bed. 

And she took a dough, 

And kneaded it, 

And made it before his eyes, 

And baked cakes. 

And she took a pan, 

And poured out the food before him, 

But he refused to eat. 

And Amnon said, Let all go out. 

And so every one went out. 

And Amnon said unto Tamar, 

Bring the food into my bedchamber, 

That I may receive the food there of thine hand. 

So Tamar took the cake which she had made, 

And brought it to Amnon her brother 

Into the bedchamber.

And when she brought the cake 

Unto him to eat it, 

He took hold of her, and said unto her, 

Come, my sister, make love unto me! 

But she said unto him, Nay, my brother, 

Rape me not, 

For such a thing is not done in Israel; 

Do not such folly. 

Where else shall I go with my shame? 

And thou shalt be like the fools of Israel. 

But speak to the king, 

And he will not deny me to thee. 

But he would not obey, 

And overpowered her, and raped her, 

And slept with her. 

And Amnon was suddenly weary of her, 

That hatred was now greater than love before. 

And Amnon said unto her, 

Arise and depart. 

And she said unto him, 

This evil is greater than the other 

Which thou hast done unto me, 

That now thou chastest me away. 

But he hearkened not unto her voice, 

But called his lad that was his servant, 

And said, Drive out this one, 

And shut the door firmly behind her.

And she had on a beautiful skirt, 

Such skirts were worn by the king's daughters 

Who were still virgins. 

And when his servant had driven her out, 

And shut the door fast behind her, 

Tamar cast ashes upon her head, 

And rent the fair skirt which she wore, 

And put her hands upon her head, 

And went about crying. 

And Absalom her brother said unto her, 

Has thy brother Amnon been over thee? 

Well, my sister, be calm, 

He is your brother after all, 

Do not take the matter so much to heart. 

So Tamar remained lonely 

In the house of Absalom, her brother.

And when King David heard all this, 

He was very angry. 

But Absalom spoke no more to Amnon, 

Neither evil nor good, 

For Absalom was angry with Amnon 

Because he had raped his sister Tamar.

And when the queen of Sheba heard 

The rumour of Solomon, 

She came to Jerusalem 

With a great multitude, 

With camels bearing spices and gold in abundance, 

And precious stones, 

To try Solomon with riddles. 

And when she came to Solomon, 

She discussed with him all that 

She had undertaken. 

And the king told her all 

That she wished to know, 

And there was nothing hidden from Solomon 

That he had not told her.

And when the queen of Sheba saw 

The Wisdom of Solomon, 

And the house which he had built, 

And the meat that was upon his table, 

And the dwellings for the lads, 

And the work of his servants, 

And their garments, 

And his winebaskets with their apparel, 

And his going into the house of Yahweh, 

She could restrain herself no more, 

And said unto the king, 

It is true which I have heard 

In my land of thy kind, and of thy Wisdom. 

But I would not believe their words 

Until I came and saw it with mine eyes. 

And, behold, not even half 

Of thy extensive wisdom hath been told me. 

There is more to thee 

Than the rumour that I have heard. 

Blessed are thy wives, 

And blessed are these thy boys, 

Which stand always before thee, 

And hear thy wisdom. 

Praise be to Yahweh Elohim who loves you, 

Who has set you on his throne 

A king before Yahweh Elohim. 

This is because Elohim loves Israel, 

That he establishes her for ever, 

Therefore he has set thee over her as king, 

That thou mayest reign 

In judgment and righteousness.

And she gave unto the king 

A hundred and twenty talents of gold, 

And very many spices and precious stones. 

There were no other spices like these 

That the queen of Sheba 

Gave to King Solomon.

In addition, the servants of Huram 

And the servants of Solomon, 

Who brought gold from Africa, 

Also brought almuggim wood and diamonds. 

And Solomon made of the almuggim wood 

Ornaments in the house of Yahweh 

And in the king's house, 

And harps and psalteries for the singers. 

Such precious woods were never seen before 

In the land of Judah.

And king Solomon gave 

Unto the queen of Sheba 

All that she desired and asked for, 

Beside that which she had brought unto the king. 

And she returned and went home 

To her own land with her servants.

In the days of Ahasuerus,

Who was king from India to Africa 

Over a hundred and twenty-seven countries, 

And when he sat upon his royal throne 

In the castle of Shushan, 

In the third year of his kingdom, 

He made a feast for all his princes and servants, 

The mighty men of Persia and Media, 

The governors and chiefs in his countries, 

That he might cause to be seen 

The glorious riches of his kingdom, 

And the precious splendour of his majesty, 

For many days, an hundred and eighty days.

And when the days were ended, 

The king made a feast for the people 

That were in the castle of Shushan, 

Both great and small, 

Fr seven days in the court of the garden 

By the king's house. 

There hung white, red and blue cloths, 

Bound together with linen and scarlet, 

In silver rings on marble pillars. 

The benches were gold and silver 

Oon pavements of green, 

White, yellow and black marble. 

Drinks were served in golden vessels 

And other and other vessels, 

And there was plenty of royal wine, 

Such as only the king possessed. 

And no one was commanded 

What he should drink, 

For the king had commanded all the chiefs 

That everyone might do as he pleased. 

And the queen Vasthi also made a feast 

For the women of the royal harem 

Of king Ahasuerus.

And on the seventh day, 

When the king was well pleased with wine, 

He commanded Mehuman, Bista, Harbona, 

Bigta, Abagta, Setar and Charkas, 

The seven chamberlains 

Who served before King Ahasuerus, 

To bring Queen Vasthi before the king 

With the royal crown, 

That he might show her beauty 

To the peoples and princes, 

For she was very beautiful. 

But Queen Vasthi would not come 

According to the king's command 

Which had come to her through his chamberlains. 

Then the king became very angry, 

And his anger burned within him. 

And the king spake unto the wise men 

That knew the times, 

For the king's things must be done 

I the sight of all that knew right and judgment: 

But the next that were with him were 

Charsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, 

Meres, Marsena, and Memuchan, 

The seven princes of the Persians and Medes, 

Which saw the king's face, 

And sat on high in the kingdom, 

What judgment should be executed 

Upon Vashti the queen, 

Because she had not obeyed the king's word, 

Which came unto her by his chamberlains.

Then Memucan said before the king 

And the princes, Queen Vashti has done evil 

Not only to the king, 

But also to all the princes 

And all the peoples in all the lands 

Of King Ahasuerus. 

For this deed of the queen shall be heard 

Of all the women, 

So that they shall despise 

Their husbands in their sight, and shall say, 

The king Ahasuerus commanded 

The queen Vasthi to come unto him, 

But she would not. 

So shall the princesses of Persia and Media 

Say also unto all the king's princes, 

When they hear of this deed of the queen, 

Scorn and strife shall abound. 

If it pleases the king, 

Let a royal commandment go forth 

From him and be written 

According to the law of the Persians and Medes, 

Which may not be transgressed, 

Namely, that Vasthi may no longer come 

To King Ahasuerus, 

And the king give her royal dignity 

To another who is better than she. 

And let this command of the king, 

Which he shall give, 

Be heard throughout all his kingdom, 

Which is great, so that all the women 

Shall honour their husbands, 

Both great and small.

This pleased the king and the princes, 

And the king did according 

To the word of Memucan. 

Then letters were sent out 

Into all the king's countries, 

Into every land according to its own writing, 

And to every nation in its own language, 

That every man should be master in his house.

After this story, when King Ahasuerus' 

Anger had subsided, 

He thought of Vasthi, 

What she had done 

And what had been decided about her. 

Then the king's servants who served him said, 

Seek out young beautiful girls for the king! 

And the king ordered men 

In all the lands of his kingdom 

Tto gather together many young beautiful girls 

To the castle of Shushan 

Into the harem 

Under the supervision of Hegai, 

The king's chamberlain, who kept the women, 

And they were to be given jewels, 

And whichever girl pleased the king 

Was to be queen in Vashti's stead. 

This pleased the king, and he did so.

Now there was a certain man of Judah 

In the castle of Shushan, 

Whose name was Mardukai, 

The son of Jair, the son of Simei, 

The son of Kish, a Benjamite, 

Who was carried away from Jerusalem 

When Jeconiah king of Judah was carried away, 

Whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried away. 

And he was a guardian of Hadassah, 

That is, Ishtar, a daughter of his uncle, 

For she had neither father nor mother any more. 

And she was a very beautiful and pure girl. 

And when her father and mother had died, 

Mardukai took her in as his daughter.

When the king's commandment and law 

Became known and many girls 

Were brought together to the castle of Shushan 

Under the supervision of Hegai, 

Ishtar was also taken into the king's house 

Under the supervision of Hegai, 

The guardian of women. 

And the maiden pleased him well, 

And she found favour in his sight. 

And he hastened with her jewels, 

That he might give her her portion, 

And seven fair maidens 

Of the king's house with her. 

And he brought her and her maidens 

To the best place in the harem. 

And Ishtar told him not 

Of what nation and kindred she was, 

For Mardukai had commanded her 

That she should not tell. 

And Mardukai walked every day 

I front of the courtyard of the harem, 

So that he could find out 

Whether Ishtar was well 

And what would happen to her.

When the appointed time came 

Fr each girl to come to King Ahasuerus 

After she had been adorned 

As a woman for twelve months, 

For her adornment had to last that long, 

Namely she had to be anointed 

With balsam and myrrh for six months 

And with good anointing oils for six months, 

That is how the women were adorned, 

Then the girl went to the king 

And everything she wanted 

Had to be given to her 

So that she could go with it 

From the harem to the king's house. 

And if one went in at night, 

She went from him in the morning 

Into the other harem 

Under the hand of Saashgah, 

The king's chamberlain, 

The keeper of the concubines. 

And she was not allowed to come 

To the king again, 

Except the king had a desire, 

And he called her by name.

Now when the time came for Ishtar, 

The daughter of Abihail, 

The uncle of Mardukai, 

Whom he had adopted as his daughter, 

To come to the king, 

She desired nothing 

But what Hegai the king's chamberlain, 

The keeper of the women, advised her. 

And Ishtar found favour 

In the sight of all them that looked upon her. 

And Ishtar was brought unto king Ahasuerus 

Into the king's house in the tenth month, 

Which is called Tebeth, 

In the seventh year of his reign. 

And the king fell in love with Ishtar 

More than with all the other women, 

And she found favour and grace 

With him above all the maidens. 

And he set the royal crown upon her head, 

And made her queen in Vashti's stead. 

And the king made a great feast 

Fr all his princes and servants, 

That was a feast because of Ishtar, 

And he made the countries feast, 

And gave royal gifts.

My son, hearken unto my wisdom, 

Incline thine ear unto my instruction, 

That thou mayest keep good counsel, 

And that thy mouth may know how to discern. 

For the lips of the harlot are sweet as honey, 

And her throat is more flattering than oil, 

But later bitter as wormwood 

And sharp as a two-edged sword. 

Her feet run down to death, 

Hr ways lead to the grave. 

She walks not straight in the path of life; 

Uncertain are her steps 

That she knows not whither she goes.

Obey me therefore, my son, 

And depart not from the speech of my mouth. 

Let your ways be far from her, 

And not near the door of her house, 

Lest you give your honour to strangers, 

And your time to the cruel; 

Lest strangers fill themselves with your wealth, 

Ad your labour come into another man's house, 

And then you groan later, 

When you have wasted your body 

And your goods, and say, 

Alas, how have I hated self-control, 

And how has my heart spurned punishment! 

Why did I not obey the voice of my teachers 

And incline my ear to those who taught me? 

I have come to nothing but misfortune 

In the sight of all the people and all the nation.

Drink water from your spring 

And streams from your well. 

Let thy fountains flow, 

And the streams upon the streets. 

Have them alone, and no stranger with thee. 

Bless thy fountain, 

And rejoice in the woman of youth. 

She is lovely as the hind 

And beautiful as the deer. 

Be satisfied with her love at all times, 

And rejoice in her love always. 

My son, why will you delight yourself 

In the stranger and sleep with another? 

For every man's ways are open before Yahweh, 

And he measures all their courses. 

The iniquity of the wicked shall catch him, 

And he shall be bound with the snare of his sin. 

He shall die because 

He would not be brought up, 

And because of his great folly 

It shall not go well with him.

My son, consider my speech 

And keep my commandments with you. 

Keep my commandments and you will live, 

And keep my law as the apple of your eye. 

Put them on your fingers, 

Write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Say to Wisdom, 

You are my sister, 

And call Wisdom your girlfriend, 

So that you may be protected 

From the strange woman, 

From another who speaks flattering words.

For at the window of my house 

I looked through the curtain 

And saw one among the unwise, 

And noticed among the sons a foolish youth 

Walking in the lane at the corner of the street, 

And stepping into the path 

In front of her house at the twilight hour, 

In the evening of the day, 

When it is night and dark. 

And look, there met him a woman 

With the make-up of a harlot, 

Deceitful, wild and unruly, 

Whose feet cannot stay in her house. 

Now she's out, now in the alley, 

Lurking on every street corner. 

And she caught him, and kissed him brazenly, 

And said unto him, I have offered sacrifices 

Of thanksgiving this day for my vows. 

Now I have gone out to meet thee, 

To seek thy face, and I have found thee. 

I have beautifully adorned my bed 

With colourful quilts from Egypt. 

I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, 

Aloes and cinnamon oil. 

Come, let us make love until morning 

And let us enjoy lust. 

For my husband is not at home, 

He has gone a long way. 

He has taken the purse with him, 

He will come back only for the feast. 

She coaxed him with many words 

And won him with her sweet mouth. 

He followed her straightway, 

As an ox is led to the slaughter, 

And as to the chain with which the mad are bound, 

Till she split his liver with the arrow, 

As a bird hastens to the glue-rod, 

And knows not that it will cost him his life.

Obey me therefore, my son, 

And heed the speech of my mouth. 

Do not let your heart stray into her way, 

And do not be deceived into her path. 

For she hath hurt and overthrown many, 

And many high ones have been strangled by her. 

Her house is a way to the grave, 

Where one goes down 

Into the dungeon of death.

And the Lord saith, 

If a man put away his wife, 

And she depart from him, 

And take another husband, 

May he receive her again? 

Is it not so that the land would be defiled? 

But you have fornicated with many lovers, 

But come again to me, says Yahweh. 

Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, 

And see how thou doest whoredom everywhere. 

By the roads you sit and lie 

In wait for them 

Like an Arab in the desert, 

Dfiling the land with your fornication and wickedness. 

Therefore the autumn rains must fail 

And the spring rains must not come. 

You have the forehead of a whore, 

You will no longer be ashamed, 

And yet you cry out to me: 

Dear Father, master of my youth! 

Will you then be angry forever 

And not cease from your anger? 

Behold, thus speakest thou, 

And doest evil, 

And wilt not be led.

And Yahweh said unto me 

In the days of Josiah the king, 

Hast thou also seen what Israel 

The apostate hath done? 

She went up to all the high mountains 

And under all the green trees 

And committed fornication there. 

And I said, when she had done all these things, 

Turn thou unto me. 

But she did not turn. 

And though Judah her sister, 

The hardened woman, saw 

Hw I punished the apostate Israel for adultery, 

And forsook her, 

And gave her a bill of divorcement: 

Yet her sister Judah 

The hardened woman feareth not, 

Bt goeth and committeth whoredom also. 

And from the cry of her fornication 

The land is polluted, 

For she committeth adultery 

With gods of stone and wood. 

And with all this, Judah her sister, 

Who is hardened, does not turn to me 

With all her heart, 

But only pretends, says Yahweh.

And Yahweh said unto me, 

The apostate Israel is yet pious 

In comparison with the hardened Judah. 

Go and call these words toward the north, 

And say, Come back, thou apostate Israel, 

Saith Yahweh, and I will not hide my face from you. 

For I am merciful, saith Yahweh, 

And I will not be angry for ever. 

But know your iniquity, 

That you have sinned against Yahweh your Elohim, 

And have run to and fro 

To strange gods and goddesses 

Among all the green trees, 

And have not obeyed my voice, saith Yahweh.

Turn ye now, O ye apostate children, 

Saith Yahweh, for I will betroth you unto me, 

And will take you, 

One out of a city, 

And two out of a family, 

And will bring you unto Zion, 

And will give you shepherds after my own heart, 

Which shall shepherd you with doctrine and wisdom. 

And it shall come to pass, 

When ye are grown up, 

And are become many in the land, 

That in that day, saith Yahweh, 

The ark of the covenant of Yahweh 

Shall be spoken of no more, 

Neither shall it be remembered, 

Nor shall it be preached of, 

Nor shall it be sought after; 

Nither shall it be restored: 

But in that day shall Jerusalem 

Be called the throne of Yahweh; 

And there shall all the heathen 

Be gathered together 

For the name of Yahweh in Jerusalem, 

Ad shall live no more after the thoughts 

Of their evil heart. 

In that day shall the house of Judah 

Go unto the house of Israel, 

And they shall come together 

Fom the north unto the land 

Which I gave unto your fathers 

For an inheritance.

And I said unto thee, 

How will I give thee so many children, 

And the beautiful land, 

The most beautiful inheritance 

Among the nations! 

And I said unto thee, 

Thou shalt then call me father 

Rather than depart from me. 

But the house of Israel did not respect me, 

Just as a woman 

No longer respects her lover, says Yahweh.

And the word of Yahweh came unto me, 

Saying, Son of man, 

Shew the city of Jerusalem her abominations, 

And say, Thus saith the Lord Yahweh 

Unto Jerusalem; Thy kindred 

And thy birth are of the land 

Of the Canaanites; 

Thy father is descended of the Amorites, 

And thy mother of the Hittites. 

Your birth was like this: 

Thy navel, when thou wast born, 

Ws not circumcised; 

Neither wast thou washed with water,

That thou mightest be clean; 

Neither wast thou rubbed with salt, 

Nor wrapped in swaddling clothes. 

For no one pitied thee, 

That he might have had compassion on thee, 

And have done one of these things unto thee; 

But thou wast cast into the field. 

So despised was thy soul 

When thou wast born.

But I passed by thee, 

And saw thee wriggling in thy blood, 

Aand said unto thee, 

As thou thus wriggledst in thy blood, 

You shall live! 

And I brought thee up, 

And made thee to grow as a lily of the field: 

And thou wast now grown, 

And become great and fair. 

Thy breasts were grown, 

And thy pubic hair was grown; 

And thou wast naked. 

And I passed by thee, 

And looked upon thee, and, behold, 

It was the time to woo thee. 

Then I spread my mantle over thee, 

And covered thy nakedness. 

And I betrothed myself to thee, 

And made a covenant with thee, 

Saith the Lord Yahweh, 

Thou shouldest be mine. 

And I bathed thee in water, 

And washed thy blood from thee, 

And anointed thee with balm, 

And clothed thee with embroidered garments, 

And put on thee shoes of fine leather, 

And gave thee beautiful linen garments, 

And silken veils, 

And adorned thee with jewels, 

And put clasps upon thine arms, 

And chains upon thy neck, 

And gave thee a headband upon thy forehead, 

And earrings upon thine ears, 

And a beautiful crown upon thy head. 

So you were adorned 

With all gold and silver 

And clothed in fine linen, 

Silk and embroidered garments. 

Thou didst also eat all bread, and honey, 

And oil, and wast exceeding fair, 

And became a queen. 

And thy fame was known among the nations 

Because of thy beauty, 

Which was all perfection in the ornament 

That I had put upon thee, 

Saith the Lord Yahweh.

But thou trustedst in thy beauty, 

And because thou wast so renowned, 

Thou committedst whoredom, 

So that thou gave thyself 

To every one that passed by, 

And fulfilledst his desire. 

And thou tookst thy garments, 

And didst make thee multicoloured altars, 

And didst thy whoredom thereon, 

As never was done, nor ever shall be done. 

And thou tookst thy beautiful jewels, 

Wwhich I gave thee of my gold and silver, 

And made thee phallic statues of them, 

And didst thy whoredom with them. 

And thou tookst thy embroidered garments, 

And coveredst the phallic statues therewith; 

And mine oil and mine incense 

Didst thou set before them. 

And my meat, which I gave thee to eat, 

The bread, and the oil, and the honey, 

Tthou puttest before them for a sweet savour. 

Yes, it came to pass, says the Lord Yahweh, 

That you took your sons and daughters 

Whom you bore to me 

And sacrificed them to the phallic statues 

To devour them. 

Thinkest thou then that it is a small thing, 

Thy whoredom, 

And that thou slayest my children, 

And causest them to be burned? 

And in all thy abominations 

And in thy whoredoms 

Thou hast never remembered 

The days of thy youth, 

How naked thou wast 

And wriggledst in thy blood.

Above all this wickedness of thine 

(Aah woe unto thee, woe unto thee! 

Saith the Lord Yahweh) 

Thou buildest thee idolatrous temples, 

And makest thee altars in every street, 

Aand in the front of every highway 

Thou buildest thine altars, 

And makest thy beauty 

Nothing but abomination; 

Thou spreadest thy legs 

For all that passed by, 

And didst wildly fornicate. 

First thou didst commit whoredom 

With the sons of Egypt, thy neighbours, 

Which had great phalli; 

And thou didst commit wild whoredom 

To provoke me. 

And I stretched out my hand against thee, 

And took away thy food, 

And delivered thee into the hand 

Of thine enemies, the daughters 

Of the Philistines, who were 

Ashamed of thy wickedness.

After that thou didst commit fornication 

With the sons of Assyria, 

And couldst not have enough of them; 

Yea, when thou hadst committed 

Fornication with them, 

And couldst not have enough of them, 

Thou didst make fornication more wild 

In the merchant country of Chaldea, 

But thou couldst not have enough of them. 

How then shall I circumcise thy heart, 

Saith the Lord Yahweh, 

That thou doest the works of a great harlot, 

That thou buildest thy idolatrous temples 

In the front of every street, 

And makest thine altars in every lane? 

Neither were thou like other harlots 

To be bought with money. 

You adulteress who lets other men 

In instead of her husband! 

For all other whores are given money, 

But you give money to all your lovers 

And give them to come to you 

And commit fornication with you. 

And so the opposite is found in you 

To other women in your whoredom, 

Because they do not run after you, 

But you add money to it, 

And they do not give you money, 

So you do the opposite.

Therefore, whore, 

Hear the word of Yahweh. 

Thus saith the Lord Yahweh; 

Because thou hast so graciously added money, 

And hast exposed thy nakedness 

By thy whoredoms unto thy suitors, 

And hast done abominations 

Unto all the idols of thine abominations, 

And hast shed the blood of thy children 

Which thou sacrificest unto idols, 

Therefore, behold, I will gather together 

All thy suitors, 

Wwhom thou hast so well pleased, 

With all them whom thou thinkest 

To be thy friends; 

I will gather them together 

Unto thine enemies, 

And will gather them all together 

Against thee everywhere; 

And I will uncover unto them thy nakedness, 

That they may see thy nakedness altogether. 

And I will bring upon thee 

Tthe judgment of adulteresses 

And bloodshed women, 

And will shed thy blood with wrath and fury. 

And I will deliver thee into their hand,

And they shall break down thy temples, 

And shall overthrow thine altars, 

And shall strip thee of thy garments, 

And take away thy fair ornaments, 

And make thee sit naked. 

And they shall bring upon thee 

A multitude of men, 

And shall stone thee, 

And smite thee with their swords, 

And burn thy houses with fire, 

And execute thy sentence 

In the sight of many women. 

So will I make an end of thy whoredom, 

That thou shalt not add 

Any more money unto it; 

And I will cool my rage in thee, 

And quench my passion in thee, 

Until I rest, and be angry no more. 

And all this, because thou hast not remembered 

The days of thy youth, 

But hast provoked me with all this: 

Therefore will I also cause all thy doings 

Tto pass over thy head, 

Saith the Lord Yahweh, 

Though I have not yet dealt therewith 

According to thy vice in thine abominations.

Behold, all they that speak proverbs 

Shall say of thee this saying, 

The daughter is as the mother. 

Thou art thy mother's daughter, 

Which cast off her husband and children; 

And thou art a sister of thy sisters, 

Which cast off their husbands and children. 

Your mother is one of the Hittites 

And your father an Amorite. 

Samaria is thy great sister with her daughters, 

Which dwelleth on thy left hand; 

And Sodom is thy little sister with her daughters, 

Which dwelleth on thy right hand; 

Though yet thou hast not lived after their kind, 

Nor done after their abominations. 

It lacketh not much that thou hast done 

Worse than they in all thy ways. 

As I live, saith the Lord Yahweh, 

Sodom thy sister with her daughters 

Hath not done so badly as thou and thy daughters. 

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: 

Pproud, and all well, and good peace 

She and her daughters had; 

But they helped not the poor and needy, 

But were proud, 

And did abominations before me: 

Ttherefore also have I rejected her, 

When I began to act. 

So then Samaria did not do half your sins, 

But you have committed many more 

Abominations than she, 

So that you have made your sister pious 

In comparison with all your abominations 

Which you have committed. 

So also now bear thy shame, 

Which thou hast measured out unto thy sister. 

By thy sins, in which thou hast done 

Greater abominations than she, 

Thou hast made her more pious than thou art. 

Now therefore blush thou also for shame, 

And bear thy reproach, 

Because thou hast made thy sister pious.

And I will open their prison, 

the prison of this Sodom and her daughters, 

and the prison of this Samaria and her daughters, 

and the prison of thy captivity with them; 

and thou shalt bear thy shame, 

and be ashamed of all that thou hast done 

unto them for comfort. 

And thy sisters, these Sodom and her daughters, 

shall be restored as they were before; 

and Samaria and her daughters 

shall be restored as they were before; 

and thou also and thy daughters 

shall be restored as ye were before. 

And you shall no more praise Sodom your sister, 

as in the days of your pride, 

when your wickedness was not yet exposed, 

as when the daughters of Syria 

and the daughters of the Philistines 

ravished you and despised you, 

when you had to bear your vices, says Yahweh.

For thus saith the Lord Yahweh, 

I will do unto thee as thou hast done, 

to despise the oath, and to break the covenant. 

Yet I will remember my covenant, 

which I made with thee in the days of thy youth, 

and will make an everlasting covenant with thee. 

Then thou shalt remember thy ways, 

and shalt be ashamed, 

when thou shalt take unto thee 

thy great sisters and thy little sisters, 

whom I will give thee for daughters, 

but not according to thy covenant; 

but I will make my covenant with thee, 

that thou mayest know that I am the Lord, 

that thou mayest remember, and be ashamed, 

and dare not open thy mouth again for shame, 

when I shall forgive thee all that thou hast done, 

saith the Lord Yahweh.

And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying, 

Son of man, there were two women, 

daughters of one mother. 

They committed fornication 

in Egypt in their youth. 

There they had their breasts taken, 

and they groped the bosom of their virginity. 

The name of the great one is Ohola, 

and her sister's name is Oholiba. 

And I took them in marriage, 

and they bare me sons. 

And Oholah is Samaria, 

and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

Oholah committed fornication 

when I had taken her, 

and was aflame for her suitors, 

even for the Assyrians that came to her, 

for the princes and lords 

that were clothed in purple, 

and all the young comrades that were fair, 

knights that rode upon horses. 

And she flirted with all the fair comrades in Assyria, 

and defiled herself with all their gods, 

where she was inflamed for one. 

Nor did she cease from fornication 

with the Egyptians, who had lain with her 

from her youth, and had groped 

the breasts of her virginity, 

and had committed great fornication with her. 

Then I delivered her into the hand of her suitors, 

the sons of Assur, 

for whom she burned with lust. 

They uncovered her nakedness 

and took away her sons, 

but she killed them with the sword. 

And it was known among the women 

how she had been punished.

And when Oholibah her sister saw it, 

she was more enraged than she, 

and did more fornication than her sister, 

and was enraged for the sons of Assur, 

namely, the princes and lords 

that came unto her well clothed, 

knights that rode upon horses, 

and all the young comrades that were fair. 

Then I saw that they were both defiled alike. 

But this one drove her fornication more wildly. 

For when she saw men 

painted with red paint on the wall, 

the images of the Chaldeans, 

girded about their waists, 

and with coloured caps upon their heads, 

and all alike to look like great men, 

as the sons of Babylon, the Chaldeans, 

are clothed in their fatherland, 

then she was inflamed for them 

as soon as she perceived them, 

and she sent letters unto them to Chaldea. 

And when the sons of Babylon 

came unto her to lie with her 

after the art of love, 

they defiled her with their fornication, 

and she defiled herself with them, 

until she was weary of them. 

And when her fornication 

and shame were made manifest, 

I also grew weary of her, 

even as I also had grown weary of her sister. 

And she committed her whoredom 

more and more furiously, 

remembering the days of her youth, 

when she had committed whoredom in Egypt, 

and she was aflame for her suitors, 

whose heat was as the heat of asses and stallions. 

And thou didst commit thy porneia 

as in thy youth, when they that were in Egypt 

took hold of thy breasts, 

and groped thy bosom.

Therefore, Oholibah, thus saith 

the Lord Yahweh; Behold, 

I will raise up against thee thy suitors, 

of whom thou art weary, 

and will set them against thee round about, 

even the sons of Babylon, 

and all the Chaldeans with commanders, 

princes, and lords, 

and all the Assyrians with them, 

the fair young men, all princes and lords, 

knights and nobles, all riding upon horses. 

And they shall come upon thee 

armed with chariots and wheels, 

and with great multitudes, 

and shall besiege thee 

with spears, and shields, and helmets, 

on every side. And I will give them judgment, 

and they shall judge thee 

according to their judgment. 

I will bring my passion upon thee, 

and they shall deal unmercifully with thee. 

They shall cut off thy nose and ears, 

and that which remaineth shall fall by the sword. 

They shall take away thy sons from thee, 

and burn the rest with fire. 

They shall strip thee of thy garments, 

and take away thy jewels. 

So will I make an end of thy porneia, 

and of thy whoredom with the Egyptians; 

and thou shalt lift up thine eyes 

unto them no more, neither shalt thou remember 

the Egyptians any more.

For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Look, 

I will hand you over to those 

to whom you have become an enemy 

and of whom you have grown weary. 

They shall deal with thee as enemies, 

and take away all that thou hast gotten, 

and leave thee naked, 

that the shame of thy porneia 

and thy fornication may be made 

manifest unto all. 

This shall be done unto thee 

for thy whoredom, 

which thou hast committed with the heathen, 

in whose idols thou hast defiled thyself. 

You have gone in the way of your sister; 

therefore I will also give you 

her cup in your hand.

Thus says the Lord Yahweh: 

You must drink your sister's cup, 

deep and wide as it is, 

you shall become such a mockery and scorn 

that it will be unbearable. 

Thou must be drunk with strong drink 

and mourning, for the cup of thy sister Samaria 

is a cup of mourning and grief. 

You must drink the cup completely, 

then break the broken pieces 

and cut your breasts, 

for I have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh. 

Therefore thus saith the Lord Yahweh; 

Because thou hast forgotten me, 

and cast me behind thy back, 

therefore now also bear thy porneia 

and thy whoredom.

And Yahweh said unto me, Son of man, 

wilt thou not punish Oholah and Oholibah, 

and tell them all their abominations? 

How they have committed adultery, 

and shed blood, 

and broken the marriage with the gods, 

and their sons which they bare unto me, 

they burnt them for an offering unto the gods. 

Moreover, this is what they did to me: 

they defiled my sanctuaries at that time 

and profaned my Sabbath. 

For when they had slain their sons unto the gods, 

they entered into my sanctuary 

the same day to profane it. 

Look, this is what they did in my house.

They also sent messengers for men 

to come from far countries, 

and look, when they came, they bathed 

and made themselve up and adorned themselve 

with jewels in their honour 

and sat on a soft cushion 

in front of which a table was prepared, 

on it you put my incense and my oil. 

There arose a great shout of joy, 

and the men who had come from a great nation 

and from the desert 

gave them bracelets on their arms 

and beautiful crowns on their heads. 

But I thought, She is accustomed to adultery of old, 

she cannot leave off fornication. 

For they enter into her as they enter into a harlot, 

even as they enter into Ohola and Oholiba, 

the lewd women. 

Therefore men will punish them 

who do justice, as adulteresses 

and bloodshed women should be punished. 

For they are adulteresses, 

and their hands are full of blood.

Thus saith the Lord Yahweh; 

Bring up a great multitude upon them, 

and let them be a spoil and a prey, 

that men may stone them, 

and stab them with their swords, 

and slay their sons, 

and burn their houses with fire. 

So will I make an end of porneia in the land, 

that all the women may be warned, 

and not do such porneia also. 

And your porneia shall be put upon your shoulders, 

and ye shall bear the sins of your gods, 

that ye may know that I am the Lord Yahweh.

This is the word of Yahweh, 

which came unto Hosea the son of Beeri 

in the days of Uzziah, and Jotham, and Ahaz, 

and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, 

and in the days of Jeroboam 

the son of Joash king of Israel.

And when Yahweh began to speak by Hosea, 

he said unto him, Go and take a harlot, 

and beget whoredoms: 

for the land runneth away from Yahweh 

after whoredoms.

And he went and took Gomer 

the daughter of Diblajim, 

and she conceived, and bare a son. 

And Yahweh said unto him, 

Call his name Jezreel, 

for it is but a little while: 

then will I visit the bloodguiltiness in Jezreel 

upon the house of Jehu, 

and will make an end of the kingdom 

of the house of Israel. 

At that time I will break the bow of Israel 

in the valley of Jezreel.

And she conceived again, 

and bare a daughter. 

And he said unto him, 

Call her Lo-rukhamah: Unpardoned, 

for I will have no more mercy 

upon the house of Israel, 

that I would yet pardon them. 

But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, 

and will help them by Yahweh their Elohim; 

but I will not help them by bow, sword, battle-axe, 

horses, or horsemen.

And when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, 

she conceived again, and bare a son. 

And he said, Call him Lo-ammi: not-my-people, 

for ye are not my people, 

neither will I be your God.

And the number of the children of Israel 

shall be as the sand of the sea, 

which cannot be measured nor numbered. 

And it shall come to pass in the place 

where it was said unto them: 

Ye are not my people, 

then shall it be said unto them, 

O ye children of the living Elohim! 

For the children of Judah 

and the children of Israel shall come 

in multitudes, and shall cleave together 

unto one head, and shall go up 

out of the land: for the day of Jezreel 

shall be a great day. 

Say unto your brethren, they are my people; 

and unto your sister, she is in grace.

Speak the judgment of your mother, saying, 

Let her not be my wife, 

neither will I have her. 

Command her to put away her fornication 

from her face, and her adultery from her breasts, 

lest I strip her naked, 

and set her down as she was when she was born, 

and I make her as a waste land; 

lest I cause her to die of thirst, 

and have mercy on her children; 

for they are the children of the harlot, 

because their mother is a harlot, 

and she that bare them in her womb 

liveth in shame, saying: 

I will run after my lovers, 

who give me bread, water, wool, flax, oil, 

and drink. Therefore, behold, 

I will shut up thy way with thorns, 

and will put a wall before it, 

that she shall not find her way; 

and when she goeth after her lovers, 

that they take thee not; 

and when they seek thee, 

that they cannot find thee; 

and she shall say: I will go again 

to my former husband, 

since with him I fared better than I do now. 

For she will not understand 

that I am he that giveth corn, and wine, and oil, 

and have given her much silver and gold, 

which she hath used in honour of Baal.

Therefore I will take back my grain 

and my must at the appointed time, 

and will take away my wool 

and my flax from her, 

that she may cover her nakedness. 

Now will I uncover her shame in the sight 

of her lovers, and none shall deliver her 

out of my hand. And I will make an end 

of all her joys, and of her feasts, 

and of the feasts of the new moon, 

and of the sabbaths, 

and of all her solemnities. 

I will make her vines and her fig trees unfruitful, 

because she says, This is my reward 

which my lovers gave me. 

I will make a forest of it, 

that the wild beasts may devour it. 

So I will punish her because of the days 

of the Baals, to whom she offers incense, 

and adorns herself with clasps and necklaces, 

and runs after her lovers, 

and forgets me, says Yahweh.

Therefore, behold, I will entice her, 

and will bring her into the wilderness, 

and speak kindly unto her. 

There will I give her her vineyards in that place, 

and give her the valley of Achor 

for a gate of hope. 

And there she shall sing as in the days of her youth, 

when she came forth out of Egypt. 

Then saith Yahweh, thou wilt call 

me "my husband", 

and wilt call me "my lord" no more. 

For I will put away the names of the Baals 

from her mouth, and their names 

shall be remembered no more.

And I will make a covenant for them 

in that day with the beasts of the field, 

and with the fowls of the air, 

and with the worms of the earth; 

and I will break bow and sword 

and war in the land, 

and will make them dwell safely. 

I will betroth myself to thee for ever and ever! 

I will be married to you 

in righteousness and judgment, in grace and mercy! 

Yes, in faith I will unite with you, 

and you will know Yahweh! 

In that day, saith Yahweh, will I hear, 

will I hear the heavens, 

and the heavens shall hear the earth, 

and the earth shall hear corn, and wine, and oil, 

and these shall hear Jezreel. 

And I will preserve them for me 

in the earth for seed, 

and will have mercy upon her 

that was in disgrace, 

and will say unto him that was not my people, 

Thou art my people, Ammi: 

and he shall say, Thou art my Elohim.

And Yahweh said unto me, 

Go again, and woo a coquette 

and an adulterous woman, 

as Yahweh woos the children of Israel, 

and yet they turn to strange gods, 

and woo for a bottle of wine.

And I agreed with her for fifteen pieces of silver, 

and a bushel and a half of barley, 

and said unto her, Remain mine for a long time, 

and be not a harlot, 

and give thyself to no other: 

for I will be thine also. 

For the children of Israel shall abide 

a long time without king, without prince, 

without sacrifice, without altar, 

without ephod, and without sanctuary. 

After that the children of Israel shall turn 

and seek Yahweh their Elohim, 

and David their king, 

and shall come with trembling unto Yahweh 

and his mercy in the latter days.

Woe to the murderous city, 

which is full of lies and robbery, 

and will not cease from its robbery! 

For there shall be heard the clatter of scourges, 

and the rattling of wheels, 

and the chasing of horses, 

and the rolling of chariots. 

Horsemen advance with flashing swords 

and shining lances. There lie many slain 

and great heaps of corpses, 

so that they are innumerable 

and one must fall over the corpses. 

All this for the sake of the whoredom 

of the beautiful, lovely whore 

who deals in magic, 

who has made slaves of the heathen 

with her whoredom 

and of the land and people with her magic.

Behold, I will come upon thee, 

saith Yahweh of hosts; 

I will lift up the hem of thy skirts unto thy face, 

and will shew thy nakedness unto the heathen, 

and thy shame unto the kingdoms. 

I will make thee all horrible, and rape thee, 

and make a spectacle of thee; 

and all that see thee shall flee from thee, 

and say: Nineveh is destroyed; 

who will have pity on her? 

And where shall I find comforters for thee?

Thinkest thou that thou art better 

than the city of No-Amon, 

which was by the waters, 

and had waters round about, 

whose walls and fortress was the sea? 

Ethiopia and Egypt were her great power, 

Yemen and Libya were her help. 

But she was driven out, 

and went away captive; 

and her children were broken in every street; 

and upon her nobles they cast lots, 

and all her mighty men were put in chains and fetters. 

So must thou also be drunken, 

and hide thyself, and seek a castle 

from the enemy.

All thy strong cities are as fig trees 

with overripe figs, which, 

when they are shaken, fall into the mouth 

of him that devoureth them. 

Behold, thy people shall become women within thee, 

and the gates of thy land shall be opened 

unto thine enemies, 

and fire shall consume thy gates. 

Draw thee water, 

for thou shalt be besieged! 

Mend thy castles! 

Go into the clay and tread the loam, 

and make strong bricks! 

But the fire shall devour thee, 

and the sword shall slay thee; 

it shall devour thee like a beetle, 

though thy people be as numerous as beetles, 

though thy people be as numerous as locusts.

You have more merchants 

than there are stars in the sky, 

but now they will spread out like beetles 

and fly away. 

Your flocks are as numerous as locusts, 

and your commanders like beetles 

that lie down against the fences in the cold days, 

but when the sun rises 

they lift themselves away, 

that one does not know where they remain.

Thy shepherds shall sleep, 

O king of Assyria, 

thy mighty men shall lie down, 

and thy people shall be scattered 

upon the mountains, 

and none shall gather them. 

No one will soothe your hurt, 

and your wound will be incurable. 

All who hear this of thee 

shall clap their hands at thee, 

for upon whom hath not thy wickedness 

gone forth without ceasing?

And it came to pass the same day, 

that Sarah the daughter of Raguel, 

in the city of Ekbatana in the Medes, 

was also wickedly spurned 

and reproached by one of her father's handmaidens. 

She had been given seven husbands in succession, 

and an evil spirit called Asmodaeus 

had murdered them all as soon 

as they tried to unite with her. 

When Sarah accused the maid of a wrongdoing, 

the maid answered and said, 

Elohim grant that we may never see a son 

or daughter of yours on earth, 

you murderer of men! 

Wilt thou murder me also, 

as thou hast murdered the seven men? 

After these words Sarah went into her chamber 

at the top of the house, 

and neither ate nor drank three days and three nights, 

and was continually in prayer and weeping, 

and besought Elohim 

that he would deliver her from shame.

Afterwards, on the third day, 

when she had finished her prayer, 

she praised Elohim and said: 

Praise be to your name, Yahweh, 

you Elohim of our ancestors! 

For when you are angry, 

you show mercy and kindness, 

and in tribulation you forgive sins 

of those who call upon you. 

To you, my Lord, I turn my face; 

to you I lift up my eyes, 

and I beseech you to deliver me 

from this grievous reproach, 

or to take me from the earth. 

You know, Yahweh, that I have desired 

no husband, and have kept my soul pure 

from all evil desire, 

and have never kept myself to lewd 

and frivolous company. 

But to take a husband I have consented 

in the fear of God, and not for covetousness; 

and either I am theirs, 

or they have not been worthy of me, 

and thou hast perhaps saved me 

for another husband. For thy plan 

is not in the power of men.

But this I do know: 

He that serveth Elohim is comforted 

after temptation, and is delivered 

out of tribulation, 

and after chastening finds grace. 

For you do not delight in our destruction. 

For after the tempest thou makest the sun 

to shine again, and after weeping 

and wailing thou dost shower us with delights. 

Glory and praise be to your name forever, 

O Elohim of Israel.

And when Judith had finished praying, 

she arose, and called her handmaid, 

and went down into the house, 

and put off her garment of repentance, 

and put off her widow's garments, 

and washed herself, and anointed herself 

with perfumed water, 

and plaited her hair, and put on a turban, 

and put on her beautiful garments, 

and put shoes upon her feet, 

and decked herself with bracelets 

and precious stones, 

and put on all her ornaments. 

And the Kyrios gave her grace 

that she might be lovely to look upon, 

for she adorned herself not for lust, 

but for Theos' praise. 

And she gave her maid a bottle of wine, 

and a pitcher of oil, 

and a bag wherein she had fig-cakes, 

and flour, and bread to eat; 

and she departed.

And at the gate she found Osias 

and the elders waiting for her. 

And they were amazed that she was so beautiful! 

But they did not ask what she was planning, 

but let her out of the city, saying: 

The Elohim of our fathers grant thee grace, 

and prosper thy plan; 

that Israel may rejoice over thee, 

and that thy name may be reckoned 

among the saints. 

And all that were there said: Amen, amen. 

And Judith prayed, 

and went away with her handmaid.

And as she went down the mountain 

early in the morning, 

the watchmen of the Assyrians met her, 

and pressed upon her, 

and asked her whence she came, 

and whither she went. 

And she answered: I am a Hebrew woman, 

and have fled from them, 

for I know that they will fall into your hands, 

because they despised you, 

and would not seek mercy 

and surrender themselves willingly. 

Therefore I have resolved to come 

to the prince Holofernes, 

that I may reveal to him their secrets, 

and tell him how he may easily win, 

that he may not lose a man. 

While she thus spake, they looked upon her, 

and marvelled greatly that she was so fair! 

And they said: This may help thee, 

that thou meanest so well by us, 

and wilt go to our lord. 

For when thou comest to him, 

he will be gracious unto thee, 

and thou shalt be well pleasing in his sight. 

And they brought her into the tent of Holofernes, 

and told him of her.

And when she came to him, 

he was immediately aflame for her! 

And his servants said among themselves, 

The Hebrew people are indeed 

not to be despised because they have 

such beautiful women! 

Should we not fight because 

of such beautiful women? 

When Judith saw Holofernes 

sitting under his curtain, 

which was beautifully woven with purple and gold, 

and adorned with emeralds and precious stones, 

she bowed and fell down before him. 

And Holofernes commanded her to rise again.

And Holofernes said unto her, 

Take courage, and be not afraid: 

for I never did harm to any man 

that surrendered unto king Nebuchadnezzar. 

And if thy people had not despised me, 

I would never have turned a lance against them. 

Now tell me why thou hast departed from them, 

and come unto me.

Judith answered him, and said, 

Thou mayest hear thy handmaid graciously. 

If thou wilt do as thy handmaid shall show thee, 

the Kyrios will prosper thee. 

May Theos give happiness and salvation 

to Nebuchadnezzar, king of the whole earth, 

who has sent you to punish all the disobedient, 

for you can make his subjects not only men 

but also all the beasts of the field. 

For your reason and wisdom 

are renowned in all the earth, 

and everyone knows that you are 

the most powerful prince in the whole kingdom, 

and your good government is praised everywhere. 

So we know also what Achior hath spoken, 

and what thou hast done against him. 

For our Theos is so angry with us 

for our sins that he has sent word 

through his prophets that he will punish 

the people for their sins.

Now because the people of Israel know 

that they have angered their Theos, 

they are terrified before you. 

They also suffer great hunger, 

and are famished with thirst; 

and now they intend to slay their cattle, 

that they may drink the blood thereof, 

and to eat the holy sacrifice of corn, 

and wine, and oil, which Theos 

hath forbidden them, and commanded 

that they should not touch it. 

Therefore it is certain that they must die 

because they do these things. 

And because I know this, 

I have fled from them, 

and the Kyrios has sent me to you 

to tell you all these things.

For though I have come to thee, 

yet am I not apostate from Theos, 

but will serve my Theos with thee. 

And thy handmaid shall go forth 

and worship Theos, 

and he shall reveal unto me 

when he will give them their reward for their sins. 

Then will I come and tell thee, 

and lead thee through the midst of Jerusalem, 

that thou mayest get all the people of Israel, 

as sheep that have no shepherd; 

and not a dog shall be allowed to bark at thee. 

For this hath Theos revealed unto me, 

because he is wroth with them, 

and hath sent me to tell thee.

And this speech pleased Holofernes 

and his servants well, 

and they marvelled at her wisdom, 

and said among themselves, 

A woman like this is not found again upon the earth, 

so great is her beauty and wisdom! 

And Holofernes said unto her, 

Theos hath done this, 

that he hath sent thee unto me 

before the people come into my hand. 

Now if thy Theos will do all these things 

which thou hast said, he shall be my Theos also, 

and thou shalt be great in the sight 

of king Nebuchadnezzar, and thy name 

shall be praised throughout all the kingdom.

And he brought her into the treasury, 

where she was to dwell, 

and commanded that they should feed her 

with meat from his table. 

But Judith answered and said: 

I may not eat of thy meat, lest I sin: 

instead I have taken a little, 

and will eat of it. 

Then said Holofernes, 

If that then be eaten 

which thou hast brought with thee, 

whence shall we get thee other? 

Judith answered, My lord, 

as surely as thou livest, 

before thy handmaid have eaten all, 

Theos will accomplish by me what he purposeth.

And when the servants wanted to lead her 

into the chamber, as he had ordered, 

she asked that she be allowed to go out 

in the evening and in the morning 

to offer her prayers to the Kyrios. 

Then Holofernes ordered his servants 

to let her go out and come in freely 

for three days and to offer her prayers to Theos. 

And in the evening she went out into the valley 

before Bethulia and bathed herself in the water. 

After that she prayed to the Kyrios, 

the Theos of Israel, 

that he would grant her the good fortune 

to save his people. And she went again 

into the tent, and abode pure, 

and did not eat till the evening.

And it came to pass on the fourth day, 

that Holofernes made a feast for his servants 

next to him alone, 

and said unto Bagoas his chamberlain, 

Go and counsel the Hebrew woman 

that she refuse not to come unto me: 

for it is a shame to the Assyrians 

that such a woman should go untouched from us, 

and have beguiled a man. 

Then Bagoas came to Judith: 

Beautiful woman! 

Thou shalt not refuse to come to my lord, 

that he may adore thee, 

and that thou mayest eat and drink with him, 

and that ye may be merry. 

And Judith said, How can I refuse my lord? 

All things that please him 

I will gladly do with all my heart 

all the days of my life. 

And she arose, and arrayed herself, 

and went in unto him, and stood before him.

Then Holofernes' heart was set on fire, 

he was inflamed with desire for her! 

And he said unto her, Sit down, drink, 

and be merry, for thou hast found favour with me. 

And Judith answered, Yea, lord, I will be merry, 

for I have not been so highly honoured all my life. 

And she did eat and drink with him 

that which her handmaid had prepared for her. 

And Holofernes was merry with her, 

and drank as much 

as he had never drunk all his life!