thulia, went in to the tents of the
Assyrians, and took all the prey that the Assyrians had left, and when
the men had pursued them were returned, they took all their beasts and
all the movable goods and things that they had left, so much that every
man from the most to the least were made rich by the prey that they
took. Then Joachim the high bishop of Jerusalem came unto Bethulia, with
all the priests, for to see Judith, and when she came tofore them all,
they blessed her with one voice, saying: Thou glory of Jerusalem, thou
gladness of Israel, thou the worship doing of our people, thou didst
manly, and thy heart is comforted because thou lovedst chastity and
knewest no man after the death of thy husband, and therefore the hand of
God hath comforted thee. And therefore thou shalt be blessed world
without end, and all the people said: Fiat! fiat! be it done, be it
done. Certainly the spoils of the Assyrians were unnethe gathered and
assembled together in thirty days, of the people of Israel, but all the
proper riches that were appertaining to Holofernes and could be found
that had been his, they were given to Judith as well gold, silver, gems,
clothes, as all other appurtenances to household; and all was delivered
to her of the people, and the folks, with women and maidens, joyed in
organs and harps. Then Judith sang this song unto God saying: Begin ye
in timbrels, sing ye to the Lord in cymbals, mannerly sing to him a new
psalm. Fully joy ye, and inwardly call ye his name, and so forth. And
for this great miracle and victory all the people came to Jerusalem for
to give laud, honor, and worship unto our Lord God. And after they were
purified they offered sacrifices, vows, and behests unto God, and the
joy of this victory was solemnized during three months, and after that,
each went home again into his own city and house, and Judith returned
into Bethulia, and was made more great and clear to all men of the land
of Israel. She was joined to the virtue of chastity, so that she knew no
man all the days of her life after the death of Manasses, her husband,
and dwelled in the house of her husband an hundred and five years, and
she left her demoiselle free. After this she died and is buried in
Bethulia and all the people bewailed her seven days. During her life
after this journey was no trouble among the Jews, and the day of this
victory of the Hebrews was accepted for a feastful day, and hallowed of
the Jews and numbered amon