1 et factum est cum audisset haec Iudith vidua
quae erat filia Merari filii Idox filii Ioseph
filii Oziae filii Elai filii Iamnor
filii Gedeon filii Rafoin filii Acitob
filii Melchiae filii Enam filii Nathaniae
filii Salathihel filii Symeon filii Ruben
2 et vir eius fuit Manasses
qui mortuus est in diebus messis hordiariae
3 instabat enim super alligantes manipulos in campo
et venit aestus super caput eius
et mortuus est in Bethuliam civitatem suam
et sepultus est illic cum patribus suis
4 erat autem Iudith relicta eius vidua
iam annis tribus et mensibus sex
5 et in superioribus domus suae fecit sibi secretum cubiculum
in quo cum puellis suis clausa morabatur
6 et habens super lumbos suos cilicium
ieiunabat omnibus diebus vitae suae
praeter sabbata et neomenia et festa domus Israhel
7 erat autem eleganti aspectu nimis
cui vir suus reliquerat divitias multas et familiam
copiosam
ac possessiones armentis boum et gregibus ovium
plenas
8 et erat haec in eo omnibus famosissima
quoniam timebat Dominum valde
nec erat qui loqueretur de illa verbum malum
9 haec itaque cum audisset quoniam Ozias promisisset
quod transacto quinto die traderet civitatem
misit ad presbyteros Chabri et Carmin
10 et venerunt ad illam et dixit illis
quod est hoc verbum in quo consensit Ozias
ut tradat civitatem Assyriis
si intra quinque dies non venerit vobis adiutorium
11 et qui estis vos qui temptatis Dominum
12 non est iste sermo qui misericordiam provocet
sed potius qui iram excitet et furorem accendat
13 posuistis vos tempus miserationis Domini
et in arbitrium vestrum diem constituistis ei
14 sed quia patiens est Dominus
in hoc ipso paeniteamur
et indulgentiam eius lacrimis postulemus
15 non enim quasi homo Deus sic comminabitur
neque sicut filius hominis ad iracundiam inflammabitur
16 et ideo humiliemus illi animas nostras
et in spiritu constituti humiliato servientes illi
17 dicamus flentes Domino
ut secundum voluntatem suam sic faciat nobiscum misericordiam suam
ut sicut conturbatum est cor nostrum in superbia eorum
ita etiam de nostra humilitate gloriemur
18 quoniam non sumus secuti peccata patrum nostrorum
qui dereliquerunt Deum suum et adoraverunt deos alienos
19 pro scelere quo dati sunt in gladium
et in rapinam et in confusionem inimicis suis
nos autem alterum deum nescimus praeter ipsum
20 expectemus humiles consolationem eius
et exquiret sanguinem nostrum
de adflictionibus inimicorum nostrorum
et humiliabit omnes gentes
quaecumque insurgunt contra nos
et faciet illas sine honore Dominus Deus noster
21 et nunc fratres quoniam vos qui estis presbyteri in populo Dei
ex vobis pendet anima illorum
adloquio vestro corda eorum
erigite
ut memores sint quia temptati sunt patres nostri ut probarentur
si vere colerent Deum suum
22 memores esse debent
quomodo pater noster Abraham temptatus est
et per multas tribulationes probatus Dei amicus effectus est
23 sic Isaac sic Iacob sic Moses et omnes qui placuerunt Deo
per multas tribulationes transierunt fideles
24 illi autem qui temptationes non susceperunt
cum timore Domini et patientia sua
inproperium murmurationis suae contra Dominum
protulerunt
25 exterminati sunt ab exterminatore et a serpentibus perierunt
26 et nos ergo non ulciscamur nos pro his quae patimur
27 sed reputantes peccatis nostris haec ipsa minora esse supplicia
flagella Domini quasi servi qui corripimur
ad emendationem non ad perditionem nostram
evenisse credamus
28 et dixerunt illi Ozias et presbyteri
omnia quae locuta es vera sunt
et non est in sermonibus tuis ulla reprehensio
29 nunc ergo ora pro nobis
quoniam mulier sancta es et timens Dominum
30 et dixit illis Iudith
sicut quod loqui potui Dei esse cognoscitis
31 ita quod facere disposui probate si ex Deo est
et orate ut firmum faciat consilium meum Deus
32 stabitis vos ad portam nocte ista et ego exeam cum abra mea
et orate ut sicut dixistis in diebus quinque respiciat Dominus populum suum Israhel
33 vos autem nolo scrutemini actum meum
et usque dum renuntiem vobis nihil aliud fiat
nisi oratio pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum
34 et dixit ad eam Ozias princeps Iudaeae
vade in pace et Dominus sit tecum in ultione inimicorum nostrorum
et revertentes abierunt
1 Now at that time Judith heard thereof, which was the daughter of Merari, the son of Ox, the son of Joseph, the son of Ozel, the son of Elcia, the son of Ananias, the son of Gedeon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Acitho, the son of Eliu, the son of Eliab, the son of Nathanael, the son of Samael, the son of Salasadal, the son of Israel.
2 And Manasses was her husband, of her tribe and kindred, who died in the barley harvest.
3 For as he stood overseeing them that bound sheaves in the field, the heat came upon his head, and he fell on his bed, and died in the city of Bethulia: and they buried him with his fathers in the field between Dothaim and Balamo.
4 So Judith was a widow in her house three years and four months.
5 And she made her a tent upon the top of her house, and put on sackcloth upon her loins and ware her widow’s apparel.
6 And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, save the eves of the sabbaths, and the sabbaths, and the eves of the new moons, and the new moons and the feasts and solemn days of the house of Israel.
7 She was also of a goodly countenance, and very beautiful to behold: and her husband Manasses had left her gold, and silver, and menservants and maidservants, and cattle, and lands; and she remained upon them.
8 And there was none that gave her an ill word; as she feared God greatly.
9 Now when she heard the evil words of the people against the governor, that they fainted for lack of water; for Judith had heard all the words that Ozias had spoken unto them, and that he had sworn to deliver the city unto the Assyrians after five days;
10 Then she sent her waitingwoman, that had the government of all things that she had, to call Ozias and Chabris and Charmis, the ancients of the city.
11 And they came unto her, and she said unto them, Hear me now, O ye governors of the inhabitants of Bethulia: for your words that ye have spoken before the people this day are not right, touching this oath which ye made and pronounced between God and you, and have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, unless within these days the Lord turn to help you.
12 And now who are ye that have tempted God this day, and stand instead of God among the children of men?
13 And now try the Lord Almighty, but ye shall never know any thing.
14 For ye cannot find the depth of the heart of man, neither can ye perceive the things that he thinketh: then how can ye search out God, that hath made all these things, and know his mind, or comprehend his purpose? Nay, my brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger.
15 For if he will not help us within these five days, he hath power to defend us when he will, even every day, or to destroy us before our enemies.
16 Do not bind the counsels of the Lord our God: for God is not as man, that he may be threatened; neither is he as the son of man, that he should be wavering.
17 Therefore let us wait for salvation of him, and call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice, if it please him.
18 For there arose none in our age, neither is there any now in these days neither tribe, nor family, nor people, nor city among us, which worship gods made with hands, as hath been aforetime.
19 For the which cause our fathers were given to the sword, and for a spoil, and had a great fall before our enemies.
20 But we know none other god, therefore we trust that he will not despise us, nor any of our nation.
21 For if we be taken so, all Judea shall lie waste, and our sanctuary shall be spoiled; and he will require the profanation thereof at our mouth.
22 And the slaughter of our brethren, and the captivity of the country, and the desolation of our inheritance, will he turn upon our heads among the Gentiles, wheresoever we shall be in bondage; and we shall be an offence and a reproach to all them that possess us.
23 For our servitude shall not be directed to favour: but the Lord our God shall turn it to dishonour.
24 Now therefore, O brethren, let us shew an example to our brethren, because their hearts depend upon us, and the sanctuary, and the house, and the altar, rest upon us.
25 Moreover let us give thanks to the Lord our God, which trieth us, even as he did our fathers.
26 Remember what things he did to Abraham, and how he tried Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Mesopotamia of Syria, when he kept the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother.
27 For he hath not tried us in the fire, as he did them, for the examination of their hearts, neither hath he taken vengeance on us: but the Lord doth scourge them that come near unto him, to admonish them.
28 Then said Ozias to her, All that thou hast spoken hast thou spoken with a good heart, and there is none that may gainsay thy words.
29 For this is not the first day wherein thy wisdom is manifested; but from the beginning of thy days all the people have known thy understanding, because the disposition of thine heart is good.
30 But the people were very thirsty, and compelled us to do unto them as we have spoken, and to bring an oath upon ourselves, which we will not break.
31 Therefore now pray thou for us, because thou art a godly woman, and the Lord will send us rain to fill our cisterns, and we shall faint no more.
32 Then said Judith unto them, Hear me, and I will do a thing, which shall go throughout all generations to the children of our nation.
33 Ye shall stand this night in the gate, and I will go forth with my waitingwoman: and within the days that ye have promised to deliver the city to our enemies the Lord will visit Israel by mine hand.
34 But enquire not ye of mine act: for I will not declare it unto you, till the things be finished that I do.
35 Then said Ozias and the princes unto her, Go in peace, and the Lord God be before thee, to take vengeance on our enemies.
36 So they returned from the tent, and went to their wards.