1 quibus abscedentibus Iudith ingressa est oratorium suum
et induens se cilicio posuit cinerem super caput suum
et prosternens se Domino clamavit ad Dominum dicens
2 Domine Deus patris mei Symeon
qui dedisti illi gladium in defensione alienigenarum
qui violatores extiterunt in coinquinatione sua
et denudaverunt femur virginis in confusionem
3 et dedisti mulieres eorum in praedam
et filias eorum in captivitatem
et omnem praedam in divisionem servis tuis
qui zelaverunt zelum tuum
subveni quaeso te Domine Deus meus mihi viduae
4 tu enim fecisti priora et illa post illa cogitasti
et hoc factum est quod ipse voluisti
5 omnes enim viae tuae paratae sunt
et tua iudicia in providentia tua posuisti
6 respice castra Assyriorum nunc
sicut tunc castra videre Aegyptiorum dignatus es
quando post servos tuos armati currebant
confidentes in quadrigis et in equitatu suo
et in multitudine bellatorum
7 sed aspexisti super castra eorum et tenebrae fatigaverunt eos
8 tenuit pedes eorum abyssus et aquae operuerunt eos
9 sic fiant et isti Domine
qui confidunt in multitudine sua et in curribus suis
et in contis et in sagittis suis et in lanceis
gloriantur
10 et nesciunt quia tu ipse es Deus noster
qui conteris bella ab initio
et Dominus nomen est tibi
11 erige brachium tuum sicut ab initio
et adlide virtutem eorum in virtute tua
cadat virtus eorum in iracundiam tuam
qui promittunt se violare sancta tua
et polluere tabernaculum honoris tui
et deicere gladio suo cornu altaris tui
12 fac Domine ut gladio proprio eius superbia amputetur
13 capiatur laqueo oculorum suorum in me
et percuties eum ex labiis caritatis meae
14 da mihi in animo constantiam ut contemnam illum
et virtutem ut evertam illum
15 erit enim memoriale nominis tui
cum manus feminea deiecerit eum
16 non enim in multitudine est virtus tua Domine
neque in equorum viribus voluntas tua
nec superbi ab initio placuerunt tibi
sed humilium et mansuetorum tibi semper placuit deprecatio
17 Deus caelorum creator aquarum et dominus totius creaturae
exaudi me miseram deprecantem
et de tua misericordia praesumentem
18 memento Domine testamenti tui
et da verbum in ore meo et in corde meo consilium corrobora
ut domus tua in tua sanctificatione
permaneat
19 et omnes gentes agnoscant
quoniam tu es Deus et non est alius praeter te
1 Judith fell upon her face, and put ashes upon her head, and uncovered the sackcloth wherewith she was clothed; and about the time that the incense of that evening was offered in Jerusalem in the house of the Lord Judith cried with a loud voice, and said,
2 O Lord God of my father Simeon, to whom thou gavest a sword to take vengeance of the strangers, who loosened the girdle of a maid to defile her, and discovered the thigh to her shame, and polluted her virginity to her reproach; for thou saidst, It shall not be so; and yet they did so:
3 Wherefore thou gavest their rulers to be slain, so that they dyed their bed in blood, being deceived, and smotest the servants with their lords, and the lords upon their thrones;
4 And hast given their wives for a prey, and their daughters to be captives, and all their spoils to be divided among thy dear children; which were moved with thy zeal, and abhorred the pollution of their blood, and called upon thee for aid: O God, O my God, hear me also a widow.
5 For thou hast wrought not only those things, but also the things which fell out before, and which ensued after; thou hast thought upon the things which are now, and which are to come.
6 Yea, what things thou didst determine were ready at hand, and said, Lo, we are here: for all thy ways are prepared, and thy judgments are in thy foreknowledge.
7 For, behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and man; they glory in the strength of their footmen; they trust in shield, and spear, and bow, and sling; and know not that thou art the Lord that breakest the battles: the Lord is thy name.
8 Throw down their strength in thy power, and bring down their force in thy wrath: for they have purposed to defile thy sanctuary, and to pollute the tabernacle where thy glorious name resteth and to cast down with sword the horn of thy altar.
9 Behold their pride, and send thy wrath upon their heads: give into mine hand, which am a widow, the power that I have conceived.
10 Smite by the deceit of my lips the servant with the prince, and the prince with the servant: break down their stateliness by the hand of a woman.
11 For thy power standeth not in multitude nor thy might in strong men: for thou art a God of the afflicted, an helper of the oppressed, an upholder of the weak, a protector of the forlorn, a saviour of them that are without hope.
12 I pray thee, I pray thee, O God of my father, and God of the inheritance of Israel, Lord of the heavens and earth, Creator of the waters, king of every creature, hear thou my prayer:
13 And make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have purposed cruel things against thy covenant, and thy hallowed house, and against the top of Sion, and against the house of the possession of thy children.
14 And make every nation and tribe to acknowledge that thou art the God of all power and might, and that there is none other that protecteth the people of Israel but thou.