Jdt 9
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 you gave 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 you said, It shall not
be so; and yet they did so:
3
Wherefore you gave their rulers to be slain, so that they dyed their bed in blood,
being deceived, and smote the servants with their lords, and the lords upon their
thrones;
4
And have given their wives for a prey, and their daughters to be captives, and all
their spoils to be divided among your dear children; which were moved with your zeal,
and abhorred the pollution of their blood, and called upon you for aid: O God, O my
God, hear me also a widow.
5
For you have wrought not only those things, but also the things which fell out before,
and which ensued after; you have thought upon the things which are now, and which
are to come.
6
Yea, what things you did determine were ready at hand, and said, Behold, we are here:
for all your ways are prepared, and your judgements are in your 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 you are the Lord that break the battles: the
Lord is your name.
8
Throw down their strength in your power, and bring down their force in your anger:
for they have purposed to defile your sanctuary, and to pollute the tabernacle where
your glorious name rests and to cast down with sword the horn of your altar.
9
Behold their pride, and send your anger 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 your power stands not in multitude nor your might in strong men: for you are 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 you, I pray you, 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
you my prayer:
13
And make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have purposed cruel
things against your covenant, and your hallowed house, and against the top of Sion,
and against the house of the possession of your children.
14
And make every nation and tribe to acknowledge that you are the God of all power and
might, and that there is none other that protects the people of Israel but you.