Douay Rheims Original ↷
Judith 8 📜 📕 ↷
Widow Judith Hears Ozias
1 AND it came to pass, when Judith a widow had heard these words, which was the daughter of Merari, the son of Idox, the son of Joseph, the son of Ozias, the son of Elai, the son of Jamnor, the son of Gedeon, the son of Raphaim, the son of Achitob, the son of Melchias, the son of Enan, the son of Nathanias, the son of Salathiel, the son of Simeon, the son of `Israel`:📜💬📚
2 and her husband was Manasses, who died in the days of barley harvest:📜💬📚
3 for he was occupied with them that bound sheaves in the field, and the heat came upon his head, and he died in Bethulia his city, and was buried there with his father.📜💬📚
4 And Judith was left his widow now three years & six months.📜💬📚
5 And in the higher parts of her house she made her self a secret chamber, in which she abode shut up with her maids.📜💬📚
Judith Wears Haircloth on Loins
6 and having cloth of hair upon her loins, she fasted all the days of her life, but Sabbaths, and new moons, and the feasts of the house of Israel.📜💬📚
7 And she was of an exceeding beautiful countenance, to whom her husband had left much riches, & a great family, and possessions full of herds of oxen, and flocks of sheep.📜💬📚
8 And she was among all most famous, because she feared our Lord very much, neither was there that spake an ill word of her.📜💬📚
9 When she therefore had heard that Ozias had promised, that after the fifth day were past he would yield the city, she sent to the ancients Chabri & Charmi.📜💬📚
10 And they came to her, and she said to them: What is this word, wherein Ozias hath consented, to yield the city to the Assyrians, if within five days there come no aid to us?📜💬📚
11 And what are you, that tempt our Lord?📜💬📚
12 This is no word that may provoke mercy, but rather that may raise up wrath, and inflame fury.📜💬📚
Set Not a Time for God's Mercy
13 You have set a time for the mercy of our Lord, and according to your pleasure, you have appointed him a day.📜💬📚
14 But because our Lord is patient, let us be penitent for this same thing, and shedding tears let us desire his pardon:📜💬📚
15 for not as man, so will God threaten, neither as the son of man will he be inflamed to anger.📜💬📚
16 And therefore let us humble our souls to him, & being settled in an humble spirit, serving him:📜💬📚
17 let us say weeping to our Lord, that according to his will so he do his mercy with us: that as our heart is troubled in their pride, so also we may glory in our humility:📜💬📚
18 because we have not followed the sins of our fathers, which forsook their God, and adored strange gods,📜💬📚
19 for which abomination they were given into the sword, & into confusion to their enemies: but we know no other God but him.📜💬📚
20 Let us humbly expect his consolation, and he will require our blood of the afflictions of our enemies, and he will humble all Nations, what soever shall rise up against us, and the Lord our God will make them without honour.📜💬📚
21 And now brethren, because you are ancients in the people of God, and their souls depend of you: by your speech comfort their hearts, that they be mindful, that our fathers were tempted to be proved, whether they did worship their God truly.📜💬📚
Judith Recalls Tribulations of Ancestors
22 They must be mindful how our father Abraham was tempted, and by many tribulations proved, was made the friend of God.📜💬📚
23 So Isaac, so Jacob, so Moyses, and all that have pleased God, through many tribulations have passed faithful.📜💬📚
24 But they that did not receive the tentations with the fear of our Lord, and uttered their impatience and reproach of their murmuring against our Lord,📜💬📚
25 were destroyed of the destroyer, and perished by serpents.📜💬📚
26 And we therefore let us not revenge our selves for these things, which we suffer,📜💬📚
27 but reputing these very punishments to be the scourges of our Lord less than our sins, wherewith as servants we are chastised, let us think them to have chanced to our amendment, and not to our destruction.📜💬📚
28 And Ozias and the ancients said to her: All things which thou hast spoken be true, and there is no reprehension in thy words.📜💬📚
29 Now therefore pray for us, because thou art a holy woman, and fearing God.📜💬📚
Judith Tells Ozias to Wait for Her Word
30 And Judith said to them: As you know, that which I could speak to be of God,📜💬📚
31 so that which I have disposed to do, prove if it be of God, and pray that God establish my counsel.📜💬📚
32 You shall stand at the gate this night, and I will go out with mine Abra: and pray ye, that as you have said, in five days our Lord respect his people Israel.📜💬📚
33 But I will not that you search my doing, and till I bring you word, let nothing else be done, but pray for me to our Lord God.📜💬📚
34 And Ozias the Prince of Juda said to her: Go in peace, and our Lord be with thee to the revenge of our enemies. And returning they departed.📜💬📚
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