Iudith 9

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Quibus ascendentibus, Judith ingressa est oratorium suum : et induens se cilicio, posuit cinerem super caput suum : et prosternens se Domino, clamabat ad Dominum, dicens :	1 Judith threw herself face to the ground, scattered ashes on her head, undressed as far as the sackclothshe was wearing and cried loudly to the Lord. At the same time in Jerusalem the evening incense was beingoffered in the Temple of God. Judith said:
2 Domine Deus patris mei Simeon, qui dedisti illi gladium in defensionem alienigenarum, qui violatores extiterunt in coinquinatione sua, et denudaverunt femur virginis in confusionem :	2 Lord, God of my ancestor Simeon, you armed him with a sword to take vengeance on the foreigners whohad undone a virgin's belt to her shame, laid bare her thigh to her confusion, violated her womb to herdishonour, since, though you said, 'This must not be,' they did it.
3 et dedisti mulieres illorum in prædam, et filias illorum in captivitatem : et omnem prædam in divisionem servis tuis, qui zelaverunt zelum tuum : subveni, quæso te, Domine Deus meus, mihi viduæ.	3 For this you handed their leaders over to slaughter, and their bed, defiled by their treachery, was itselfbetrayed in blood. You struck the slaves with the chieftains and the chieftains with their retainers.
4 Tu enim fecisti priora, et illa post illa cogitasti : et hoc factum est quod ipse voluisti.	4 You left their wives to be carried off, their daughters to be taken captive, and their spoils to be shared outamong the sons you loved, who had been so zealous for you, had loathed the stain put on their blood and cal edon you for help. O God, my God, now hear this widow too;
5 Omnes enim viæ tuæ paratæ sunt, et tua judicia in tua providentia posuisti.	5 for you have made the past, and what is happening now, and what will fol ow. What is, what wil be, youhave planned; what has been, you designed.
6 Respice castra Assyriorum nunc, sicut tunc castra Ægyptiorum videre dignatus es, quando post servos tuos armati currebant, confidentes in quadrigis, et in equitatu suo, et in multitudine bellatorum.	6 Your purposes stood forward; 'See, here we are!' they said. For al your ways are prepared and yourjudgements delivered with foreknowledge.
7 Sed aspexisti super castra eorum, et tenebræ fatigaverunt eos.	7 See the Assyrians, with their army abounding glorying in their horses and their riders, exulting in thestrength of their infantry. Trust as they may in shield and spear, in bow and sling, in you they have notrecognised the Lord, the breaker of battle-lines;
8 Tenuit pedes eorum abyssus, et aquæ operuerunt eos.	8 yours alone is the title of Lord. Break their violence with your might, in your anger bring down theirstrength. For they plan to profane your holy places, to defile the tabernacle, the resting place of your gloriousname, and to hack down the horn of your altar.
9 Sic fiant et isti, Domine, qui confidunt in multitudine sua, et in curribus suis, et in contis, et in scutis, et in sagittis suis, et in lanceis gloriantur,	9 Observe their arrogance, send your fury on their heads, give the strength I have in mind to this widow'shand.
10 et nesciunt quia tu ipse es Deus noster, qui conteris bella ab initio, et Dominus nomen est tibi.	10 By guile of my lips strike down slave with master, and master with retainer. Break their pride by awoman's hand.
11 Erige brachium tuum sicut ab initio, et allide virtutem illorum in virtute tua : cadat virtus eorum in iracundia tua, qui promittunt se violare sancta tua, et polluere tabernaculum nominis tui, et dejicere gladio suo cornu altaris tui.	11 Your strength does not lie in numbers, nor your might in strong men; since you are the God of thehumble, the help of the oppressed, the support of the weak, the refuge of the forsaken, the Saviour of thedespairing.
12 Fac, Domine, ut gladio proprio ejus superbia amputetur :	12 Please, please, God of my father, God of the heritage of Israel, Master of heaven and earth, Creator ofthe waters, King of your whole creation, hear my prayer.
13 capiatur laqueo oculorum suorum in me, et percuties eum ex labiis caritatis meæ.	13 Give me a beguiling tongue to wound and kill those who have formed such cruel designs against yourcovenant, against your holy dwelling-place, against Mount Zion, against the house belonging to your sons.
14 Da mihi in animo constantiam ut contemnam illum, et virtutem, ut evertam illum.	14 And demonstrate to every nation, every tribe, that you are the Lord, God of al power, al might, and thatthe race of Israel has no protector but you.
15 Erit enim hoc memoriale nominis tui, cum manus feminæ dejecerit eum.
16 Non enim in multitudine est virtus tua, Domine, neque in equorum viribus voluntas tua est, nec superbi ab initio placuerunt tibi : sed humilium et mansuetorum semper tibi placuit deprecatio.
17 Deus cælorum, creator aquarum, et Dominus totius creaturæ, exaudi me miseram deprecantem, et de tua misericordia præsumentem.
18 Memento, Domine, testamenti tui, et da verbum in ore meo, et in corde meo consilium corrobora, ut domus tua in sanctificatione tua permaneat :
19 et omnes gentes agnoscant quia tu es Deus, et non est alius præter te.