Judith 11

¹ For thou madist the formere thingis, and thouytist tho thingis aftir tho, and this thing is maad, which thou woldist. ² For alle thi weies ben redi, and thou has set thi domes in thi puruyaunce. ³ Biholde thou the castels of Assiriens now, as thou vouchidist saaf to biholde thanne the castels of Egipcians, whanne thei runnen armed after thi seruauntis, and tristiden in charis, and in multitude of her knyytis, and in multitude of werriours. ⁴ But thou biheldist on the castels of hem, and derknessis maden hem feynt; the botme of the see helde her feet, ⁵ and watris hiliden hem. ⁶ Lord, also these men be maad so, that tristen in her multitude, and in her charis, and in scharp schaftis with oute irun, and in her arowis; and han glorie in her speris; 7 and witen not, that thou thi silf art oure God, that al to-brekist batels fro the bigynnyng, and the Lord is name to thee. ⁸ Reise thin arm as at the bigynnyng, and hurle doun the power of hem in thi vertu; the power of hem falle doun in thi wrathfulnesse, whiche biheten hem to defoule thin hooli thingis, and to defoule the tabernacle of thi name, and to cast doun with her swerd the horn of thin auter. ⁹ Lord, make thou that the pride of hem be kit of with her owne swerd; ¹⁰ be he takun with the snare of hise iyen in me; and thou schalt smyte hym with the lippis of my charite. ¹¹ Yyue thou to me stidfastnesse in soule, that Y dispise hym and his vertu, and distrie hym. ¹² For it schal be a memorial of thi name, whanne the hondis of a womman han cast hym doun. ¹³ For whi, Lord, thi vertu is not in multitude, nether thi wille is in the strengthis of horsis; and proude spiritis plesiden not thee at the bigynnyng, but the preier of meke men and mylde pleside euere thee. 14 God of heuenes, the creatour of watris, and Lord of alle creature, here thou me wretchid womman preiynge and tristynge of thi merci. 15 Lord, haue thou mynde of thi testament, and yyue thou a word in my mouth, and make thou strong the counsel in myn herte, that thin hows dwelle perfitly in thin halewyng; 16 and that alle folkis knowe, that thou art God, and noon other is outakun thee. 18 Forsothe it was doon, whanne sche hadde ceessid to crie to the Lord, sche roos fro the place, in which sche lay bowid doun to the Lord. 19 And sche clepide hir fre handmaide, and cam doun in to hir hows; and sche took awei fro hir the heire, and vnclothide hir silf fro the clothing of hir widewehod. 20 And sche waischide hir bodi, and anoyntide hir with beste myrre, and sche schedide the heer of hir heed, and settide a mytre on hir heed, and sche clothide hir with the clothis of hyr gladnesse, and clothide hir feet with sandalies; and sche took ournementis of the armes, and lilies, and eeryngis, and ryngis, and ournede hir silf with alle hir ournementis. 21 To whom also the Lord yaf briytnesse, for al this ourenement hangide not of letcherie, but of vertu; and therfor the Lord made large this fairnesse on hir, that bi `vncomparable fairnesse sche apperide to the iyen of alle men. ²² Therfor sche puttide on hir fre handmaide a botel of wyn, and a vessel of oile, and meet maad of meele, and dried figus, and looues, and cheese, and yeden forth. ²³ And whanne thei weren comen to the yate of the citee, thei founden Ozie and the prestis of the citee abidynge hir.