1 But Judith fell upon her face, and put ashes upon her head, and uncovered the sackcloth wherewith she was clothed; and the incense of that evening was now being offered at Jerusalem in the house of God, and Judith cried to the Lord with a loud voice, and said,

2 O Lord God of my father Simeon, into whose hand you gave a sword to take vengeance of the strangers, who loosened the girdle of a virgin to defile her, and uncovered the thigh to her shame, and profaned the womb to her reproach; for you said, It shall not be so; and they did so: 3 wherefore you gave their rulers to be slain, and their bed, +Someauthorities readwhichwas ashamed for their deceit that they wrought. which was ashamed for her that was deceived, to be dyed in blood, and struck the servants with their lords, and the lords upon their thrones; 4 and gave 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 zeal for you, and abhorred the pollution of their blood, and called upon you for aid: O God, O my God, hear me also that am a widow. 5 For you wrought the things that were before those things, and those things, and such as ensued after; and you did devise the things which are now, and the things which are to come: and the things which you did devise came to pass; 6 yes, the things which you did determine stood before you, and said, Behold, we are here: for all your ways are prepared, and your judgement is with foreknowledge. 7 For, behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they are exalted with horse and rider; they have gloried in the +Gr.arm. strength of their footmen; they have trusted in shield and spear and bow and sling; and they know not that you are the Lord that breaks the battles: the Lord is your name. 8 Dash you down their strength in your power, and bring down their force in your wrath: for they have purposed to profane your sanctuary, and to defile the tabernacle where your glorious name rests, and to cast down with the sword the horn of your altar. 9 Look upon their pride, and send your wrath upon their heads: give into my hand, which am a widow, the might that I have conceived. 10 Strike by the deceit of my lips the servant with the prince, and the prince with his 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: but you are a God of the afflicted, you are a helper of the +Gr.fewer. oppressed, an upholder of the weak, a protector of the forlorn, a savior of them that are without hope. 12 Yes, yes, God of my father, and God of the inheritance of Israel, Lord of the heavens and of the earth. Creator of the waters, King +Gr.ofall your creation. of every creature, hear you my prayer: 13 and make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have purposed hard things against your covenant, and your hallowed house, and the top of Sion, and the house of the possession of your children. 14 And make every nation and tribe of your to know that you are God, the God of all power and might, and that there is none other that protects the race of Israel but you.