Judith's Prayer
1 Then Judith put ashes on her head, opened her robe to reveal the sackcloth she was wearing under her clothes, and bowed down with her face to the floor. It was the time that the evening incense was being offered in the Temple in Jerusalem, and Judith prayed in a loud voice: 2 “O Lord, the God of my ancestor Simeon, remember how you armed Simeon with a sword to take revenge on those foreigners who seized Dinah, who was a virgin, tore off her clothes, and defiled her; they stripped her naked and shamed her; they raped her and disgraced her, even though you had forbidden this. 3 That is why you let their leaders be killed—put to death on the same bed where they had raped the woman. You destroyed them all, slaves, princes, and rulers on their thrones. 4 You let their wives be carried off, their daughters taken captive, and their possessions plundered by the Israelites, your chosen people, who were eager to do your will. Dinah's brothers were furious because of this disgrace to their family, so they called on you for help.
“O my God, listen to my prayer, the prayer of a widow. 5 Your hand guided all that happened then, and all that happened before and after. You have planned it all—what is happening now, and what is yet to be. Your plans have always been carried out. 6 Whatever you want to be done is as good as done. You know in advance all that you will do and what decisions you will make. 7 Now the Assyrians are stronger than ever; they take pride in their cavalry and their infantry. They rely on their weapons, but they do not know that you, O Lord, are a warrior who ends war. The Lord is your name. 8 In your anger, use your power to shatter their mighty army. They plan to defile your Temple, where you are worshiped, and to hack off the corners of your altar with their swords. 9 Look how proud and boastful they are! Pour out your fury upon them! I am only a widow, but give me the strength to carry out my plan. 10 Use my deceitful words to strike them all dead, master and slave alike. Let a woman's strength break their pride. 11 Your power does not depend on the size and strength of an army. You are a God who cares for the humble and helps the oppressed. You give support and protection to people who are weak and helpless; you save those who have lost hope. 12 Now hear my prayer, O God of my ancestor Simeon, the God in whom Israel trusts, ruler of heaven and earth, creator of the rivers and the seas, king of all creation. Hear my prayer and 13 let my deceitful words wound and kill those who have planned such cruelty against your covenant and your holy Temple, against Mount Zion and the land you have given your people. 14 Make your whole nation and every tribe recognize that you are God, almighty and all-powerful, and that you alone protect the people of Israel!”
Judītes lūgšana
1 Bet Judīte krita uz sava vaiga pielūgt Dievu; viņa bēra sev uz galvas pelnus un atsedza maisu, kas viņai bija mugurā. Tieši tobrīd Jeruzālemē Dieva namā tika dedzināts tā vakara kvēpināmais, un Judīte kliedza skaļā balsī uz Kungu, sacīdama: 2 “Kungs, mana tēva Simeona Dievs, kam devi rokā zobenu, lai atriebtu sveštautiešiem, kas atraisīja jaunavas klēpi nešķīstībai, kas atkailināja gurnus kaunam un apgānīja klēpi apsmieklam, tu taču sacīji: tā nebūs notikt, bet viņi darīja. 3 Par to tu atdevi viņu virsniekus noslepkavošanai un viņu midzeni, kur notika apkaunošana, mērci asinīs un siti viņu kalpus kopā ar valdniekiem un valdniekus viņu troņos. 4 Viņu sievas tu atdevi izlaupīšanai un viņu meitas gūstniecībai, un visu viņu laupījumu sadalīt starp taviem mīļotajiem dēliem, kas aizdegās tavu dusmu kvēlē un atrieba savu asiņu aptraipīšanu, piesaucot tevi par palīgu, Kungs, mans Dievs, un tagad uzklausi mani, atraitni. 5 Tu dari visu, kas bija pirms un kas ir šajā brīdī, un kas būs; tu turi prātā, kas notiek pašlaik un kas notiks, un viss piepildās, kā tu biji nodomājis, 6 un viss atnāk, kā tu to esi gribējis, un saka: redzi, mēs esam klāt, jo visi tavi ceļi ir gatavi un tavs spriedums paredz visu iepriekš. 7 Redzi, asīrieši, tik daudzskaitlīgi savā spēkā, ir paaugstinājušies uz zirgiem un jātniekiem, dižojas ar kājnieku spēku, cer uz vairogu, šķēpu, loku un lingu un nezina, ka tu esi Kungs, kas satriec ienaidniekus. 8 Kungs ir tavs vārds – satriec viņus ar savu varenību un izgaisini viņu spēku ar savām dusmām, jo viņi gribēja apgānīt tavus svētumus, aptraipīt tava godības vārda miera telti, ar dzelzi notriekt tava altāra pestīšanas ragu. 9 Uzlūko viņus viņu augstprātībā, sūti savas dusmas pār viņu galvām, dod manās – atraitnes – rokās spēku paveikt, ko esmu nodomājusi. 10 Ar manas viltības lūpām sit kalpu ar valdnieku un valdnieku ar kalpu, sadauzi viņu paaugstināšanos ar sievietes roku. 11 Jo ne jau daudzumā tavs spēks, nedz tava valdīšana balstās uz spēku, bet tu esi Dievs pazemīgajiem, tu esi palīgs vismazākajiem, aizstāvis nespējīgajiem, tu uzlūko cerību zaudējušos, izglāb bezcerīgos. 12 Jā, jā, mana tēva Dievs un Israēla mantojuma Dievs, debesu un zemes Valdniek, ūdeņu Radītāj, visas tavas radības Ķēniņ, tu, Kungs, uzklausi manus lūgumus. 13 Dari manu vārdu un viltību par ievainojumu un brūci tiem, kas ir sazvērējušies pret tavu derību un tavu svēto namu, pret Ciānas kalnu un tavu dēlu mantojuma namu. 14 Liec atzīt un saprast visām tautām un visām ciltīm, ka tu esi Dievs, visu spēku un stiprumu Dievs, un nav cita, kas būtu Israēlam par vairogu, kā vien tu.”
