2 Then smiting upon his face,
he said, With what face can I look
up to the Lord my God? or, what
shall I say concerning this young
woman?
3 For I received her a Virgin
out of the temple of the Lord my
God, and have not preserved her
such!
4 Who has thus deceived me?
Who has committed this evil in
my house, and seducing the Virgin
from me, hath defiled her?
5 Is not the history of Adam exactly
accomplished in me?
6 For in the very instant of his
glory, the serpent came and found
Eve alone, and seduced her.
7 Just after the same manner it
has happened to me.
8 Then Joseph arising from the
ground, called her, and said, O
thou who hast been so much
favoured by God, why hast thou
done this?
9 Why hast thou thus debased
thy soul, who wast educated in the
Holy of Holies, and received thy
food from the hand of angels?
10 But she, with a flood of tears,
replied, I am innocent, and have
known no man.
11 Then said Joseph, How
comes it to pass you are with
child?
12 Mary answered, As the Lord
my God liveth, I know not by what
means.
13 Then Joseph was exceedingly afraid,
and went ay from her, considering
what he should do with her;
and he thus reasoned with himself:
14 If I conceal her crime, I shall
be found guilty by the law of the
Lord;
15 And if I discover her to the
children of Israel, I fear, lest
she being with child by an angel,
I shall be found to betray the life
of an innocent person.
16 What therefore shall I do?
I will privately dismiss her.
17 Then the night was come
upon him, when behold an angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a
dream, and said,
18 Be not afraid to take that
young woman, for that which is
within her is of the Holy Ghost,
19 And she shall bring forth
a son, and thou shalt call his name
Jesus, for he shall save his people
from their sins.
20 Then Joseph arose from his
sleep, and glorified the God of
Israel, who had shewn him such
favour, and preserved the Virgin.
CHAPTER XI.
3 Annas visits Joseph, perceives the Virgin big with child,
4 informs the high priest that Joseph had privately married her.
8 Joseph and Mary brought to trial on the charge.
17 Joseph drinks the water of the Lord as an ordeal,
and receiving no harm, returns home.
THEN came Annas the scribe,
and said to Joseph, Wherefore
have we not seen you since
your return?
2 And Joseph replied, Because
I was weary after my journey, and
rested the first day.
3 But Annas turning about
perceived the Virgin big with child.
4 And went away to the priest,
and told him, Joseph in whom you
placed so much confidence, is
guilty of a notorious crime, in
that he hath defiled the Virgin
whom he received out of the temple
of the Lord, and hath privately
married her, not discovering it to
the children of Israel.
5 Then said the priest, Hath
Joseph done this?
6 Annas replied, If you send
any of your servants you will find
that she is with child.
7 And the servants went, and
found it as he said.
8 Upon this both she and Joseph
were brought to their trial, and
the priest said unto her, Mary,
what hast thou done?
9 Why hast thou debased thy
soul, and forgot thy God, seeing
thou wast brought up in the Holy
of Holies, and didst receive thy
food from the hands of angels, and
heardest their songs?
10 Why hast thou done this?
11 To which with a flood of
tears she answered, As the Lord
my God liveth, I am innocent in
his sight, seeing I know no man.
12 Then the priest said to Joseph,
Why hast thou done this?
13 And Joseph answered, As
the Lord my God liveth, I have
not been concerned with her.
14 But the priest said, Lie not,
but declare the truth; thou hast
privately married her, and not
discovered it to the children of
Israel, and humbled thyself under
the mighty hand (of God), that thy
seed might be blessed:
15 And Joseph was silent.
16 Then said the priest
(to Joseph), You must restore to
the