not be seen by his wife:
6 But retired into the wilderness,
and fixed his tent there, and
fasted forty days and forty nights,
saying to himself,
7 I will not go down either to
eat or drink, till the Lord my
God shall look down upon me, but
prayer shall be my meat and drink.
CHAPTER. II.
1 Anna, the wife of Joachim mourns her Barrenness,
6 is reproached with it by Judith her maid,
9 sits under a laurel tree and prays to the Lord.
IN the mean time his wife Anna
was distressed and perplexed
on a double account, and said,
I will mourn both for my widowhood
and my barrenness.
2 Then drew near a great feast
of the Lord, and Judith her maid,
said, How long will you thus
afflict your soul? The feast of
the Lord is now come, when it is
unlawful for any one to mourn.
3 Take therefore this hood
which was given by one who
makes such things, for it is not
fit that I, who am a servant should
wear it, but it well suits a person
of your greater character.
4 But Anna replied, Depart
from me, I am not used to such
things; besides, the Lord hath
greatly humbled me.
5 I fear some ill-designing person
hath given thee this, and thou
art come to reproach me with my sin.
6 Then Judith her maid answered,
what evil shall I wish you,
when you will not hearken to me?
7 I cannot wish you a greater
curse than you are under, in that
God hath shut up your womb, that
you should not be a mother in
Israel.
8 At this Anna was exceedingly
troubled, and having on her wedding
garment, went about three o'clock
in the afternoon to walk in her
garden.
9 And she saw a laurel-tree and
sat under it, and prayed unto the
Lord, saying,
10 O God of my fathers, bless
me and regard my prayer, as thou
didst bless the womb of Sarah;
and gavest her a son Isaac.
CHAPTER III.
1 Anna perceiving a sparrow's nest in the
laurels bemoans her barrenness.
AND as she was looking towards
heaven she perceive a sparrow's
nest in the laurel,
2 And mourning within herself,
she said, Wo is me, who begat
me? and what womb did bear
me, that I should be thus
accursed before the children of
Israel, and that they should
reproach and deride me in the
temple of my God: Wo is me,
to what can I be compared?
3 I am not comparable to the
very beasts of the earth, for even
the beasts of the earth are fruitful
before thee, O Lord! Wo is me,
to what can I be compared?
4 I am not compared to the
brute animal, for even the brute
animals are fruitful before thee,
O Lord! Wo is me, to what am I
comparable?
5 I cannot be comparable to
these waters, for even the waters
are fruitful before thee, O Lord!
Wo is me, to what can I be compared?
6 I am not comparable to the
waves of the sea; for these,
whether they are calm, or in motion,
with the fishes which are in them,
praise thee, O Lord! Wo is me to
what can I be compared?
7 I am not comparable to the
very earth, for the earth produces
its fruits, and praises thee, O Lord!
CHAPTER IV.
1 An Angel appears to Anna and tells her she shall conceive;
two angels appear on the same errand.
5 Joachim sacrifices.
8 Anna goes to meet him,
9 rejoicing that she shall conceive.
THEN an angel of the Lord
stood by her and said, Anna,
Anna, the Lord hath heard thy
prayer; thou shalt conceive and
bring forth, and thy progeny shall
be spoken of in all the world.
2 And Anna answered, As the
Lord my God liveth, whatever I
bring forth, whether it be male or
female, I will devote it to the Lord
my God and it shall minister to
him in holy things, during its
whole life.
3 And behold there appeared
two angels, saying unto her,
Behold Joachim thy husband is
coming with his shepherds.
4 For an angel of the Lord
hath also come down to him, and
said, The Lord God hath heard
thy prayer, make haste and go
hence, for behold Anna thy wife
shall conceive.
5 And Joachim went down and
called his shepherds, saying, Bring
me hither ten she-lambs without