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I
1 In the
histories of the twelve tribes of Israel it is written that there was
one Ioacim, exceeding rich: and he offered his gifts twofold, saying:
That which is of my superfluity shall be for the whole people, and that
which is for my forgiveness shall be for tile Lord, for a propitiation
unto me.
2 Now the great day of the Lord drew nigh and the children of Israel
offered their gifts. And Reuben stood over against him saying: It is
not lawful for thee to offer thy gifts first,-forasmuch as thou hast
gotten no seed in Israel.
3 And Ioacim was sore grieved, and went unto the record of the twelve
tribes of the people, saying: I will look upon the record of the twelve
tribes of Israel, whether I only have not gotten seed in Israel. And he
searched, and found concerning all the righteous that they had raised
up seed in Israel. And he remembered the patriarch Abraham, how in the
last days God gave him a son, even Isaac.
4 And Ioacim was sore grieved, and showed not himself to his wife, but
betook himself into the wilderness, and pitched his tent there, and
fasted forty days and forty nights, saying within himself: I will not
go down either for meat or for drink until the Lord my God visit me,
and my prayer shall be unto me meat and drink.
II
1 Now his wife
Anna lamented with two lamentations, and bewailed herself with two
bewailings, saying: I will bewail my widowhood, and I will bewail my
childlessness.
2 And the great day of the Lord drew nigh, and Judith her handmaid said
unto her: How long humblest thou thy soul? The great day of the Lord
hath come, and it is not lawful for thee to mourn: but take this
headband, which the mistress of my work gave me, and it is not lawful
for me to put it on, forasmuch as I am an handmaid, and it hath a mark
of royalty. And Anna said: Get thee from me. Lo! I have not
done such things and the Lord hath greatly humbled me:
peradventure one gave it to thee in subtilty, and thou art come to make
me partaker in thy sin. And Judith said: How shall I curse thee, seeing
the Lord hath shut up thy womb, to give thee no fruit in Israel?
3 And Anna was sore grieved and mourned with a great mourning because
she was reproached by all the tribes of Israel. And coming to herself
she said: What shall I do? I will pray with weeping unto the Lord my
God that he visit me. And she put off her mourning garments and adorned
her head and put on her bridal garments: and about the ninth hour she
went down into the garden to walk there. And she saw a laurel-tree and
sat down underneath it and besought the Lord saying: O God of our
fathers, bless me, and hearken unto my prayer, as thou didst bless the
womb of Sarah, and gavest her a son, even Isaac.
III
1 And looking up
to the heaven she espied a nest of sparrows in the laurel-tree, and
made a lamentation within herself, saying: Woe unto me, who begat me?
And what womb brought me forth for I am become a curse before the
children of Israel, and I am reproached, and they have mocked me forth
out of the temple of the Lord?
2 Woe unto me, unto what am I likened? I am not likened unto the fowls
of the heaven, for even the fowls of the heaven are fruitful before
thee, O Lord. Woe unto me, unto what am I likened? I am not likened
unto the beasts of the earth, for even the beasts of the earth are
fruitful before thee, O Lord. Woe unto me, unto what am I likened? I am
not likened unto these waters, for even these waters are fruitful
before thee, O Lord.
3 Woe unto me, unto what am I likened ? I am not likened unto this
earth, for even this earth bringeth forth her fruits in due season and
blesseth thee, O Lord.
IV
1 And behold an
angel of the Lord appeared, saying unto her: Anna, Anna, the Lord hath
hearkened unto thy prayer, and thou shalt conceive and bear, and thy
seed shall be spoken of in the whole world. And Anna said: As the Lord
my God liveth, if I bring forth either male or female, I will bring it
for a gift unto the Lord my God, and it shall be ministering unto him
all the days of its life.
2 And behold there came two messengers saying unto her: Behold Ioacim
thy husband cometh with his flocks: for an angel of the Lord came down
unto him saying: Ioacim, Ioacim, the Lord God hath hearkened unto thy
prayer. Get thee down hence, for behold thy wife Anna hath conceived.
3 And Ioacim sat him down and called his herdsmen saying: Bring me
hither ten lambs without blemish and without spot, and they shall be
for the Lord my God; and bring me twelve tender calves, and they shall
be for the priests and for the assembly of the elders; and an hundred
kids for the whole people.
4 And behold Ioacim came with his flocks, and Anna stood at the gate
and saw Ioacim coming, and ran and hung upon his neck, saying: Now know
I that the Lord God hath greatly blessed me: for behold the widow is no
more a widow, and she that was childless shall conceive. And Ioacim
rested the first day in his house.
V
1 And on the
morrow he offered his gifts, saying in himself: If the Lord God be
reconciled unto me, the plate that is upon the forehead of the priest
will make it manifest unto me. And Ioacim offered his gifts and looked
earnestly upon the plate of the priest when he went up unto the altar
of tile Lord, and he saw no sin in himself. And Ioacim said: Now know I
that the Lord is become propitious unto me and hath forgiven all my
sins. And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and went
unto his house.
2 And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought
forth. And she said unto the midwife: what have I brought forth? And
she said: A female. And Anna said: My soul is magnified this day, and
she laid herself down. And when the days were fulfilled, Anna purified
herself and gave suck to the child and called her name Mary.
VI
1 And day by day
the child waxed strong, and when she was six months old her mother
stood her upon the ground to try if she would stand; and she walked
seven steps and returned unto her bosom. And she caught her up, saying:
As the Lord my God liveth, thou shalt walk no more upon this ground,
until I bring thee into the temple of the Lord. And she made a
sanctuary in her bed chamber and suffered nothing common or unclean to
pass through it. And she called for the daughters of the Hebrews that
were undefiled, and they carried her hither and thither.
2 And the first year of the child was fulfilled, and Ioacim made a
great feast and bade the priests and the scribes and the assembly of
the elders and the whole people of Israel. And Ioacim brought the child
to the priests, and they blessed her, saying: O God of our fathers,
bless this child and give her a name renowned for ever among all
generations. And all the people said: So be it, so be it. Amen. And he
brought her to the high priests, and they blessed her, saying: O God of
the high places, look upon this child, and bless her with the last
blessing which hath no successor.
3 And her mother caught her up into the sanctuary of her bed chamber
and gave her suck.
And Anna made a song unto the Lord God, saying:
I will sing an hymn unto the Lord my God, because he hath visited me
and taken away from me the reproach of mine enemies, and the Lord hath
given me a fruit of his righteousness, single and manifold before him.
Who shall declare unto the sons of Reuben that Anna giveth suck?
Hearken, hearken, ye twelve tribes of Israel, that Anna giveth suck.
And she laid the child to rest in the bed chamber of her sanctuary, and
went forth and ministered unto them. And when the feast was ended, they
gat them down rejoicing, and glorifying the God of Israel.
VII
1 And unto the
child her months were added: and the child became two years old. And
Ioacim said: Let us bring her up to the temple of the Lord that we may
pay the promise which we promised; lest the Lord require it of us, and
our gift become unacceptable. And Anna said: Let us wait until the
third year, that the child may not long after her father or mother. And
Ioacim said: Let us wait.
2 And the child became three years old, and Ioacim said: Call for the
daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them take every
one a lamp, and let them be burning, that the child turn not backward
and her heart be taken captive away from the temple of the Lord. And
they did so until they were gone up into the temple of the Lord.
And the priest received her and kissed her and blessed her and said:
The Lord hath magnified thy name among all generations: in thee in the
latter days shall the Lord make manifest his redemption unto the
children of Israel. And he made her to sit upon the third step of the
altar. And the Lord put grace upon her and she danced with her feet and
all tile house of Israel loved her.
VIII
1 And her
parents gat them down marveling, and praising the Lord God because tile
child was not turned away backward.
And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as a dove that is nurtured: and
she received food from the hand of an angel.
2 And when she was twelve years old, there was a council of the
priests, saying: Behold Mary is become twelve years old in the temple
of the Lord. What then shall we do with her ? lest she pollute the
sanctuary of the Lord. And they said unto the high priest: Thou
standest over the altar of the Lord. Enter in and pray concerning her:
And whatsoever the Lord shall reveal to thee, that let us do.
3 And the high priest took the vestment with the twelve bells and went
in unto the Holy of Holies and prayed concerning her. And lo, an angel
of tile Lord appeared saying unto him: Zacharias, Zacharias~ go forth
and assemble them that are widowers of the people, and let them bring
every man a rod, and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife
shall she be. And the heralds went forth over all the country round
about Judaea, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded, and all men ran
thereto.
IX
1 And Joseph
cast down his axe and ran to meet them, and when they were gathered
together they went to the high priest and took their rods with them.
And he took the rods of them all and went into the temple and prayed.
And when he had finished the prayer he took the rods and went forth and
gave them back to them: and there was no sign upon them. But Joseph
received the last rod: and lo, a dove came forth of the rod and flew
upon the bead of Joseph. And the priest said unto Joseph: Unto thee
hath it fallen to take the virgin of the Lord and keep her for thyself.
2 And Joseph refused, saying: I have sons, and I am an old man, but she
is a girl: lest I became a laughing-stock to the children of Israel.
And the priest said unto Joseph: Year the Lord thy God, and remember
what things God did unto Dathan and Abiram and Korah, how the earth
clave and they were swallowed up because of their gainsaying. And now
fear thou, Joseph, lest it be so in thine house. And Joseph was afraid,
and took her to keep her for himself. And Joseph said unto Mary: Lo, I
have received thee out of the temple of the Lord: and now do I leave
thee in my house, and I go away to build my buildings and I will come
again unto thee. The Lord shall watch over thee.
X
1 Now there was
a council of the priests, and they said: Let us make a veil for the
temple of the Lord. And the priest said: Call unto me pure virgins of
the tribe of David. And the officers departed and sought and found
seven virgins. And the priests called to mind the child Mary, that she
was of the tribe of avid and was undefiled before God: and the officers
went and fetched her. And they brought them into the temple of the
Lord, and the priest said: Cast me lots, which of you shah weave the
gold and the undefiled (the white) and tile fine linen and the silk and
the hyacinthine, and the scarlet and the true purple. And the lot of
the true purple and the scarlet fell unto Mary, and she took them and
went unto her house.
And at that season Zacharias became dumb, and Samuel was in his stead
until the time when Zacharias spake again. But Mary took the scarlet
and began to spin it.
XI
1 And she took
the pitcher and went forth to fill it with water: and lo a voice
saying: Hail, thou that art highly favoured; the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women.
And she looked about her upon the right hand and upon the left, to see
whence this voice should be: and being filled with trembling she~ went
to her house and set down the pitcher, and took the purple and sat down
upon her seat and drew out the thread.
2 And behold an angel of the Lord stood before her saying: Fear not,
Mary, for thou hast found grace before the Lord of all things, and thou
shalt conceive of his word. And she, when she heard it, questioned in
herself, saying: Shall I verily conceive of the living God, and bring
forth after the manner of all women? And the angel of the Lord said:
Not so, Mary, for a power of the Lord shall overshadow thee: wherefore
also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the
Son of the Highest. And thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall
save his people from their sins. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of
the Lord is before him: be it unto me according to thy word.
XII
1 And she made
the purple and the scarlet and brought them unto the priest. And the
priest blessed her and said: Mary, the Lord God hath magnified thy
name, and thou shalt be blessed among all generations of the earth.
2 And Mary rejoiced and went away unto Elizabeth her kinswoman: and she
knocked at the door. And Elizabeth when she heard it cast down the
scarlet and ran to the door and opened it, and when she saw Mary she
blessed her and said: Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord
should come unto me? for behold that which is in me leaped and blessed
thee. And Mary forgot the mysteries which Gabriel the archangel had
told her, and she looked up unto the heaven and said: Who am I, Lord,
that all the generations of the earth do bless me?
3 And she abode three months with Elizabeth, and day by day her womb
grew: and Mary was afraid and departed unto her house and hid herself
from the children of Israel. Now she was sixteen years old when these
mysteries came to pass.
XIII
1 Now it was the
sixth month with her, and behold Joseph came from his building, and he
entered into his house and found her great with child. And he smote his
face, and cast himself down upon the ground on sackcloth and wept
bitterly, saying: With what countenance shall I look unto the Lord my
God? and what prayer shall I make concerning this maiden? for I
received her out of the temple of the Lord my God a virgin, and have
not kept her safe. Who is he that hath ensnared me? Who hath done this
evil in mine house and hath defiled the virgin? Is not the story of
Adam repeated in me ? for as at the hour of his giving thanks the
serpent came and found Eve alone and deceived her, so hath it befallen
me also.
2 And Joseph arose from off the sackcloth and called Mary and said unto
her O thou that wast cared for by God, why hast thou done this? thou
hast forgotten the Lord thy God. Why hast thou humbled thy soul, thou
that wast nourished up in the Holy of Holies and didst receive food at
the hand of an angel?
3 But she wept bitterly, saying: I am pure and I know not a man. And
Joseph said unto her: Whence then is that which is in thy womb ? and
she said: As the Lord my God liveth, I know not whence it is come unto
me.
XIV
I And Joseph
was sore afraid and ceased from speaking unto her (or left her alone),
and pondered what he should do with her. And Joseph said: If I hide her
sin, I shall be found fighting against the law of the Lord: and if I
manifest her unto the children of Israel, I fear lest that which is in
her be the seed of an angel, and I shall be found delivering up
innocent blood to the judgement of death. What then shall I do ? I will
let her go from me privily. And the night came upon him.
2 And behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying:
Fear not this child, for that which is in her is of the Holy Ghost, and
she shall bear a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins. And Joseph arose from sleep and
glorified the God of Israel which had shown this favour unto her: and
he watched over her.
XV
I Now Annas the
scribe came unto him and said to him: Wherefore didst thou not appear
in our assembly? and Joseph said unto him: I was weary with the
journey, and I rested the first day. And Annas turned him about and saw
Mary great with child.
2 And he went hastily to the priest and said unto him: Joseph, to whom
thou bearest witness [that he is righteous] hath sinned grievously. And
the priest said: Wherein ? And he said: The virgin whom he received out
of the temple of the Lord, he hath defiled her, and married her by
stealth (lit. stolen her marriage), and hath not declared it to the
children of Israel. And the priest answered and said: Hath Joseph done
this? And Annas the scribe said: Send officers, and thou shalt find the
virgin great with child. And the officers went and found as he had
said, and they brought her together with Joseph unto the place of
judgement.
3 And the priest said: Mary, wherefore hast thou done this, and
wherefore hast thou humbled thy soul and forgotten the Lord thy God,
thou that wast nurtured in the Holy of Holies and didst receive food at
the hand of an angel and didst hear the hymns and didst dance before
the Lord, wherefore hast thou done this?
But she wept bitterly, saying: As the Lord my God liveth I am pure
before him and I know not a man.
4 And the priest said unto Joseph: Wherefore hast thou done this? And
Joseph said: As the Lord my God liveth I am pure as concerning her. And
the priest said: Bear no false witness but speak the truth: thou hast
married her by stealth and hast not declared it unto the children of
Israel, and hast not bowed thine head under the mighty hand that thy
seed should be blessed. And Joseph held his peace.
XVI
1 And the priest
said: Restore the virgin whom thou didst receive out of the temple of
the Lord. And Joseph was full of weeping. And the priest said: I will
give you to drink of the water of the conviction of the Lord, and it
will make manifest your sins before your eyes.
2 And the priest took thereof and made Joseph drink and sent him into
the hill-country. And he returned whole. He made Mary also drink and
sent her into the hill-country. And she returned whole. And all the
people marvelled, because sin appeared not in them.
3 And the priest said: If the Lord God hath not made your sin manifest,
neither do I condemn you. And he let them go. And Joseph took Mary and
departed unto his house rejoicing, and glorifying the God of Israel.
XVII
1 Now there went
out a decree from Augustus the king that all that were in Bethlehem of
Judaea should be recorded. And Joseph said: I will record my sons: but
this child, what shall I do with her? how shall I record her? as my
wife? nay, I am ashamed. Or as my daughter? but all the children of
Israel know that she is not my daughter. This day of the Lord shall do
as the Lord willeth.
2 And he saddled the she-ass, and set her upon it, and his son led it
and Joseph followed after. And they drew near (unto Bethlehem) within
three miles: and Joseph turned himself about and saw her of a sad
countenance and said within himself: Peradventure that which is within
her paineth her. And again Joseph turned himself about and saw her
laughing, and said unto her: Mary, what aileth thee that I see thy face
at one time laughing and at another time sad? And Mary said unto
Joseph: It is because I behold two peoples with mine eyes, the one
weeping and lamenting and the other rejoicing and exulting.
3 And they came to the midst of the way, and Mary said unto him: Take
me down from the ass, for that which is within me presseth me, to come
forth. And he took her down from the ass and said unto her: Whither
shall I take thee to hide thy shame? for the place is desert.
XVIII
I And he found a
cave there and brought her into it, and set his sons by her: and he
went forth and sought for a midwife of the Hebrews in the country of
Bethlehem.
2 Now I Joseph was walking, and I walked not. And I looked up to the
air and saw the air in amazement. And I looked up unto the pole of the
heaven and saw it standing still, and the fowls of the heaven without
motion. And I looked upon the earth and saw a dish set, and workmen
lying by it, and their hands were in the dish: and they that were
chewing chewed not, and they that were lifting the food lifted it not,
and they that put it to their mouth put it not thereto, but the faces
of all of them were looking upward. And behold there were sheep being
driven, and they went not forward but stood still; and the shepherd
lifted his hand to smite them with his staff, and his hand remained up.
And I looked upon the stream of the river and saw the mouths of the
kids upon the water and they drank not. And of a sudden all things
moved onward in their course.
XIX
I And behold a
woman coming down from the hillcountry, and she said to me: Man,
whither goest thou? And I said: I seek a midwife of the Hebrews. And
she answered and said unto me: Art thou of Israel? And I said unto her:
Yea. And she said: And who is she that bringeth forth in the cave? And
I said: She that is betrothed unto me. And she said to me: Is she not
thy wife? And I said to her: It is Mary that was nurtured up in the
temple of the Lord: and I received her to wife by lot: and she is not
my wife, but she hath conception by the Holy Ghost. And the midwife
said unto him: Is this the truth? And Joseph said unto her: Come hither
and see. And the midwife went with him.
2 And they stood in the place of the cave: and behold a bright cloud
overshadowing the cave. And the midwife said: My soul is magnified this
day, because mine eyes have seen marvellous things: for salvation is
born unto Israel. And immediately the cloud withdrew itself out of the
cave, and a great light appeared in the cave so that our eyes could not
endure it. And by little and little that light withdrew itself until
the young child appeared: and it went and took the breast of its mother
Mary. And the midwife cried aloud and said: Great unto me to-day is
this day, in that I have seen this new sight.
3 And the midwife went forth of the cave and Salome met her. And she
said to her: Salome, Salome, a new sight have I to tell thee. A virgin
hath brought forth, which her nature alloweth not. And Salome said: As
the Lord my God liveth, if I make not trial and prove her nature I will
not believe that a virgin hath brought forth.
XX
1 And the
midwife went in and said unto Mary: Order thyself, for there is no
small contention arisen concerning thee. Arid Salome made trial and
cried out and said: Woe unto mine iniquity and mine unbelief, because I
have tempted the living God, and lo, my hand falleth away from me in
fire. And she bowed her knees unto the Lord, saying: O God of my
fathers, remember that I am the seed of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob:
make me not a public example unto the children of Israel, but restore
me unto the poor, for thou knowest, Lord, that in thy name did I
perform my cures, and did receive my hire of thee.
3 And lo, an angel of the Lord appeared, saying unto her: Salome,
Salome, the Lord hath hearkened to thee: bring thine hand near unto the
young child and take him up, and there shall be unto thee salvation and
joy.
4 And Salome came near and took him up, saying: I will do him worship,
for a great king is born unto Israel. And behold immediately Salome was
healed: and she went forth of the cave justified. And Io, a voice
saying: Salome, Salome, tell none of the marvels which thou hast seen,
until the child enter into Jerusalem.
XXI
1 And behold,
Joseph made him ready to go forth into Judaea. And there came a great
tumult in Bethlehem of Judaea; for there came wise men, saying: Where
is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the
east and arc come to worship him.
2 And when Herod heard it he was troubled and sent officers unto the
wise men. And he sent for the high priests and examined them, saying:
How is it written concerning the Christ, where he is born? They say
unto him: In Bethlehem of Judaea: for so it is written. And he let them
go. And he examined the wise men, saying unto them: What sign saw ye
concerning the king that is born? And the wise men said: We saw a very
great star shining among those stars and dimming them so that the stars
appeared not: and thereby knew we that a king was born unto Israel, and
we came to worship him. And Herod said: Go and seek for him, and if ye
find him, tell me, that I also may come and worship him.
3 And the wise men went forth. And lo, the star which they saw in the
east went before them until they entered into the cave: and it stood
over the head of the cave. And the wise men saw the young child with
Mary, his mother: and they brought out of their scrip gifts, gold-and
frankincense and myrrh.
4 And being warned by the angel that they should not enter into Judaea,
they went into their own country by another way.
XXII
1 But when Herod
perceived that he was mocked by the wise men, he was wroth, and sent
murderers, saying unto them: Slay the children from two years old and
under.
2 And when Mary heard that the children were being slain, she was
afraid, and took the young child and wrapped in swaddling clothes and
laid him in an ox-manger.
3 But Elizabeth when she heard that they sought for John, took him and
went up into the hill-country and looked about her where she should
hide him: and there was no hiding-place. And Elizabeth groaned and said
with a loud voice: O mountain of God, receive thou a mother with a
child. For Elizabeth was not able to go up. And immediately the
mountain clave asunder and took her in. And there was a light shining
alway for them: for an angel of the Lord was with them, keeping watch
over them.
XXIII
I Now Herod
sought for John, and sent officers to Zacharias, saying: Where hast
thou hidden thy son? And he answered and said unto them: I am a
minister of God and attend continually upon the temple of the Lord: I
know not where my son is.
2 And the officers departed and told Herod all these things. And Herod
was wroth and said: His son is to be king over Israel. And he sent unto
him again, saying: Say the truth: where is thy son? for thou knowest
that thy blood is under my hand. And the officers departed and told him
all these things.
3 And Zacharias said: I am a martyr of God if thou sheddest my blood:
for my spirit the Lord shah receive, because thou sheddest innocent
blood in the fore-court of the temple of the Lord. And about the
dawning of the day Zacharias was slain. And the children of Israel knew
not that he was slain.
XXIV
1 But the
priests entered in at the hour of the salutation, and the blessing of
Zacharias met them not according to the manner. And the priests stood
waiting for Zacharias, to salute him with the prayer, and to glorify
the Most High.
2 But as he delayed to come, they were all afraid: and one of them took
courage and entered in: and he saw beside the altar congealed blood:
and a voice saying: Zacharias hath been slain, and his blood shall not
be wiped out until his avenger come. And when he heard that word he was
afraid, and went forth and told the priests.
3 And they took courage and went in and saw that which was done: and
the panels of the temple did wail: and they rent their clothes from the
top to the bottom. And his body they found not, but his blood they
found turned into stone. And they feared, and went forth and told all
the people that Zacharias was slain. And all tile tribes of the people
heard it, and they mourned for him and lamented him three days and
three nights. And after the three days the priests took counsel whom
they should set in his stead: and the lot came up upon Symeon. Now he
it was which was warned by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death
until he should see the Christ in the flesh.
XXV
1 Now I, James,
which wrote this history in Jerusalem, when there arose a tumult when
Herod died, withdrew myself into the wilderness until the tumult ceased
in Jerusalem. Glorifying the Lord God which gave me the gift, and the
wisdom to write this history.
2 And grace shall be with those that fear our Lord Jesus Christ: to
whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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