8. No one had a bad word to say about her, for she feared God greatly.
9. So when Judith heard of the harsh words that the people, discouraged by their lack of water, had spoken against their ruler, and of all that Uzziah had said to them in reply, swearing that he would hand over the city to the Assyrians at the end of five days,
10. she sent her maid who was in charge of all her things to summon Uzziah, Chabris, and Charmis, the elders of her city.
11. When they came, she said to them: “Listen to me, you rulers of the people of Bethulia. What you said to the people today is not right. You pronounced this oath, made between God and yourselves, and promised to hand over the city to our enemies unless within a certain time the Lord comes to our aid.
12. Who are you to put God to the test today, setting yourselves in the place of God in human affairs?
13. And now it is the Lord Almighty you are putting to the test, but you will never understand anything!
14. You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or grasp the workings of the human mind; how then can you fathom God, who has made all these things, or discern his mind, or understand his plan?“No, my brothers, do not anger the Lord our God.
15. For if he does not plan to come to our aid within the five days, he has it equally within his power to protect us at such time as he pleases, or to destroy us in the sight of our enemies.
16. Do not impose conditions on the plans of the Lord our God. God is not like a human being to be moved by threats, nor like a mortal to be cajoled.
17. “So while we wait for the salvation that comes from him, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our cry if it pleases him.
18. For there has not risen among us in recent generations, nor does there exist today, any tribe, or clan, or district, or city of ours that worships gods made by hands, as happened in former days.
19. It was for such conduct that our ancestors were handed over to the sword and to pillage, and fell with great destruction before our enemies.
20. But since we acknowledge no other god but the Lord, we hope that he will not disdain us or any of our people.