THE HISTORY OF SUSANNA


There dwelt a man in Babylon called Joacim. And he took a wife whose
name was Susanna, a very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord. The
same year were appointed two of the ancients of the people to be judges;
and they saw Susanna walking in her husband's garden, and their lust was
inflamed towards her. Now, Susanna went into the garden to bathe, for it
was hot, and dismissed her maids. The two elders, who had hidden in the
garden, rose up and said: Consent and lie with us. If thou wilt not, we
will bear witness against thee that a young man was with thee, and
therefore thou didst send thy maids away. Then Susanna cried with a loud
voice, and the two elders cried out against her, and declared their
matter. The servants rushed in at the privy door and were greatly
ashamed, for there was never such a report made of Susanna. It came to
pass the next day when the people were assembled to her husband Joacim,
with the two elders full of mischievous imagination against Susanna,
these wicked men commanded Susanna to uncover her face that they might
be filled with her beauty, and her friends and all that saw her wept.
Then the elders made their charge which they had agreed upon against
Susanna, and the assembled people believed them: so they condemned her
to death. Then Susanna cried to the Everlasting God, saying: Thou
knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and that I never
did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me. And
the Lord heard her voice.

When she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit
of a youth named Daniel, who said: Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel,
that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a
daughter of Israel? Then Daniel put the two elders aside, one far from