Chapter 9 _{25 And pray unto the Highest continually, then will I come and talk with thee.26 So I went my way into the field which is called Ardath, like as he commanded me; and there I sat among the flowers, and did eat of the herbs of the field, and the meat of the same satisfied me.27 After seven days I sat upon the grass, and my heart was vexed within me, like as before:28 And I opened my mouth, and began to talk before the most High, and said,29 O Lord, thou that shewest thyself unto us, thou wast shewed unto our fathers in the wilderness, in a place where no man treadeth, in a barren place, when they came out of Egypt.30 And thou spakest saying, Hear me, O Israel; and mark my words, thou seed of Jacob.31 For, behold, I sow my law in you, and it shall bring fruit in you, and ye shall be honoured in it for ever.32 But our fathers, which received the law, kept it not, and observed not thy ordinances: and though the fruit of thy law did not perish, neither could it, for it was thine;33 Yet they that received it perished, because they kept not the thing that was sown in them.34 And, lo, it ls a custom, when the ground hath received seed, or the sea a ship, or any vessel meat or drink, that, that being perished wherein it was sown or cast into,35 That thing also which was sown, or cast therein, or received, doth perish, and remaineth not with us: but with us it hath not happened so.36 For we that have received the law perish by sin, and our heart also which received it37 Notwithstanding the law perisheth not, but remaineth in his force.38 And when I spake these things in my heart, I looked back with mine eyes, and upon the right side I saw a woman, and, behold, she mourned and wept with a loud voice, and was much grieved in heart, and her clothes were rent, and she had ashes upon her head.39 Then let I my thoughts go that I was in, and turned me unto her,40 And said unto her, Wherefore weepest thou? why art thou so grieved in thy mind?41 And she said unto me, Sir, let me alone, that I may bewail myself, and add unto my sorrow, for I am sore vexed in my mind, and brought very low.42 And I said unto her, What aileth thee? tell me.43 She said unto me, I thy servant have been barren, and had no child, though I had an husband thirty years,44 And those thirty years I did nothing else day and night, and every hour, but make my, prayer to the Highest.45 After thirty years God heard me thine handmaid, looked upon my misery, considered my trouble, and gave me a son: and I was very glad of him, so was my husband also, and all my neighbours: and we gave great honour unto the Almighty.46 And I nourished him with great travail.47 So when he grew up, and came to the time that he should have a wife, I made a feast.}