38 When I spoke these things in my heart, I looked around me with my eyes, and on my right side I saw a woman, and behold, she mourned and wept with a loud voice, and was much grieved in mind. Her clothes were torn, and she had ashes on her head. 39 Then let I my thoughts go in which I was occupied, and turned myself to her, 40 and said to her, “Why are you weeping? Why are you grieved in your mind?”

41 She said to me, “Leave me alone, my master, that I may weep for myself and add to my sorrow, for I am very troubled in my mind, and brought very low.”

42 I said to her, “What ails you? Tell me.”

43 She said to me, “I, your servant, was barren and had no child, though I had a husband thirty years. 44 Every hour and every day these thirty years I made my prayer to the Most High day and night. 45 It came to pass after thirty years that God heard me, your handmaid, and saw my low estate, and considered my trouble, and gave me a son. I rejoiced in him greatly, I and my husband, and all my neighbours.[fn] We gave great honour to the Mighty One. 46 I nourished him with great care. 47 So when he grew up, and I came to take him a wife, I made him a feast day.

10 “So it came to pass that when my son was entered into his wedding chamber, he fell down and died. 2 Then we all put out the lamps, and all my neighbours[fn] rose up to comfort me. I remained quiet until the second day at night. 3 It came to pass, when they had all stopped consoling me, encouraging me to be quiet, then rose I up by night, and fled, and came here into this field, as you see. 4 Now I don’t intend to return into the city, but to stay here, and not eat or drink, but to continually mourn and fast until I die.”