1 Joseph finds a midwife.
10 A bright cloud overshadows the cave.
11 A great light in the cave, gradually
increases until the infant is born.
13 The mid-wife goes out, and tells Salome
that she has seen a virgin bring forth.
17 Salome doubts it.
20 her hand withers,
22 she supplicates the Lord,
28 is cured,
30 but warned not to declare what she had seen.
THEN I beheld a woman coming
down from the mountains,
and she said to me, Where art thou
going, O man?
2 And I said to her, I go to
enquire for a Hebrew midwife.
3 She replied to me, Where is
the woman that is to be delivered?
4 And I answered, In the cave,
and she is betrothed to me.
5 Then said the midwife, Is she
not thy wife?
6 Joseph answered, It is Mary,
who was educated in the Holy of
Holies, in the house of the Lord,
and she fell to me by lot, and is
not my wife, but has conceived by
the Holy Ghost.
7 The midwife said, Is this true?
8 He answered, Come and see.
9 And the midwife went along
with him, and stood in the cave.
10 Then a bright cloud over-
shadowed the cave, and the mid-
wife said, This day my soul is
magnified, for mine eyes have seen
surprising things, and salvation is
brought forth to Israel.
11 But on a sudden the cloud
became a great light in the cave,
so that their eyes could not bear it.
12 But the light gradually
decreased, until the infant appeared,
and sucked the breast of his mother,
Mary.
13 Then the midwife cried out,
and said, How glorious a day is
this, wherein mine eyes have seen
this extraordinary sight!
14 And the midwife went out
from the cave, and Salome met
her.
15 And the midwife said to her,
Salome, Salome, I will tell you a
most surprising thing which I saw,
16 A virgin hath brought forth,
which is a thing contrary to
nature.
17 To which Salome replied, As
the Lord my God liveth unless I
receive particular proof of this
matter, I will not believe that a
virgin hath brought forth.
18 If Then Salome went in, and
the midwife said, Mary, shew thyself,
for a controversy is risen
concerning thee.
19 And Salome received satisfaction.
20 But her hand was withered,
and she groaned bitterly;
21 And said, Woe to me, because
of mine iniquity; for I have
tempted the living God, and my
hand is ready to drop off.
22 Then Salome made her
supplication to the Lord, and said,
O God of my Fathers, remember me,
for I am of the seed of Abraham,
and Isaac, and Jacob.
23 Make me not a reproach
among the children of Israel, but
restore me sound to my parents.
24 For thou well knowest,
O Lord, that I have performed many
offices of charity in thy name,
and have received my reward from
thee.
25 Upon this an angel of the
Lord stood by Salome, and said,
The Lord God hath heard thy
prayer, reach forth thy hand to
the child, and carry him, and by
that means thou shalt be restored.
26 Salome filled with exceeding
joy, went to the child, and said,
I will touch him.
27 And she purposed to worship
him, for she said, This is a great
king, which is born in Israel.
28 And straightway Salome was
cured.
29 Then the midwife went out
of the cave, being approved by God.
30 And lo! a voice came to Salome.
Declare not the strange things
which thou hast seen, till
the child shall come to Jerusalem.
31 So Salome also departed,
approved by God.