Judith 7:27-29

New Catholic Bible

²⁷ For it would be preferable for us to be conquered by them. Even though we would become their slaves, at least we would be alive and not have to witness our little ones dying before our eyes, and our wives and children gasping their last breath. ²⁸ By heaven and earth, and by our God, the Lord of our ancestors, who is punishing us for our own sins and those of our ancestors, we adjure you to do this very day what we have proposed.”

²⁹ The entire assembly then wailed bitter lamentations and called on the Lord God with loud cries.