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These are the words spoken by Joseph, that righteous old man. And I, going in beside him, found his soul exceedingly troubled, for he was placed in great perplexity.
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And I said to him: Hail!
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My father Joseph, you righteous man; how is it with you? And he answered me:
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All hail! My well-beloved son.
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Indeed, the agony and fear of death have already environed me; but as soon as I heard Your voice, my soul was at rest. O Jesus of Nazareth!
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Jesus, my Saviour! Jesus, the deliverer of my soul!
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Jesus, my protector! Jesus!
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O sweetest name in my mouth, and in the mouth of all those that love it! O eye which sees, and ear which hears, hear me!
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I am Your servant; this day I most humbly reverence You, and before Your face I pour out my tears. You are altogether my God;
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You are my Lord, as the angel has told me times without number, and especially on that day when my soul was driven about with perverse thoughts about the pure and blessed Mary, who was carrying You in her womb, and whom I was thinking of secretly sending away. And while I was thus meditating, behold, there appeared to me in my rest angels of the Lord, saying to me in a wonderful mystery:
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O Joseph, you son of David, fear not to take Mary as your wife; and do not grieve your soul, nor speak unbecoming words of her conception, because she is with child of the Holy Spirit, and shall bring forth a son, whose name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. Do not for this cause wish me evil, O Lord!
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For I was ignorant of the mystery of Your birth. I call to mind also, my Lord, that day when the boy died of the bite of the serpent.
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And his relations wished to deliver You to Herod, saying that You had killed him; but You raised him from the dead, and restore him to them. Then I went up to You, and took hold of Your hand, saying:
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My son, take care of yourself. But You said to me in reply:
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Are you not my father after the flesh? I shall teach you who I am.
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Now therefore, O Lord and my God, do not be angry with me, or condemn me on account of that hour. I am Your servant, and the son of Your handmaiden; but You are my Lord, my God and Saviour, most surely the Son of God.