1. And there was a man living in Babylon, and his name was Joakim.
2. And he received a wife named Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, who was very beautiful and God-fearing.
3. For her parents, because they were righteous, had educated their daughter according to the law of Moses.
4. But Joakim was very wealthy, and he had an orchard near his house, and the Jews flocked to him, because he was the most honorable of them all.
5. And two elder judges had been appointed among the people that year, about whom the Lord has said, "Iniquity has come out of Babylon, from the elder judges, who seemed to govern the people."
6. These frequented the house of Joakim, and all came to them, who had need of judgment.
7. But when the people departed at noontime, Susanna went in and walked around in her husband's orchard.
8. And the elders saw her entering and walking around every day, and they were inflamed with desire towards her.
9. And they perverted their reason and turned away their eyes, so that they would not look to heaven, nor call to mind just judgments.
10. And so they were both wounded by the love of her, yet they did not reveal their grief to one another.
11. For they were ashamed to reveal to each other their desire, wanting to lie with her.
12. And so they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other,
13. "Let us go home, for it is lunch time." And going out, they departed one from another.
14. And returning again, they came to the same place, and, each asking the other the reason, they admitted their desire. And then they agreed to set a time when they would be able to find her alone.
15. But it happened, while they watched for an opportune day, that she entered at a particular time, just as yesterday and the day before, with only two maids, and she wanted to wash in the orchard, because it was so hot.
16. And there was no one there, except the two elders in hiding, and they were studying her.