1 At that time, a man named Joachim left his house, taking with him his flocks and his shepherds, and went to the desert, where he pitched his tent. And, after having remained there in prayer for forty days and forty nights, groaning, crying and living only on bread and water, he knelt down, and, in the affliction of his soul, he prayed to God in these terms: Remember me, Lord, according to your mercy and your justice, and work in me a sign of your benevolence, as you did with our ancestor Abraham, to whom, in the days of his old age, you granted a branch of blessing, son of the promise, Isaac, his only descendant and pledge of comfort to his race. And in this way, with tears and afflicted soul, he asked God for mercy. And he said, I will not depart from here, neither will I eat nor drink, until the Lord has visited me, and has had compassion on his servant.
2 And when the forty days of fasting were ended, the angel of the Lord appeared and stood before Joachim, He said to him: Joaquín, the Lord has heard your prayers, and has answered your supplications. Behold, your wife will conceive, and she will bear you a blessed offspring. And her name will be great, and all races will proclaim him blessed. Arise, take the offerings you have promised, take them to the holy temple, and fulfill your vow. Because I will go tonight to warn the Great Priest, so that he accepts those offerings. And, after speaking thus, the archangel left him. And Joachim immediately arose with joy, and departed with his numerous cattle and with his offerings.
3 And the angel of the Lord, appearing to Eleazar, the High Priest, in a similar vision, said to him: I have here Joaquín comes to you with offerings. He receives the gifts from him religiously and according to the law, as is appropriate. For the Lord has heard his prayer, and has fulfilled his request. And the High Priest awoke from his sleep, arose, and gave thanks to the Most High, saying: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he does not disdain his servants who implore him. Then the angel appeared a second time to Anna, and said to her: Behold, your husband is coming. Get up, go get it, and receive it with joy. And Anna got up, put on her wedding attire, and went to look for her husband. And when she saw him, she prostrated herself before him with joy, and threw her arms around his neck.
4 And Joaquín said: Health and happy news, Ana, because the Lord has had mercy on me, he has cared for me , and has promised to give us a branch of blessing. And Ana said to Joaquín: Good news in turn I give you, because the Lord has also promised to give us what you say to me. And she, transported with joy, added: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has not despised our supplications, and who has not withheld his mercy from us. And, at the same time, Joaquín ordered that his friends and neighbors be called, and he gave them a grand reception. They ate, they drank, they were merry, and, after having given thanks to the Lord, they each returned to his house. And they glorified God with a loud voice.