The lamps of the foolish virgins go out, because the works which appeared outwardly to men to be bright, are dimmed within at the coming of the Judge. That they then beg oil of the wise virgins, what is it but that at the coming of the Judge, when they find themselves empty within, they seek for witness from without? As though deceived by their own self-confidence, they say to their neighbours, “Whereas ye see us rejected as living without works, do ye witness to our works that ye have seen.
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).