Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 36

¹ Have mercy upon us, O Lord God of all, and behold us:

² And send thy fear upon all the nations that seek not after thee.

³ Lift up thy hand against the strange nations, and let them see thy power.

⁴ As thou wast sanctified in us before them: so be thou magnified among them before us.

⁵ And let them know thee, as we have known thee, that there is no God but only thou, O God.

⁶ Shew new signs, and make other strange wonders: glorify thy hand and thy right arm, that they may set forth thy wondrous works.

⁷ Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath: take away the adversary, and destroy the enemy.

⁸ Sake the time short, remember the covenant, and let them declare thy wonderful works.

⁹ Let him that escapeth be consumed by the rage of the fire; and let them perish that oppress the people.

¹⁰ Smite in sunder the heads of the rulers of the heathen, that say, There is none other but we.

¹¹ Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, and inherit thou them, as from the beginning.

¹² O Lord, have mercy upon the people that is called by thy name, and upon Israel, whom thou hast named thy firstborn.

¹³ O be merciful unto Jerusalem, thy holy city, the place of thy rest.

¹⁴ Fill Sion with thine unspeakable oracles, and thy people with thy glory:

¹⁵ Give testimony unto those that thou hast possessed from the beginning, and raise up prophets that have been in thy name.

¹⁶ Reward them that wait for thee, and let thy prophets be found faithful.

¹⁷ O Lord, hear the prayer of thy servants, according to the blessing of Aaron over thy people, that all they which dwell upon the earth may know that thou art the Lord, the eternal God.

¹⁸ The belly devoureth all meats, yet is one meat better than another.

¹⁹ As the palate tasteth divers kinds of venison: so doth an heart of understanding false speeches.

²⁰ A froward heart causeth heaviness: but a man of experience will recompense him.

²¹ A woman will receive every man, yet is one daughter better than another.

²² The beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance, and a man loveth nothing better.

²³ If there be kindness, meekness, and comfort, in her tongue, then is not her husband like other men.

²⁴ He that getteth a wife beginneth a possession, a help like unto himself, and a pillar of rest.

²⁵ Where no hedge is, there the possession is spoiled: and he that hath no wife will wander up and down mourning.

²⁶ Who will trust a thief well appointed, that skippeth from city to city? so who will believe a man that hath no house, and lodgeth wheresoever the night taketh him?