Ecclesiasticus, 36

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

1. Have mercy on us, Master, God of all, and look on us; make every nation stand in fear of you.

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

2. Take action against the pagan nations and let them see your power.

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

3. You have shown them your holiness through what happened to us, so now let us see your great power in acting among them.

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

4. Let them acknowledge, as we have acknowledged, that there is no God but you, Lord.

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

5. Give new signs, do fresh wonders, stretch out your hand and be glorified in your strength.

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

6. Kindle your fury and rouse your anger, destroy your opponents, crush your enemy.

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

7. Hasten the day, remember your covenant so that we may speak of your great deeds.

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

8. Let the survivors be consumed in fiery wrath, let those who oppress send to perdition.

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

9. Crush the heads of hostile rulers - those who say they alone count.

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

10. Gather all the tribes of Jacob, give them back their inheritance as in the beginning.

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

11. Have pity, Lord, on the people known by your Name, on Israel whom you called your firstborn.

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

12. Show compassion to the holy city, to Jerusalem where you rest.

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

13. Fill Zion with the fame of your wonders, and your people with your glory.

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

14. Confirm the promises made to your people long ago and fulfill the promises made in your name.

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

15. Reward those who wait for you and fulfill the words of your prophets.

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

16. Hear the prayer of your servants, Lord; hear your priests giving Aaron's blessing to your people.

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.

17. So that all on earth may acknowledge that you are Lord and everlasting God.

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

18. The stomach takes in all kinds of food but one food is better than another.

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

19. Just as the tongue can distinguish the flavor of game, so does the alert mind detect lies.

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

20. A crooked heart causes sorrow, but an experienced person knows how to get even with him.

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

21. A woman will accept any husband but some daughters are better than others.

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

22. Woman's beauty rejoices people and is beyond all that could be wished for.

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

23. If she is kindly-spoken and gentle he is the most fortunate of men.

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

24. When a man marries he acquires a fortune, someone who understands him and who will help and support him.

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

25. When there is no hedge the property will be destroyed; and when a man has no wife he is a fretful wanderer.

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?

26. Who would trust a clever robber flitting from town to town?

27.

27. And who would trust a man without a nest, who lodges wherever nightfall finds him?