Sirach 36

36Save us, O God of all,

And cast Thy fear upon all the nations.

Shake Thy hand against the strange people,

And let them see Thy power.

As Thou hast sanctified Thyself in us before them,

So glorify Thyselfin them before us;

That they may know, as we also know,

That there is none other God but Thee.

Renew the signs, and repeat the wonders,

Make Hand and Right Arm glorious.

Waken indignation and pour out wrath,

Subdue the foe and expel the enemy.

Hasten the ‘end’ and ordain the ‘appointed time’,

For who may say to Thee: What doest Thou?

Let him that escapethbe devoured in the glowing fire,

And may Thy people’s wrongersfind destruction!

Make an end of the head of the enemy’s princes

That saith: There is none beside me!

Gather all the tribes of Jacob,

That they may receive their inheritanceas in the days of old.

Compassionate the people that is called by Thy name,

Israel, whom Thou didst surname Firstborn.

Compassionate Thy holy city,

Jerusalem, the place of Thy dwelling.

Fill Sion with Thy majesty,

And Thy Temple with Thy glory.

Give testimony to the first of Thy works,

And establish the vision spoken in Thy name.

Give reward to them that wait for Thee,

That Thy prophets may be proved trustworthy.

Thou wilt hear the prayer of Thy servants,

According to Thy good favour towards Thy people:

That all the ends of the earth may know

That Thou art the eternal God.

Every meat doth the belly eat,

Yet is one meat more pleasant than another.

The palate tasteth the dainties that are bestowed,

And the discerning heart the dainties of falsehood.

A deceitful heart produceth sorrow,

But an experienced man wardeth it off.

A woman will receive any man,

Yet is one woman more pleasant than another.

The beauty of a woman brighteneth the countenance,

And excels every delight of the eye.

When she possesseth also a soothing tongue,

Her husband is not ⁽like other⁽ sons of men.

He that getteth a wife⁽getteth⁽ the choicest possession,

A help meet for him, and a pillar of support.

Without a hedge the vineyard is laid waste,

And without a wife ⁽a man is⁽ a wanderer and homeless.

Who trusteth an armed band

That rusheth from city to city?

So is the man that hath no nest,

Who resteth where evening befalls him.