Sirach 36

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Take pity on us, Master, Lord of the universe, look at us, spread fear of yourself throughout al othernations.	1 Come to our aid, O God of the universe, and put all the nations in dread of you!
2 Raise your hand against the foreign nations and let them see your might.	2 Raise your hand against the heathen, that they may realize your power.
3 As, in their sight, you have proved yourself holy to us, so now, in our sight, prove yourself great to them.	3 As you have used us to show them your holiness, so now use them to show us your glory.
4 Let them acknowledge you, just as we have acknowledged that there is no God but you, Lord.	4 Thus they will know, as we know, that there is no God but you.
5 Send new portents, do fresh wonders, win glory for your hand and your right arm.	5 Give new signs and work new wonders; show forth the splendor of your right hand and arm;
6 Rouse your fury, pour out your rage, destroy the opponent, annihilate the enemy.	6 Rouse your anger, pour out wrath, humble the enemy, scatter the foe.
7 Hasten the day, remember the oath, and let people tell of your mighty deeds.	7 Hasten the day, bring on the time;
8 Let fiery wrath swal ow up the survivor, and destruction overtake those who oppress your people.	8 Let raging fire consume the fugitive, and your people's oppressors meet destruction.
9 Crush the heads of hostile rulers who say, 'There is no one else but us!'	9 crush the heads of the hostile rulers.
10 Gather together all the tribes of Jacob, restore them their heritage as at the beginning.	10 Gather all the tribes of Jacob, that they may inherit the land as of old,
11 Take pity, Lord, on the people cal ed by your name, on Israel whom you have made your first-born.	11 Show mercy to the people called by your name; Israel, whom you named your first-born.
12 Have compassion on your holy city, on Jerusalem, the place where you rest.	12 Take pity on your holy city, Jerusalem, your dwelling place.
13 Fil Zion with your praises and your sanctuary with your glory.	13 Fill Zion with your majesty, your temple with your glory.
14 Vindicate those whom you created first, fulfil what has been prophesied in your name.	14 Give evidence of your deeds of old; fulfill the prophecies spoken in your name,
15 Give those who wait for you their reward, let your prophets be proved true.	15 Reward those who have hoped in you, and let your prophets be proved true.
16 Grant, Lord, the prayer of your servants, in the terms of Aaron's blessing on your people,	16 Hear the prayer of your servants, for you are ever gracious to your people;
17 so that al the earth's inhabitants may acknowledge that you are the Lord, the everlasting God.	17 Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth that you are the eternal God.
18 The stomach takes in all kinds of food, but some foods are better than others.	18 The throat can swallow any food, yet some foods are more agreeable than others;
19 As the palate discerns the flavour of game, so a shrewd listener detects lying words.	19 As the palate tests meat by its savor, so does a keen mind insincere words.
20 A perverse character causes depression in others; it needs experience to know how to repay such aone.	20 A deceitful character causes grief, but an experienced man can turn the tables on him.
21 A woman wil accept any husband, but some daughters are better than others.	21 Though any man may be accepted as a husband, yet one girl will be more suitable than another:
22 A woman's beauty delights the beholder, a man likes nothing better.	22 A woman's beauty makes her husband's face light up, for it surpasses all else that charms the eye;
23 If her tongue is kind and gentle, her husband is the happiest of men.	23 And if, besides, her speech is kindly, his lot is beyond that of mortal men.
24 The man who takes a wife has the makings of a fortune, a helper to match himself, a pil ar of support.	24 A wife is her husband's richest treasure, a helpmate, a steadying column.
25 When property has no fence, it is open to plunder, when a man has no wife, he is aimless andquerulous.	25 A vineyard with no hedge will be overrun; a man with no wife becomes a homeless wanderer.
26 Wil anyone trust an armed thief who flits from town to town?	26 Who will trust an armed band that shifts from city to city?
27 So it is with the man who has no nest, and lodges wherever night overtakes him.	27 Or a man who has no nest, but lodges where night overtakes him?