New Advent
 Home   Encyclopedia   Summa   Fathers   Bible   Library 
 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 
Home > Bible > Sirach > Chapter 36
< BACK | NEXT >

Sirach Chapter 36

A prayer for the Church of God. Of a good heart, and a good wife.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and behold us, and show us the light of thy mercies:
2 And send thy fear upon the nations, that have not sought after thee: that they may know that there is no God beside thee, and that they may show forth thy wonders.
3 Lift up thy hand over the strange nations, that they may see thy power.
4 For as thou hast been sanctified in us in their sight, so thou shalt be magnified among them in our presence,
5 That they may know thee, as we also have known thee, that there is no God beside thee, O Lord.
6 Renew thy signs, and work new miracles.
7 Glorify thy hand, and thy right arm.
8 Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath.
9 Take away the adversary, and crush the enemy.
10 Hasten the time, and remember the end, that they may declare thy wonderful works.
11 Let him that escapeth be consumed by the rage of the fire: and let them perish that oppress thy people.
12 Crush the head of the princes of the enemies that say: There is no other beside us.
13 Gather together all the tribes of Jacob: that they may know that there no God besides thee, and may declare thy great works: and thou shalt inherit them as from the beginning.
14 Have mercy on thy people, upon whom thy name is invoked: and upon Israel, whom thou hast raised up to be thy firstborn.
15 Have mercy on Jerusalem, the city which thou hast sanctified, the city of thy rest.
16 Fill Sion with thy unspeakable words, and thy people with thy glory.
17 Give testimony to them that are thy creatures from the beginning, and raise up the prophecies which the former prophets spoke in thy name.
18 Reward them that patiently wait for thee, that thy prophets may be found faithful: and hear the prayers of thy servants,
19 According to the blessing of Aaron over thy people, and direct us into the way of justice, and let all know that dwell upon the earth, that thou art God the beholder of all ages.
20 The belly will devour all meat, yet one is better than another.
21 The palate tasteth venison and the wise heart false speeches.
22 A perverse heart will cause grief, and a man of experience will resist it.
23 A woman will receive every man: yet one daughter is better than another. A woman will receive every man... That is, any man that her parents propose to her to marry, though she does not like him, but marries in obedience to her parents, who make the choice for her.
24 The beauty of a woman cheereth the countenance of her husband, and a man desireth nothing more.
25 If she have a tongue that can cure, and likewise mitigate and show mercy: her husband is not like other men.
26 He that possesseth a good wife, beginneth a possession: she is a help like to himself, and a pillar of rest.
27 Where there is no hedge, the possession shall be spoiled: and where there is no wife, he mourneth that is in want.
28 Who will trust him that hath no rest, and that lodgeth wheresoever the night taketh him, as a robber well appointed, that skippeth from city to city.

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Miserere nostri, Deus omnium, et respice nos,
et ostende nobis lucem miserationum tuarum:
2 et immitte timorem tuum super gentes quæ non exquisierunt te,
ut cognoscant quia non est deus nisi tu,
et enarrent magnalia tua.
3 Alleva manum tuam super gentes alienas,
ut videant potentiam tuam.
4 Sicut enim in conspectu eorum sanctificatus es in nobis,
sic in conspectu nostro magnificaberis in eis:
5 ut cognoscant te, sicut et nos cognovimus
quoniam non est deus præter te, Domine.
6 Innova signa, et immuta mirabilia.
7 Glorifica manum et brachium dextrum.
8 Excita furorem, et effunde iram.
9 Tolle adversarium, et afflige inimicum.
10 Festina tempus, et memento finis,
ut enarrent mirabilia tua.
11 In ira flammæ devoretur qui salvatur:
et qui pessimant plebem tuam inveniant perditionem.
12 Contere caput principum inimicorum,
dicentium: Non est alius præter nos.
13 Congrega omnes tribus Jacob,
ut cognoscant quia non est deus nisi tu,
et enarrent magnalia tua,
et hæreditabis eos sicut ab initio.
14 Miserere plebi tuæ, super quam invocatum est nomen tuum,
et Israël quem coæquasti primogenito tuo.
15 Miserere civitati sanctificationis tuæ,
Jerusalem, civitati requiei tuæ.
16 Reple Sion inenarrabilibus verbis tuis,
et gloria tua populum tuum.
17 Da testimonium his qui ab initio creaturæ tuæ sunt,
et suscita prædicationes quas locuti sunt in nomine tuo prophetæ priores.
18 Da mercedem sustinentibus te,
ut prophetæ tui fideles inveniantur:
et exaudi orationes servorum tuorum,
19 secundum benedictionem Aaron de populo tuo:
et dirige nos in viam justitiæ,
et sciant omnes qui habitant terram
quia tu es Deus conspector sæculorum.
20 Omnem escam manducabit venter:
et est cibus cibo melior.
21 Fauces contingunt cibum feræ,
et cor sensatum verba mendacia.
22 Cor pravum dabit tristitiam,
et homo peritus resistet illi.
23 Omnem masculum excipiet mulier:
et est filia melior filia.
24 Species mulieris exhilarat faciem viri sui,
et super omnem concupiscentiam hominis superducit desiderium.
25 Si est lingua curationis,
est et mitigationis et misericordiæ:
non est vir illius secundum filios hominum.
26 Qui possidet mulierem bonam inchoat possessionem:
adjutorium secundum illum est, et columna ut requies.
27 Ubi non est sepes, diripietur possessio:
et ubi non est mulier, ingemiscit egens.
28 Quis credit ei qui non habet nidum,
et deflectens ubicumque obscuraverit,
quasi succinctus latro exiliens de civitate in civitatem?
Copyright © 2008 by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

CONTACT US