A Prayer for Israel
1 O Lord God of the universe, look upon us and have mercy. 2 Make every nation stand in fear of you. 3 Take action against the foreign nations, and let them witness your power! 4 You have used us to show them how holy you are; now use them to show us how great you are. 5 Let them learn, as we have learned, that there is no God, O Lord, but you. 6 Give new signs, perform new miracles; show us your glorious strength! 7-9 Bring on that appointed time when everyone can talk about the great things you do. Pour out your furious, flaming anger, and let none of our enemies survive. Destroy those who have oppressed your people. 10 Crush all those enemy rulers who think they are the only people in the world who matter! 11 Gather the tribes of Israel together again, and give them back their land as you gave it to them long ago. 12 Lord, have mercy on Israel, the people who are known by your name, whom you called your first-born son. 13 Take pity on Jerusalem, your holy city, where you chose to stay. 14 Fill your Temple on Mount Zion with your glory and with hymns of praise. 15 Testify for your people, whom you created in the beginning; fulfill the prophecies that have been spoken in your name. 16 Reward those who have put their faith in you, and vindicate your prophets. 17 You have always been gracious to your people; listen to your servants as we pray. Then everyone on earth will recognize that you are the Lord, the God of the ages.
Choosing a Wife
18 Any kind of food can be eaten, but some foods are better than others. 19 And just as the tongue can distinguish the flavors of different kinds of meat, so a sharp mind can detect lies. 20 A person with a warped mind causes trouble, but an experienced person knows how to pay it back.
21 A woman has to take any man as a husband, but a man must choose his wife carefully. 22 A woman's beauty makes a man happy; there is no fairer sight for the human eye to see. 23 If the woman is kind and gentle in her speech, her husband is the most fortunate of men. 24 When a man marries, he gets the finest thing he will ever have—a wife to help and encourage him.
25 If property is not fenced in, thieves will wander in and help themselves. And if a man has no wife, he is a sighing wanderer; 26 people have no more trust in a homeless person who sleeps in a different place every night than they have in a wandering thief who goes from town to town.
Lūgšana par Israēlu
1 Apžēlojies par mums, Valdniek, visu Dievs,
2 iedves bijību pret sevi visām tautām!
3 Ar savu roku vērsies pret svešām tautām,
lai tavu varenību redz!
4 Tāpat kā tautu acu priekšā tu esi svēti godāts mūsu vidū,
tā mūsu acu priekšā iemanto sev slavu tautu vidū!
5 Lai tautas atzīst tevi, kā mēs esam atzinuši,
ka nav neviena dieva, Kungs, vienīgi tu.
6 Atjauno zīmes! Liec brīnumiem mainīties!
7 Vainago savu roku un savu labo delmu ar slavu!
8 Atraisi dusmas! Ļauj niknumam līties!
9 Pretinieku iznīcini un satriec naidnieku!
10 Tuvini brīdi – piemini solīto!
Lai stāsta par taviem dižajiem darbiem!
11 Lai izglābušos aprij uguns liesmas!
Lai aiziet bojā tie, kas tavai tautai dara ļaunu!
12 Satriec galvu naidnieku vadoņiem,
kas apgalvo: “Vienīgi mēs, nav neviena cita!”
13 Sapulcini visas Jēkaba ciltis
un iecel par mantiniekiem – tāpat kā sākumā!
17 Apžēlojies par tautu, ko dēvē, Kungs, tavā vārdā,
par Israēlu, ko pirmdzimušajam esi darījis līdzīgu.
18 Izturies ar līdzjūtību pret savas svētnīcas pilsētu,
Jeruzālemi, savu atpūtas vietu.
19 Piepildi Ciānu ar savu slavu,
tautu – ar savu godību.
20 Liecini tiem, kurus tu esi radījis iesākumā!
Liec īstenoties pravietojumiem, kas vēstīti tavā vārdā!
21 Atlīdzini tiem, kas gaida tevi!
Dari, lai tiktu atzīts, ka tavi pravieši ir pelnījuši uzticību.
22 Savas saimes ļaužu lūgšanu uzklausi, Kungs,
pēc Ārona svētības tavai tautai,
tad visi zemes iemītnieki zinās,
ka tu esi Kungs, mūžīgais Dievs.
Izvēles nepieciešamība
23 Jebkuru ēdienu notiesās vēders,
taču ne visi ir vienlīdz labi;
24 kā medījuma garšu samana mēle,
tā saprātīga sirds – melīgus vārdus.
25 Samaitāta sirds sāpina,
pieredzējis cilvēks atmaksās.
Sievas izvēle
26 Kuru katru vīrieti pieņems sieviete,
bet viena meitene labāka nekā otra.
27 Sievietes skaistums iepriecē skatienu
un pārspēj visu, ko cilvēks kāro,
28 taču, ja žēlsirdība sievai uz lūpām un lēnprātība,
kā vīram klājas – ar citiem nav salīdzināms.
29 Kas apņem sievu, ir guvis ieguvumu:
palīgu – tādu kā pats – un atbalstu atpūšoties.
30 Kur žoga nav, tur izlaupa īpašumu;
kur sievas nav, tur grūti pūš klaiņotājs,
31 jo kurš gan uzticētos laupītājam,
kas sajozies dauzās no pilsētas pilsētā;
kas uzticēsies cilvēkam,
kuram nav savas ligzdas
un kurš nakšņo, kur pagadās?
