and standingbehind[Him] at His feet,weeping,she beganto wetHis feetwith her tears,and kept wipingthem with the hairof her head,and kissingHis feetand anointingthem with the perfume.
"Pleaselet a littlewaterbe broughtand washyour feet,and restyourselvesunderthe tree;
Now while Ezrawas prayingand makingconfession,weepingand prostratinghimself beforethe houseof God,a verylargeassembly,men,womenand children,gatheredto him from Israel;for the peopleweptbitterly.
For I confessmy iniquity;I am fullof anxietybecauseof my sin.
The sacrificesof Godare a brokenspirit;A brokenand a contriteheart,O God,You will not despise.
Let your clothesbe whiteallthe time,and let not oilbe lackingon your head.
"Your oilshave a pleasingfragrance,Your nameis [like] purifiedoil;Thereforethe maidensloveyou.
"You have journeyedto the kingwith oilAnd increasedyour perfumes;You have sentyour envoysa great distanceAnd made [them] godownto Sheol.
To grantthose who mourn[in] Zion,Givingthem a garlandinsteadof ashes,The oilof gladnessinsteadof mourning,The mantleof praiseinsteadof a spiritof fainting.So they will be calledoaksof righteousness,The plantingof the LORD,that He may be glorified.
"With weepingthey will come,And by supplicationI will leadthem; I will make them walkby streamsof waters,On a straightpathin which they will not stumble;For I ama fatherto Israel,And Ephraimis My firstborn."
"Yet evennow,"declaresthe LORD,"Returnto Me with allyour heart,And with fasting,weepingand mourning;
"I will pourout on the houseof Davidand on the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,the Spiritof graceand of supplication,so that they will lookon Me whomthey have pierced;and they will mournfor Him, as one mournsfor an onlyson,and they will weepbitterlyoverHim like the bitterweepingovera firstborn.
"Blessedare thosewho mourn,for they shall be comforted.
And he wentout and weptbitterly.
"Blessed[are] you who hungernow,for you shall be satisfied.Blessed[are] you who weepnow,for you shall laugh.
And there was a womanin the citywhowas a sinner;and when she learnedthat He was reclining[at the table] in the Pharisee'shouse,she broughtan alabaster vialof perfume,
Nowwhen the Phariseewho had invitedHim sawthis, he saidto himself,"Ifthis manwere a prophetHe would knowwhoand what sort of personthiswomanis whois touchingHim, that she is a sinner."
It was the Marywho anointedthe Lordwith ointment,and wipedHis feetwith her hair,whosebrotherLazaruswas sick.
Be miserableand mournand weep;let your laughterbe turnedinto mourningand your joyto gloom.
