“Salt ¹  is good, but if salt loses its flavor, ²  how can its flavor be restored?

I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I ¹  taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I ²  continue to be a burden to my lord the king?

They ¹  went ²  to the chief priests ³  and the elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath ⁴  not to partake ⁵  of anything until we have killed Paul.

You prove to be loyal ¹  to one who is faithful; ²  you prove to be trustworthy ³  to one who is innocent. ⁴ 

“You are the salt ¹  of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, ²  how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people.

“From its earliest days Moab has lived undisturbed. It has never been taken into exile. Its people are like wine allowed to settle undisturbed on its dregs, never poured out from one jar to another. They are like wine which tastes like it always did, whose aroma has remained unchanged. ¹ 

“If ¹  evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, ² 

And another man ¹  dies in bitterness of soul, ²  never having tasted ³  anything good.

They press out the olive oil between the rows of olive trees; ¹  they tread the winepresses while they are thirsty. ² 

For the ear assesses ¹  words as the mouth ²  tastes food.

May those who say, “Aha! Aha!” be driven back ¹  and disgraced! ² 

in order to safeguard ¹  discretion, ²  and that your lips may guard knowledge.

For my mouth ¹  speaks truth, ²  and my lips ³  hate wickedness. ⁴ 

Pleasant words are like ¹  a honeycomb, ²  sweet to the soul and healing ³  to the bones.

Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine. ¹ 

ז (Zayin) Remember ¹  my impoverished and homeless condition, ²  which is a bitter poison. ³ 

I have desired ¹  no one’s silver or gold or clothing.

So Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I used the end of the staff that was in my hand to taste a little honey. I must die!” ¹ 

So ¹  I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He ²  said to me, “Take the scroll ³  and eat it. It ⁴  will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”

“As surely as God lives, ¹  who has denied me justice, ²  the Almighty, who has made my life bitter ³  –