(ECCLESIASTICUS, OR THE WISDOM OF JESUS, SON OF SIRACH)
Chapter 48
1: Then Elijah arose, a prophet like fire, and his word burned like a torch.
2: He brought a famine upon them, and by his zeal he made them few in number.
3: By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, and also three times brought down fire.
4: How glorious you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Whose glory is equal to yours?
5: You raised a corpse from death and from Hades, by the word of the Most High.
6: You sent kings down to destruction, and famous men, from their sickbeds.
7: You heard rebuke at Sinai and judgements of vengeance at Horeb.
8: You anointed kings to inflict retribution, and prophets to succeed you.
9: You were taken up by a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with horses of fire.
10: At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
11: Happy are those who saw you and were adorned with your love! For we also shall surely live.
12: When Elijah was enveloped in the whirlwind, Elisha was filled with his spirit. He performed twice as many signs, and marvels with every utterance of his mouth. Never in his lifetime did he tremble before any ruler, nor could anyone intimidate him at all.
13: Nothing was too hard for him, and when he was dead, his body prophesied.
14: In his life he did wonders, and in death his deeds were marvellous.
15: Despite all this the people did not repent, nor did they forsake their sins, until they were carried off as plunder from their land, and were scattered over all the earth. The people were left very few in number, but with a ruler from the house of David.
16: Some of them did what was right, but others sinned more and more.
17: Hezekiah fortified his city, and brought water into its midst; he tunnelled the rock with iron tools, and built cisterns for the water.
18: In his days Sennacherib invaded the country; he sent his commander and departed;
he shook his fist against Zion, and made great boasts in his arrogance.
19: Then their hearts were shaken and their hands trembled, and they were in anguish, like women in labour.
20: But they called upon the Lord who is merciful, spreading out their hands towards him. The Holy One quickly heard them from heaven, and delivered them through Isaiah.
21: The Lord struck down the camp of the Assyrians, and his angel wiped them out.
22: For Hezekiah did what was pleasing to the Lord, and he kept firmly to the ways of his ancestor David, as he was commanded by the prophet Isaiah, who was great and trustworthy in his visions.
23: In Isaiah’s days the sun went backwards, and he prolonged the life of the king.
24: By his dauntless spirit he saw the future, and comforted the mourners in Zion.
25: He revealed what was to occur to the end of time, and the hidden things before they happened.
Chapter 49
1:The name of Josiah is like blended incense prepared by the skill of the perfumer; his memory is as sweet as honey to every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wine.
2: He did what was right by reforming the people, and removing the wicked abominations.
3: He kept his heart fixed on the Lord; in lawless times he made godliness prevail.
4: Except for David and Hezekiah and Josiah, all of them were great sinners, for they abandoned the law of the Most High; the kings of Judah came to an end.
5: They gave their power to others and their glory to a foreign nation,
6: who set fire to the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made its streets desolate, as Jeremiah had foretold.
7: For they had maltreated him, who even in the womb had been consecrated a prophet, to pluck up and ruin and destroy, and likewise to build and to plant.
8: It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of glory, which God showed him above the chariot of the cherubim.
9: For God also mentioned Job, who held fast to all the ways of justice.
10: May the bones of the Twelve Prophets send forth new life from where they lie, for they comforted the people of Jacob and delivered them with confident hope.
11: How shall we magnify Zerubbabel? He was like a signet ring on the right hand,
12: and so was Jeshua son of Jozadak; in their days they built the house
and raised a temple holy to the Lord, destined for everlasting glory.
13: The memory of Nehemiah also is lasting; he raised our fallen walls,
and set up gates and bars, and rebuilt our ruined houses.
14: Few have ever been created on earth like Enoch, for he was taken up from the earth.
15: Nor was anyone ever born like Joseph; even his bones were cared for.
16: Shem and Seth and Enosh were honoured, but above every other created living being was Adam.
Chapter 50
1: The leader of his brothers and the pride of his people was the high priest, Simon son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house, and in his time fortified the temple.
2: He laid the foundations for the high double walls, the high retaining walls for the temple enclosure.
3: In his days a water cistern was dug, a reservoir like the sea in circumference.
4: He considered how to save his people from ruin, and fortified the city against siege.
5: How glorious he was, surrounded by the people, as he came out of the house of the curtain.
6: Like the morning star among the clouds, like the full moon at the festal season;
7: like the sun shining on the temple of the Most High, like the rainbow gleaming in splendid clouds;
8: like roses in the days of first fruits, like lilies by a spring of water, like a green shoot on Lebanon on a summer day;
9: like fire and incense in the censer, like a vessel of hammered gold studded with all kinds of precious stones;
10: like an olive tree laden with fruit, and like a cypress towering in the clouds.
11: When he put on his glorious robe and clothed himself in perfect splendour,
when he went up to the holy altar, he made the court of the sanctuary glorious.
12: When he received the portions from the hands of the priests, as he stood by the hearth of the altar with a garland of brothers around him, he was like a young cedar on Lebanon surrounded by the trunks of palm trees.
13: All the sons of Aaron in their splendour held the Lord’s offering in their hands before the whole congregation of Israel.
14: Finishing the service at the altars, and arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty,
15: he held out his hand for the cup and poured a drink-offering of the blood of the grape;
he poured it out at the foot of the altar, a pleasing odour to the Most High, the king of all.
16: Then the sons of Aaron shouted; they blew their trumpets of hammered metal;
they sounded a mighty fanfare as a reminder before the Most High.
17: Then all the people together quickly fell to the ground on their faces to worship their Lord, the Almighty, God Most High.
18: Then the singers praised him with their voices in sweet and full-toned melody.
19: And the people of the Lord Most High offered their prayers before the Merciful One,
until the order of worship of the Lord was ended, and they completed his ritual.
20: Then Simon came down and raised his hands over the whole congregation of Israelites, to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to glory in his name;
21: and they bowed down in worship a second time, to receive the blessing from the Most High.
22: And now bless the God of all, who everywhere works great wonders, who fosters our growth from birth, and deals with us according to his mercy.
23: May he give us gladness of heart, and may there be peace in our days in Israel, as in the days of old.
24: May he entrust to us his mercy, and may he deliver us in our days!
25: Two nations my soul detests, and the third is not even a people:
26: Those who live in Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people that live in Shechem.
27: Instruction in understanding and knowledge I have written in this book, Jesus son of Eleazar son of Sirach of Jerusalem, whose mind poured forth wisdom.
28: Happy are those who concern themselves with these things, and those who lay them to heart will become wise.
29: For if they put them into practice, they will be equal to anything, for the fear of the Lord is their path.
Chapter 51
Prayer of Jesus Son of Sirach
1: I give you thanks, O Lord and King, and praise you, O God my Saviour. I give thanks to your name,
2: for you have been my protector and helper and have delivered me from destruction and from the trap laid by a slanderous tongue, from lips that fabricate lies. In the face of my adversaries you have been my helper 3a:nd delivered me, in the greatness of your mercy and of your name, from grinding teeth about to devour me, from the hand of those seeking my life, from the many troubles I endured,
4: from choking fire on every side, and from the midst of fire that I had not kindled,
5: from the deep belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue and lying words –
6: the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death, and my life was on the brink of Hades below.
7: They surrounded me on every side, and there was no one to help me; I looked for human assistance, and there was none.
8: Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your kindness from of old, for you rescue those who wait for you and save them from the hand of their enemies.
9: And I sent up my prayer from the earth, and begged for rescue from death.
10: I cried out, ‘Lord, you are my Father; do not forsake me in the days of trouble, when there is no help against the proud.
11: I will praise your name continually, and will sing hymns of thanksgiving.’ My prayer was heard,
12: for you saved me from destruction and rescued me in time of trouble. For this reason I thank you and praise you, and I bless the name of the Lord.
Hebrew adds:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to the God of praises, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to the guardian of Israel, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to him, who formed all things, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to the redeemer of Israel, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to him who gathers the dispersed of Israel, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to him who rebuilt his city and his sanctuary, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to him who makes a horn to sprout for the house of David, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to him who has chosen the sons of Zadok to be priests, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to the shield of Abraham, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to the rock of Isaac, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to the mighty one of Jacob, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to him who has chosen Zion, for his mercy endures for ever;
Give thanks to the King of the kings of kings, for his mercy endures for ever;
He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his loyal ones.
For the children of Israel, the people close to him. Praise the Lord!
13: While I was still young, before I went on my travels, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
14: Before the temple I asked for her, and I will search for her until the end.
15: From the first blossom to the ripening grape my heart delighted in her; my foot walked on the straight path; from my youth I followed her steps.
16: I inclined my ear a little and received her, and I found for myself much instruction.
17: I made progress in her; to him who gives wisdom I will give glory.
18: For I resolved to live according to wisdom, and I was zealous for the good, and I shall never be disappointed.
19: My soul grappled with wisdom, and in my conduct I was strict; I spread out my hands to the heavens, and lamented my ignorance of her.
20: I directed my soul to her, and in purity I found her. With her I gained understanding from the first; therefore I will never be forsaken.
21: My heart was stirred to seek her; therefore I have gained a prize possession.
22: The Lord gave me my tongue as a reward, and I will praise him with it.
23: Draw near to me, you who are uneducated, and lodge in the house of instruction.
24: Why do you say you are lacking in these things, and why do you endure such great thirst?
25: I opened my mouth and said, Acquire wisdom for yourselves without money.
26: Put your neck under her yoke, and let your souls receive instruction; it is to be found close by.
27: See with your own eyes that I have laboured but little and found for myself much serenity.
28: Hear but a little of my instruction, and through me you will acquire silver and gold.
29: May your soul rejoice in God’s mercy, and may you never be ashamed to praise him.
30: Do your work in good time, and in his own time God will give you your reward.
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