Sirach 44

Let us now praise famous men,

And our fathers that begat us.

²The Lord hath wrought great glory by them

Through his great power from the beginning.

³Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms,

Men renowned for their power,

Giving counsel by their understanding,

And ^adeclaring prophecies:

⁴Leaders of the people by their counsels,

And by their knowledge of learning meet for the people,

Wise and eloquent in their instructions:

^5bSuch as found out musical tunes,

And recited verses in writing:

⁶Rich men furnished with ^cability,

Living peaceably in their habitations:

⁷All these were honoured in their generations,

And were the glory of their times.

⁸There be of them, that have left a name behind them,

That their praises might be reported.

⁹And some there be, which have no memorial;

^dWho are perished, ^eas though they had never been;

And are become as though they had never been born;

And their children after them.

¹⁰But ^fthese were merciful men,

Whose righteousness hath not been forgotten.

^11gWith their seed shall continually remain a good inheritance,

And their children are ^hwithin the covenant.

¹²ⁱTheir seed standeth fast, and their children for their sakes.

¹³Their seed shall remain for ever,

And ^jtheir glory shall not be blotted out.

¹⁴Their bodies are buried in peace;

But their name liveth for evermore.

^15kThe people will tell of their wisdom,

And ^kthe congregation will shew forth their praise.

^16lEnoch pleased the Lord, and was translated,

Being an example of repentance to all generations.

^17mNoah was found perfect and righteous;

In the time of wrath he was taken in exchange for the world;

Therefore was he left as a remnant unto the earth,

When the flood came.

¹⁸ⁿAn everlasting covenant was made with him,

That all flesh should perish no more by the flood.

^19oAbraham was a great father of many people:

In glory was there none like unto him;

²⁰Who kept the law of the most High,

And was ^hin covenant with him:

^pHe established the covenant in his flesh;

And ^qwhen he was proved, he was found faithful.

²¹Therefore ^rhe assured him by an oath,

That he would bless the nations in his seed,

And that he would multiply him as the dust of the earth,

And exalt his seed as the stars,

And ^scause them to inherit from sea to sea,

And ^tfrom the river unto the utmost part of the land.

^22uWith Isaac did he establish likewise (for Abraham his father’s sake)

The blessing of all men and the covenant,

²³And ^xmade it rest upon the head of Jacob.

He acknowledged him in his blessing,

And ^ygave him an heritage,

And ^zdivided his portions;

Among the twelve tribes did he part them.

XLV.