Sirach 47

And after him rose up ^aNathan to prophesy in the time of David.

²As is ^bthe fat taken away from the peace offering,

^cSo was David chosen out of the children of Israel.

³He played with ^dlions as with kids,

And with ^dbears as with lambs.

^4eSlew he not a giant, when he was yet but young?

And did he not take away reproach from the people,

When he lifted up his hand with the stone in the sling,

And beat down the boasting of Goliath?

⁵For he called upon the most high Lord;

And he gave him strength in his right hand

To slay that mighty warrior,

And ^fset up the horn of his people.

^6gSo the people honoured him with ten thousands,

And praised him in the blessings of the Lord,

In that he gave him a crown of glory.

⁷For ^hhe destroyed the enemies on every side,

And brought to nought ⁱthe Philistines his adversaries,

And ^kbrake their horn in sunder unto this day.

⁸In all his works he praised the Holy One most high with words of glory;

^lWith his whole heart he sung songs,

And loved him that made him.

^9mHe set singers also before the altar,

That by their voices they might make sweet melody,

And daily sing praises in their songs.

¹⁰He beautified their feasts,

And set in order the solemn times until the end,

That they might praise his holy name,

And that the temple might sound from morning.

¹¹ⁿThe Lord took away his sins,

And ^fexalted his horn for ever:

^oHe gave him a covenant of kings,

And a throne of glory in Israel.

¹²After him rose up a wise son,

And for his sake ^phe dwelt at large.

^13qSolomon reigned in a peaceable time, and was honoured;

For God made all quiet round about him,

^qThat he might build a house in his name,

And prepare his sanctuary for ever.

^14rHow wise wast thou in thy youth,

And, ^sas a flood, filled with understanding!

¹⁵Thy soul covered the whole earth,

And thou filledst it with ^tdark parables.

^16uThy name went ^ufar unto the islands;

And for thy peace thou wast beloved.

^17vThe countries marvelled at thee for thy songs,

And ^tproverbs, and ^tparables, and interpretations.

¹⁸By the name of the Lord God,

Which is called the Lord God of Israel,

^wThou didst gather gold as ^xtin,

And didst multiply silver as ^xlead.

^19yThou didst bow thy loins unto women,

And by thy body thou wast brought into subjection.

^20zThou didst stain thy honour,

And pollute thy seed:

So that thou broughtest wrath upon thy children,

And wast grieved for thy folly.

²¹So ^athe kingdom was divided,

And out of Ephraim ruled a rebellious kingdom.

^22bBut the Lord will never leave off his mercy,

Neither shall any of his works perish,

Neither will he abolish the posterity of ^chis elect,

And the seed of him that loveth him he will not take away:

Wherefore he gave a remnant unto Jacob,

And ^dout of him a root unto David.

^23eThus rested Solomon with his fathers,

And of his seed he left behind him Roboam,

Even the foolishness of the people, and one that had no understanding,

Who ^fturned away the people through his counsel.

There was also ^gJeroboam the son of Nabat,

^hWho caused Israel to sin,

And shewed Ephraim the way of sin:

²⁴And their sins were multiplied exceedingly,

ⁱThat they were driven out of the land.

²⁵For they sought out all wickedness,

Till the vengeance came upon them.

XLVIII.