Sirach 48
48 1 Untila there aroseb a prophet like fire,
Whosec wordd was elike a burning furnacee.
HB 2 fAnd he broke for them the staff of breadf,
gAnd by his zealh imade them few in numberi g.
3 By the word of Godk lhe shut up the heavensl;
Firem alson descended thriceo.
4 pHow terrible wast thou, Elijahp!
And he who is like thee shall be glorifiedq.
5 Who didst raise up a dead man rfrom deathr,
Ands from Sheolt, uaccording to the good pleasureu of Jahvehv;
6 Who broughtest down wkings to the Pitx,
Andw them that were honoured from their bedsy [of sickness];
7 zWho heardesta rebukesb in Sinai,
cAnd judgements of vengeance in Horebc.
8 Who anointedst kingsd efor retributione,
fAnd a prophet as successor in thy placef.
9 Who wast taken upwards gin a whirlwindg,
hAnd by fiery troops to the heavensh.
10 iWho art ready for the time, as it is writteni,
kTo still wrath before the fierce anger of Godl k,
HB To mturn the heart ofm the nfathers unto the childrenn,
And oto restore theo tribes of Israelp.
11 qBlessed is he that seeth thee, and diethq,
(n) 48:12–16. Elisha. The sinfulness of the people and their punishment
S G 12 sElijah was hidden in the [heavenly] chamberss,
G tThen was Elisha filled with his spiritt u.
HB vIn double measure did he multiply signs,
And marvellous was all that went forth out of his mouthv.
All his days he moved wbefore no manw,
xAnd no fleshx exercised authority over his spirity;
HB 13 Nothing was ztoo wonderful for himz,
zzAnd afrom his gravea his fleshaa prophesiedb zz.
14 Inc his life he did wonderful acts,
And in hisd death marvellous works.
15 For all this the people turnede not,
And ceasedf not from theirg sinsgg;
Until they were pluckedh from their land,
And were scattered in all the earth.
iAnd there were left kunto Judah but a fewk i;
lBut still a prince was left unto the house of Davidl.
16 Some among them did mthat which was rightm,
And some namong themn ocommitted fearful sino.
(o) 48:17–25. Hezekiah and Isaiah
(= 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 3 distichs).
17 Hezekiah fortifiedp hisq city,
rIn that he broughtr waters into the midst thereof,
tAnd hewed through the rocks with iront,
uAnd dammed up the pool with mountainsu.
18 In his days Sennacherib came upv,
And sent Rabshakehw,
xAnd stretched forthx his handy against Zion,
And blasphemedz God ina his arrogancy.
HB 19 bThenc were they shaken din the pride of their heartd,
And they writhed as ea woman in travaile b;
20 fAnd they called unto gGod Most Highg f,
hAnd spread out their hands unto Himh;
iAnd He heard kthe voice of their prayerk i,
And savedl them by the hand of Isaiahm;
21 And He smoten the army of Assyria,
oAnd discomfited them by the plagueo.
22 pFor Hezekiah didp qthat which was goodq,
—And was strongr in the ways of Davids—
G tWhich Isaiah the prophetu commanded himv,
Who was great and faithful in his vision.
23 wIn his days the sun went backwardw,
And he added life unto the king.
HB 24 By a spirit of might he saw the futurex,
And comforted ythe mourners of Ziony.
25 zUnto eternity he declared the things that shall be,
And hidden things before they came to passz.