Sirach 44–45

44Let me now hymn the praisesof men of piety,

Of our fathers in their generations.

No little glory did the Most High allot them,

And they were greatfrom the days of old:

⁽Men⁽ who wielded dominion over the earth in their royalty,

And men of renown in their might;

Counsellors in their discernment,

And all-seeing in their prophetic ⁽power⁽;

Princes of nationsin their statesmanship,

And ⁽trusted⁽ leaders in their penetration;

Clever of speechin their ⁽scribal⁽ instruction,

and speakers of wise sayings in their tradition;

Devisers of psalms according to rule,

And authors of proverbs in books;

Men of resourceand supported with strength,

And living at ease in their dwelling-places:

All these were honouredin their generation,

And in their dayshad glory.

Some of them there are who have left a name,

That men might tell of their praise:

And some of them there are who have no memorial,

So that there was an end of them when they came to their end;

They were as though they had not been,

And their children after them.

Nevertheless these were men of piety,

And their good fortune shall not come to an end;

With their seed their prosperity remaineth sure,

And their inheritance to their children’s children.

In their covenant their seed abideth,

And their children’s children for their sakes;

Their memory abideth for ever,

And their righteousness shall not be forgotten;

Their bodies were buried in peace,

But their name liveth unto all generations.

The assembly recounteth their wisdom,

And the congregation declareth their praise.

Enoch walked with Jahveh ^[and was taken^[,

A miracle of knowledge to all generations.

Noah the righteous was found blameless;

In the season of destruction he became the continuator;

For his sake there was a remnant,

And by reason of the covenant with him the Flood ceased.

By an eternal sign⁽God⁽ concluded it with him,

Not to destroy ⁽again⁽ all flesh.

Abraham, ‘the father of a multitude of nations’,

Tarnished not his glory;

Who kept the commandment of the Most High,

And entered into a covenant with Him:

In his flesh He engraved him an ordinance,

And in trial he was found faithful.

Therefore with an oath He promised him

‘To blessthe nations in his seed’,

To multiply him ‘as the dust of the earth’,

And to exalt his seed ‘as the stars’;

To cause them to inherit ‘from sea to sea,

And from the River to the ends of the earth’.

And to Isaac also He promised itlikewise,

For his father Abraham’s sake;

And the blessing of all predecessors

Rested upon the head of Israel;

And He titled him with the dignity of firstborn,

And gave him his inheritance;

And He set him in tribes,

So as to be divided into twelve.

And He caused to issuefrom hima man

Who found favour in the sight of all living.

45Beloved of God and men

Was Moses of happy memory.

And ^〈He made him glorious as^〈 God,

And mighty in awe-inspiring deeds.

By his wordshe brought ^〈signs^〈 swiftly to pass,

And He emboldened him in the presence of the king.

And He gave him a charge ^〈unto his people^〈,

And showed him ^〈His glory^〈.

For his faithfulness and meekness

He chose him out of all ^〈flesh^〈.

AndHe caused him to hear His voice,

And let him draw nigh into the dark cloud.

And He placedin his handthe commandment,

Even the Law of life and discernment;

That he might teach His statutesunto Jacob,

And His testimonies and judgementsunto Israel.

And He exalted a holy one ^〈like unto him^〈,

Even Aaron of the tribe of Levi.

And He made him an eternal ordinance,

And bestowed upon him His majesty:

And He blessed himwith His glory,

And girded him with beauteous magnificence:

And He clothed him with the perfection of adornment,

And adorned himwith splendid vestments—

The breeches, the tunic and robe—

And encompassed him with pomegranates,

And with resounding bells round about,

That he might make music with his steps,

So as to cause, the sound of him to be audible in the inmost shrine,

For a memorial for the children of his people:

⁽With⁽ the holy garments of gold and violet

And purple, the work of the designer;

⁽With⁽ the breastplate of judgement, ⁽with⁽ the ephod and waistcloth,

And ⁽with⁽ scarlet, the work of the weaver;

⁽With⁽ precious stones seal-engraven

In settings, ^〈the work of the stone-engraver^〈;

For a memorial in graven writing,

According to the number of the tribes of Israel.

⁽With⁽ the crown of pure gold ^〈(resting⁽ upon^〈 the mitre,

The diadem engraven, ‘Holy to Jahveh’ —

Majesty most glorious, praise most puissant,

The desire of the eyes, and the perfection of beauty!

Before him there was nothing like them,

And no stranger shall He clothe therewith for ever:

So ^〈He trusted him and^〈 his sons,

And ^〈his sons’ sons^〈throughout their generations.

His ⁽Aaron’s⁽ meal-offering is wholly consumed

Twice every day as a continual sacrifice.

Moses consecrated him,

And anointed him with the holy oil;

And it became for him an eternal covenant,

And for his seed, as long as the heavens endure;

To minister ⁽to God⁽ and for Him to execute the priest’s office,

And to bless His people in His name.

He chose him out of all living,

To bring near the burnt-offering and fat pieces,

And to burn a sweet savour and a memorial,

And make atonement for the children of Israel.

And He gave him His commandments,

And invested him with authority over statute and judgement,

That he might teach His people statutes,

And judgements unto the children of Israel.

But strangers were incensed against him,

And became jealous of him in the wilderness;

The men of Dathan and Abiram,

And the congregation of Korah in their violent anger.

And Jahveh saw it and was angered,

And consumed them in His fierce wrath:

And He brought a sign to pass upon them

And devoured themwith His fiery flame.

And ^〈He increased^〈 Aaron’s glory,

And gave him his inheritance:

^〈The holy contributions^〈He gave him for sustenance,

And the fire-offerings of Jahveh they might eat:

^〈The presence-bread^〈 is his portion,

And the gift-sacrifice for him and for his seed.

Only ^〈in the land of the people^〈 might he have no heritage,

And in their midst divide no inheritance;

Whose portion and inheritance is Jahveh

In the midst of the children of Israel.

Moreover Phinehas the son of Eleazar

^〈Was glorious^〈 in might ^〈as a third^〈,

In that he was jealous for the God of all,

And stood in the breach for his people;

While his heart prompted him,

And he made atonementfor the children of Israel.

Therefore for him, too, He established an ordinance,

A covenant of peace to maintain the sanctuary:

That to him and to his seed should appẹrtain

The High-Priesthood for ever.

Also His covenant was with David,

The son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah;

^〈The inheritance of the king is his son’s alone^〈,

While the inheritance of Aaron ⁽belongs⁽ to him and to his seed.

And now bless ye Jahveh,

Who has crowned you with honour;

May He grant you wisdom of heart,

^〈To judge His people in righteousness^〈;

That your prosperitymay never cease,

Nor your powerfor perpetual generations.