Sirach 48

48Until there arose a prophet like fire,

Whose word was like a burning furnace.

And he broke for them the staff of bread,

And by his zealmade them few in number.

By the word of Godhe shut up the heavens;

Fire also descended thrice.

How terrible wast thou, Elijah!

And he who is like thee shall be glorified.

Who didst raise up a dead man from death,

And from Sheol, according to the good pleasure of Jahveh;

Who broughtest down kings to the Pit,

And them that were honoured from their beds ^[of sickness^[;

Who heardest rebukes in Sinai,

And judgements of vengeance in Horeb.

Who anointedst kingsfor retribution,

And a prophet as successor in thy place.

Who wast taken upwards in a whirlwind,

And by fiery troops to the heavens.

Who art ready for the time, as it is written,

To still wrath before the fierce anger of God,

To turn the heart of the fathers unto the children,

And to restore the tribes of Israel.

Blessed is he that seeth thee, and dieth,

Elijah was hidden in the ^[heavenly^[ chambers,

Then was Elisha filled with his spirit.

In double measure did he multiply signs,

And marvellous was all that went forth out of his mouth.

All his days he moved before no man,

And no flesh exercised authority over his spirit;

Nothing was too wonderful for him,

And from his grave his flesh prophesied.

In his life he did wonderful acts,

And in his death marvellous works.

For all this the people turned not,

And ceased not from their sins;

Until they were plucked from their land,

And were scattered in all the earth.

And there were left unto Judah but a few;

But still a prince was left unto the house of David.

Some among them did that which was right,

And some among themcommitted fearful sin.

Hezekiah fortified his city,

In that he brought water into the midst thereof,

And hewed through the rocks with iron,

And dammed up the pool with mountains.

In his days Sennacherib came up,

And sent Rabshakeh,

And stretched forth his hand against Zion,

And blasphemed God in his arrogancy.

Then were they shaken in the pride of their heart,

And they writhed as a woman in travail;

And they called unto God Most High,

And spread out their hands unto Him;

And He heard the voice of their prayer,

And saved them by the hand of Isaiah;

And He smote the army of Assyria,

And discomfited them by the plague.

For Hezekiah didthat which was good,

—And was strong in the ways of David—

Which Isaiah the prophet commanded him,

Who was great and faithful in his vision.

In his days the sun went backward,

And he added life unto the king.

By a spirit of might he saw the future,

And comforted the mourners of Zion.

Unto eternity he declared the things that shall be,

And hidden things before they came to pass.