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/Sir/ - Sirach

<< Wisdom Baruch >>The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus
The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus
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47And after him rose up Nathan to prophesy in the time of David.

2As is the fat taken away from the peace offering, so was David chosen out of the children of Israel.

3He played with lions as with kids, and with bears as with lambs.

4Slew 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 set up the horn of his people.

6So 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 he destroyed the enemies on every side, and brought to nought the Philistines his adversaries, and brake their horn in sunder unto this day.

8In all his works he praised the Holy One most high with words of glory; with his whole heart he sung songs, and loved him that made him.

9He 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.

11The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn for ever: he gave him a covenant of kings, and a throne of glory in Israel.

12After him rose up a wise son, and for his sake he dwelt at large.

13Solomon reigned in a peaceable time, and was honoured; for God made all quiet round about him, that he might build an house in his name, and prepare his sanctuary for ever.

14How wise wast thou in thy youth and, as a flood, filled with understanding!

15Thy soul covered the whole earth, and thou filledst it with dark parables.

16Thy name went far unto the islands; and for thy peace thou wast beloved.

17The countries marvelled at thee for thy songs, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations.

18By the name of the Lord God, which is called the Lord God of Israel, thou didst gather gold as tin and didst multiply silver as lead.

19Thou didst bow thy loins unto women, and by thy body thou wast brought into subjection.

20Thou didst stain thy honour, and pollute thy seed: so that thou broughtest wrath upon thy children, and wast grieved for thy folly.

21So the kingdom was divided, and out of Ephraim ruled a rebellious kingdom.

22But the Lord will never leave off his mercy, neither shall any of his works perish, neither will he abolish the posterity of his elect, and the seed of him that loveth him he will not take away: wherefore he gave a remnant unto Jacob, and out of him a root unto David.

23Thus 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 turned away the people through his counsel. There was also Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, and shewed Ephraim the way of sin:

24And their sins were multiplied exceedingly, that they were driven out of the land.

25For they sought out all wickedness, till the vengeance came upon them.

48Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.

2He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.

3By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.

4O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!

5Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the most High:

6Who broughtest kings to destruction, and honorable men from their bed:

7Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance:

8Who annointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him:

9Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:

10Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord’s judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

11Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.

12Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.

13No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied.

14He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.

15For all this the people repented not, neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David:

16Of whom some did that which was pleasing to God, and some multiplied sins.

17Ezekias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells for waters.

18In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion, and boasted proudly.

19Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.

20But they called upon the Lord which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay.

21He smote the host of the Assyrians, and his angel destroyed them.

22For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.

23In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king’s life.

24He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pass at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.

25He shewed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they came.

49The remembrance of Josias is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as musick at a banquet of wine.

2He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity.

3He directed his heart unto the Lord, and in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of God.

4All, except David and Ezekias and Josias, were defective: for they forsook the law of the most High, even the kings of Juda failed.

5Therefore he gave their power unto others, and their glory to a strange nation.

6They burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made the streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremias.

7For they entreated him evil, who nevertheless was a prophet, sanctified in his mother’s womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant.

8It was Ezekiel who saw the glorious vision, which was shewed him upon the chariot of the cherubims.

9For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of the rain, and directed them that went right.

10And of the twelve prophets let the memorial be blessed, and let their bones flourish again out of their place: for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them by assured hope.

11How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand:

12So was Jesus the son of Josedec: who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the Lord, which was prepared for everlasting glory.

13And among the elect was Neemias, whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again.

14But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch; for he was taken from the earth.

15Neither was there a young man born like Joseph, a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the Lord.

16Sem and Seth were in great honour among men, and so was Adam above every living thing in creation.

50Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house again, and in his days fortified the temple:

2And by him was built from the foundation the double height, the high fortress of the wall about the temple:

3In his days the cistern to receive water, being in compass as the sea, was covered with plates of brass:

4He took care of the temple that it should not fall, and fortified the city against besieging:

5How was he honoured in the midst of the people in his coming out of the sanctuary!

6He was as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full:

7As the sun shining upon the temple of the most High, and as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds:

8And as the flower of roses in the spring of the year, as lilies by the rivers of waters, and as the branches of the frankincense tree in the time of summer:

9As fire and incense in the censer, and as a vessel of beaten gold set with all manner of precious stones:

10And as a fair olive tree budding forth fruit, and as a cypress tree which groweth up to the clouds.

11When he put on the robe of honour, and was clothed with the perfection of glory, when he went up to the holy altar, he made the garment of holiness honourable.

12When he took the portions out of the priests’ hands, he himself stood by the hearth of the altar, compassed about, as a young cedar in Libanus; and as palm trees compassed they him round about.

13So were all the sons of Aaron in their glory, and the oblations of the Lord in their hands, before all the congregation of Israel.

14And finishing the service at the altar, that he might adorn the offering of the most high Almighty,

15He stretched out his hand to the cup, and poured of the blood of the grape, he poured out at the foot of the altar a sweetsmelling savour unto the most high King of all.

16Then shouted the sons of Aaron, and sounded the silver trumpets, and made a great noise to be heard, for a remembrance before the most High.

17Then all the people together hasted, and fell down to the earth upon their faces to worship their Lord God Almighty, the most High.

18The singers also sang praises with their voices, with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody.

19And the people besought the Lord, the most High, by prayer before him that is merciful, till the solemnity of the Lord was ended, and they had finished his service.

20Then he went down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the children of Israel, to give the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to rejoice in his name.

21And they bowed themselves down to worship the second time, that they might receive a blessing from the most High.

22Now therefore bless ye the God of all, which only doeth wondrous things every where, which exalteth our days from the womb, and dealeth with us according to his mercy.

23He grant us joyfulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days in Israel for ever:

24That he would confirm his mercy with us, and deliver us at his time!

25There be two manner of nations which my heart abhorreth, and the third is no nation:

26They that sit upon the mountain of Samaria, and they that dwell among the Philistines, and that foolish people that dwell in Sichem.

27Jesus the son of Sirach of Jerusalem hath written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge, who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.

28Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things; and he that layeth them up in his heart shall become wise.

29For if he do them, he shall be strong to all things: for the light of the Lord leadeth him, who giveth wisdom to the godly. Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. Amen, Amen.

51I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:

2For thou art my defender and helper, and has preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips that forge lies, and has been mine helper against mine adversaries:

3And hast delivered me, according to the multitude of they mercies and greatness of thy name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had;

4From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;

5From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.

6By an accusation to the king from an unrighteous tongue my soul drew near even unto death, my life was near to the hell beneath.

7They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.

8Then thought I upon thy mercy, O Lord, and upon thy acts of old, how thou deliverest such as wait for thee, and savest them out of the hands of the enemies.

9Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.

10I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no help.

11I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praises with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:

12For thou savedst me from destruction, and deliveredst me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise thee, and bless they name, O Lord.

13When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.

14I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.

15Even from the flower till the grape was ripe hath my heart delighted in her: my foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her.

16I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.

17I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.

18For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.

19My soul hath wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.

20I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be foresaken.

21My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.

22The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.

23Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.

24Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye to these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?

25I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.

26Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.

27Behold with your eyes, how that I have but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.

28Get learning with a great sum of money, and get much gold by her.

29Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.

30Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.


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