Sirach 45

¹Moses was beloved by God and men. The remembrance of him is a blessing.

²He made him like the holy ones in glory, and he magnified him by the fear of his enemies, and he appeased great portents by his words.

³He glorified him in the sight of kings, and he gave commandments to him in the sight of his people, and he revealed his glory to him.

⁴He made him holy by his faith and meekness, and he chose him from among all flesh.

⁵For he heard him and his voice, and he led him into a cloud.

⁶And he gave him precepts in his presence, with a law of life and discipline, so as to teach Jacob his covenant and Israel his judgments.

⁷He exalted his brother Aaron and those who were similar to him from the tribe of Levi.

⁸He established an eternal covenant with him, and he gave him the priesthood of the people, and he caused him to be blessed in glory.

⁹And he encircled him with a glorious belt, and he clothed him with a robe of glory, and he crowned him with virtuous attire.

¹⁰He placed upon him a garment to the feet, and pants, and an ephod, and he wrapped him all around with many little bells of gold,

¹¹so that there would be a sound at his arrival, and so as to make a noise that would be heard in the temple, as a memorial for the sons of his people.

¹²He provided him with a holy robe of gold and hyacinth and purple, a woven work for a wise man of judgment and truth,

¹³a work of twisted scarlet, the work of an artist, with precious stones, cut and set in gold, and engraved by the work of a jeweler, as a memorial according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁴He provided him with a crown of gold upon his headdress, on which was written a symbol of holiness, a mark of honor. This was a work of virtue and a delight to the eyes in its beauty.

¹⁵Prior to him, there was no one of such beauty, even from the beginning.

¹⁶No foreigner was ever clothed with these things, but only his sons and his descendants alone, for all time.

¹⁷His sacrifices were consumed by fire daily.

¹⁸Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil.

¹⁹An eternal covenant was made, with him and with his offspring, like the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and to give praise and to glorify his people, in his name.

²⁰He chose him from among all living men to offer to God sacrifice, incense, and a pleasing fragrance, as a memorial of appeasement on behalf of his people.

²¹And he gave him authority by his precepts, in the covenants of his judgments, to teach Jacob his testimonies, and to give light by his law to Israel.

²²Then strangers stood up against him, and, because of envy, the men who were with Dathan and Abiram surrounded him in the desert, along with the congregation of Korah, in their anger.

²³The Lord God saw this, and it did not please him, and so they were consumed by the force of his anger.

²⁴He wrought great portents among them, and he consumed them with a flame of fire.

²⁵And he added glory to Aaron, and he gave him an inheritance, and he allotted to him the first-fruits of the earth.

²⁶He prepared for them the finest bread unto fullness. And they shall also eat from the sacrifices of the Lord, which he gave to him and to his offspring.

²⁷And yet he will not have an inheritance among the people of the land, and he has no portion among the people. For the Lord himself is his portion and his inheritance.

²⁸Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, is third in glory, by imitating him in the fear of the Lord.

²⁹And he stood up against the shamefulness of the people. By the goodness and responsiveness of his soul, he appeased God on behalf of Israel.

³⁰For this reason, he made him a covenant of peace, a leader of the sanctuary and of his people, so that the dignity of the priesthood would remain with him and with his offspring unto eternity.

³¹And he made a covenant with king David, the son of Jesse from the tribe of Judah, an inheritance for him and for his offspring, so that he might provide wisdom for our hearts, so as to judge his people in justice, lest their good things be abolished. And he caused their glory within their nation to be everlasting.

Sirach 45

¹Moses was beloved of God, and men: whose memory is in benediction.

²He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease.

³He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory.

⁴He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh.

⁵For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud.

⁶And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life and instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his judgments.

⁷He exalted Aaron his brother, and like to himself of the tribe of Levi:

⁸He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the priesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory,

⁹And he girded him about with a glorious girdle, and clothed him with a robe of glory, and crowned him with majestic attire.

¹⁰He put upon him a garment to the feet, and breeches, and an ephod, and he compassed him with many little bells of gold all round about,

¹¹That as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made that might be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of his people.

¹²He gave him a holy robe of gold, and blue, and purple, a woven work of a wise man, endued with judgment and truth:

¹³Of twisted scarlet the work of an artist, with precious stones cut and set in gold, and graven by the work of a lapidary for a memorial, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁴And a crown of gold upon his mitre wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honour: a work of power, and delightful to the eyes for its beauty.

¹⁵Before him there were none so beautiful, even from the beginning.

¹⁶No stranger was ever clothed with them, but only his children alone, and his grandchildren for ever.

¹⁷His sacrifices were consumed with fire every day.

¹⁸Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil.

¹⁹This was made to him for an everlasting testament, and to his seed as the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and to have praise, and to glorify his people in his name.

²⁰He chose him out of all men living, to offer sacrifice to God, incense, and a good savour, for a memorial to make reconciliation for his people:

²¹And he gave him power in his commandments, in the covenants of his judgments, that he should teach Jacob his testimonies, and give light to Israel in his law.

²²And strangers stood up against him, and through envy the men that were with Dathan and Abiron, compassed him about in the wilderness, and the congregation of Core in their wrath.

²³The Lord God saw and it pleased him not, and they were consumed in his wrathful indignation.

²⁴He wrought wonders upon them, and consumed them with a flame of fire.

²⁵And he added glory to Aaron, and gave him an inheritance, and divided unto him the firstfruits of the increase of the earth.

²⁶He prepared them bread in the first place unto fulness: for the sacrifices also of the Lord they shall eat, which he gave to him, and to his seed.

²⁷But he shall not inherit among the people in the land, and he hath no portion among the people: for he himself is his portion and inheritance.

²⁸Phinees the son of Eleazar is the third in glory, by imitating him in the fear of the Lord:

²⁹And he stood up in the shameful fall of the people: in the goodness and readiness of his soul he appeased God for Israel.

³⁰Therefore he made to him a covenant of peace, to be the prince of the sanctuary, and of his people, that the dignity of priesthood should be to him and to his seed for ever.

³¹And a covenant to David the king, the son of Jesse of the tribe of Juda, an inheritance to him and to his seed, that he might give wisdom into our heart to judge his people in justice, that their good things might not be abolished, and he made their glory in their nation everlasting.