Sirach 47

¹After these things, Nathan the prophet arose, in the days of David.

²And just as fat is separated from meat, so was David separated from the sons of Israel.

³He played with lions, as if with lambs, and he acted similarly with bears, as if they were lambs of the flock, in his youth.

⁴Did he not kill the giant, and take away the reproach from his people?

⁵By lifting up his hand, with a stone in a sling, he threw down the boasting of Goliath.

⁶For he called upon the Almighty Lord, and he swore with his right hand to take away the mighty man of war, and to exalt the horn of his people.

⁷So he glorified him amid ten thousand, and he praised him with the blessings of the Lord, by offering him a crown of glory.

⁸For he crushed the enemies on every side, and he eradicated his adversaries, the Philistines, even to this day. He broke their horn, even for all time.

⁹In all his works, he gave thanks to the Holy One, to the Most High, with words of glory.

¹⁰With all his heart, he praised the Lord and he loved God, who made him and who gave him power against his enemies.

¹¹And he appointed singers to stand opposite the altar, and by their voices he provided sweet music.

¹²And he provided beauty for the celebrations, and he gave order to the times, even until the end of his life, so that they would praise the holy name of the Lord, and magnify the sanctity of God, from early morning.

¹³The Lord purged his sins, and he exalted his horn forever. And he gave him the covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel.

¹⁴After him, an understanding son rose up. And by means of him, he cast down all the power of the enemies.

¹⁵Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God subjected all his enemies to him, so that he might build a house in his name, and prepare a sanctuary for all time. O how well-taught you were in your youth!

¹⁶And you were filled with wisdom like a river, and your mind exposed the world.

¹⁷And you explained mysteries by means of parables. Your name became known to far off islands, and you were beloved for your peace.

¹⁸The earth was in wonder over your canticles, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations,

¹⁹and over the name of the Lord God, who is known as the God of Israel.

²⁰You gathered gold like copper, and you multiplied silver like lead.

²¹But you bent your thigh to women, and you were held by the power of your body.

²²You brought a stain upon your glory, and you profaned your seed, so as to bring wrath upon your children, and to incite your foolishness,

²³so that you would cause the kingdom to be divided, and an obstinate kingdom to rule from Ephraim.

²⁴But God will not abandon his mercy, nor will he corrupt or abolish his own works. And he will not perish the stock of the descendants of his elect. And he will not destroy the offspring of him who loves the Lord.

²⁵Therefore, he left behind a remnant for Jacob and for David, from the same stock.

²⁶And Solomon had his end with his fathers.

²⁷And he left behind himself some of his offspring, as the folly of the nation:

²⁸both Rehoboam, who had little prudence, and who turned away the people by his counsel,

²⁹and Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, and who provided a way of sin to Ephraim. And their sins were multiplied exceedingly.

³⁰They thoroughly turned them away from their own land.

³¹And they sought every kind of wickedness, even until punishment overwhelmed them, and freed them from every kind of sin.

Sirach 47

¹Then Nathan the prophet arose in the days of David.

²And as the fat taken away from the flesh, so was David chosen from among the children of Israel.

³He played with lions as with lambs: and with bears he did in like manner as with the lambs of the flock, in his youth.

⁴Did not he kill the giant, and take away reproach from his people?

⁵In lifting up his hand, with the stone in the sling he beat down the boasting of Goliath:

⁶For he called upon the Lord the Almighty, and he gave strength in his right hand, to take away the mighty warrior, and to set up the horn of his nation.

⁷So in ten thousand did he glorify him, and praised him in the blessings of the Lord, in offering to him a crown of glory:

⁸For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and extirpated the Philistines the adversaries unto this day: he broke their horn for ever.

⁹In all his works he gave thanks to the holy one, and to the most High, with words of glory.

¹⁰With his whole heart he praised the Lord, and loved God that made him: and he gave him power against his enemies:

¹¹And he set singers before the altar, and by their voices he made sweet melody.

¹²And to the festivals he added beauty, and set in order the solemn times even to the end of his life, that they should praise the holy name of the Lord, and magnify the holiness of God in the morning.

¹³The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn for ever: and he gave him a covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel.

¹⁴After him arose up a wise son, and for his sake he cast down all the power of the enemies.

¹⁵Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God brought all his enemies under him, that he might build a house in his name, and prepare a sanctuary for ever: O how wise wast thou in thy youth!

¹⁶And thou wast filled as a river with wisdom, and thy soul covered the earth.

¹⁷And thou didst multiply riddles in parables: thy name went abroad to the islands far off, and thou wast beloved in thy peace.

¹⁸The countries wondered at thee for thy canticles, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations,

¹⁹And at the name of the Lord God, whose surname is, God of Israel.

²⁰Thou didst gather gold as copper, and didst multiply silver as lead,

²¹And thou didst bow thyself to women: and by thy body thou wast brought under subjection.

²²Thou hast stained thy glory, and defiled thy seed so as to bring wrath upon thy children, and to have thy folly kindled,

²³That thou shouldst make the kingdom to be divided, and out of Ephraim a rebellious kingdom to rule.

²⁴But God will not leave off his mercy, and he will not destroy, nor abolish his own works, neither will he cut up by the roots the offspring of his elect: and he will not utterly take away the seed of him that loveth the Lord.

²⁵Wherefore he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David of the same stock.

²⁶And Solomon had an end with his fathers.

²⁷And he left behind him of his seed, the folly of the nation,

²⁸Even Roboam that had little wisdom, who turned away the people through his counsel:

²⁹And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who caused Israel to sin, and shewed Ephraim the way of sin, and their sins were multiplied exceedingly.

³⁰They removed them far away from their land.

³¹And they sought out all iniquities, till vengeance came upon them, and put an end to all their sins.