Sirach 50

¹Simon, the high priest, son of Onias: in his life, he propped up the house, and in his days, he strengthened the temple.

²Even the height of the temple was established by him: the double building and the high walls of the temple.

³In his days, waters flowed out from the wells, and these were full beyond measure, like the sea.

⁴He cared for his nation, and he freed it from perdition.

⁵He prevailed, so as to enlarge the city. And he obtained glory by his behavior among the people. And he enlarged the entrance of the house and of the atrium.

⁶He shined in his days like the morning star through the midst of a cloud, and like the full moon.

⁷And he shined forth in the temple of God in this manner: like the sun when it shines brightly,

⁸and like a rainbow shining amid clouds of glory, and like flowering roses in the days of spring, and like lilies along the water’s edge, and like sweet smelling frankincense in the days of summer,

⁹like a fire shining brightly, and like frankincense burning within a fire,

¹⁰like a vessel of solid gold, adorned with every precious stone,

¹¹like an olive tree producing buds, and like a cypress tree lifting itself on high, when he received the robe of glory and was vested with the consummation of virtue.

¹²He gave glory to the vestment of sanctity, when he ascended to the holy altar.

¹³Then, when he received the portions from the hands of the priests, he himself stood next to the altar. And around him was the crown of his brethren, like a cedar planted on a mountain of Lebanon.

¹⁴And they stood around him like palm branches, and all were sons of Aaron in their glory.

¹⁵Then the oblation of the Lord was in their hands, in the sight of the entire synagogue of Israel. And completing his service at the altar, so as to magnify the offering to the Most High King,

¹⁶he extended his hand to make a libation, and he offered from the blood of the grape.

¹⁷At the base of the altar, he poured out a divine fragrance to the Most High Prince.

¹⁸Then the sons of Aaron shouted; they sounded finely-made trumpets, and they made a great noise, as a memorial in the sight of God.

¹⁹Then all the people at once hurried forward, and they fell to the ground on their faces, to adore the Lord their God, and to offer prayers to Almighty God Most High.

²⁰And the singers of Psalms raised their voices, and a full sweet sound increased in the great house.

²¹And the people petitioned the Most High Lord in prayer, even until the honor of the Lord was completed, and they finished offering their gifts.

²²Then, descending, he extended his hands over the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, to give glory to God from his lips, and to glory in his name.

²³And he repeated his prayer, wanting to reveal the virtue of God.

²⁴And now, pray to the God of all, who has accomplished great things over all the earth, who has increased our days from our mother’s womb, and who has acted toward us in accord with his mercy.

²⁵May he give us joyfulness in heart, and may there be peace in our days, in Israel for unending days,

²⁶so that Israel may trust the mercy of God to be with us, in order to free us in his days.

²⁷Two nations my soul hates, and a third, which I hate, is not a nation:

²⁸those who sit upon mount Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people who live at Shechem.

²⁹Jesus, the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, who renewed wisdom from his heart, wrote the doctrine of wisdom and discipline in this book.

³⁰Blessed is he who lives by these good things. Whoever places these things in his heart will be ever wise.

³¹For if he does these things, he will prevail in all things. For the light of God is upon his footsteps.

Sirach 50

¹Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life propped up the house, and in his days fortified the temple.

²By him also the height of the temple was founded, the double building and the high walls of the temple.

³In his days the wells of water flowed out, and they were filled as the sea above measure.

⁴He took care of his nation, and delivered it from destruction.

⁵He prevailed to enlarge the city, and obtained glory in his conversation with the people: and enlarged the entrance of the house and the court.

⁶He shone in his days as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full.

⁷And as the sun when it shineth, so did he shine in the temple of God.

⁸And as the rainbow giving light in bright clouds, and as the flower of roses in the days of the spring, and as the lilies that are on the brink of the water, and as the sweet smelling frankincense in the time of summer.

⁹As a bright fire, and frankincense burning in the fire.

¹⁰As a massy vessel of gold, adorned with every precious stone.

¹¹As an olive tree budding forth, and a cypress tree rearing itself on high, when he put on the robe of glory, and was clothed with the perfection of power.

¹²When he went up to the holy altar, he honoured the vesture of holiness.

¹³And when he took the portions out of the hands of the priests, he himself stood by the altar. And about him was the ring of his brethren: and as the cedar planted in mount Libanus,

¹⁴And as branches of palm trees, they stood round about him, and all the sons of Aaron in their glory.

¹⁵And the oblation of the Lord was in their hands, before all the congregation of Israel: and finishing his service, on the altar, to honour the offering of the most high King,

¹⁶He stretched forth his hand to make a libation, and offered of the blood of the grape.

¹⁷He poured out at the foot of the altar a divine odour to the most high Prince.

¹⁸Then the sons of Aaron shouted, they sounded with beaten trumpets, and made a great noise to be heard for a remembrance before God.

¹⁹Then all the people together made haste, and fell down to the earth upon their faces, to adore the Lord their God, and to pray to the Almighty God the most High.

²⁰And the singers lifted up their voices, and in the great house the sound of sweet melody was increased.

²¹And the people in prayer besought the Lord the most High, until the worship of the Lord was perfected, and they had finished their office.

²²Then coming down, he lifted up his hands over all the congregation of the children of Israel, to give glory to God with his lips, and to glory in his name:

²³And he repeated his prayer, willing to shew the power of God.

²⁴And now pray ye to the God of all, who hath done great things in all the earth, who hath increased our days from our mother's womb, and hath done with us according to his mercy.

²⁵May he grant us joyfulness of heart, and that there be peace in our days in Israel for ever:

²⁶That Israel may believe that the mercy of God is with us, to deliver us in his days.

²⁷There are two nations which my soul abhorreth: and the third is no nation: which I hate:

²⁸They that sit on mount Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people that dwell in Sichem.

²⁹Jesus the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, hath written in this book the doctrine of wisdom and instruction, who renewed wisdom from his heart.

³⁰Blessed is he that is conversant in these good things and he that layeth them up in his heart, shall be wise always.

³¹For if he do them, he shall be strong to do all things: because the light of God guideth his steps.