Wisdom of Ben Sira 50

New Catholic Bible

¹ It was the high priest Simon, son of Onias,
    in whose lifetime the house was repaired
    and in whose days the temple was fortified.
² He also laid the foundations for the high double walls
    that enclosed the temple precincts.
³ In his time a water cistern was constructed,
    a pool with the vastness of the sea.
⁴ His concern was to ward off disaster from his people,
    and he fortified the city against siege.
⁵ How glorious he was, with the people thronging around him,
    as he emerged from behind the veil of the sanctuary.
⁶ He was like the morning star shining among the clouds,
    like the full moon at the festal season,
⁷ like the sun shining on the temple of the Most High,
    like the rainbow appearing in a cloudy sky,
⁸ like a rose in springtime,
    like a lily by a spring of water,
like a green shoot on Lebanon on a summer’s day,
⁹     like incense set afire in the censer,
like a vessel of beaten gold
    embellished with every kind of precious stone,
¹⁰ like an olive tree laden with fruit,
    like a cypress reaching to the clouds.
¹¹ When he put on his magnificent robes
    and clothed himself in his garments of splendor,
as he went up to the holy altar,
    he brought majestic glory to the court of the sanctuary.
¹² When he received the portions from the hands of the priests
    while he stood by the hearth of the altar,
with his brethren encircling him like a garland,
    he was like a young cedar of Lebanon
    surrounded by the trunks of palm trees.
¹³ All the sons of Aaron in their splendor
    held the Lord’s offerings in their hands
    as they stood in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel.
¹⁴ When he had completed the rites at the altar
    and arranged the sacrificial offerings to the Almighty, the Most High,
¹⁵ he stretched forth his hand for the cup
    and poured out a libation from the juice of the grape,
pouring it out at the foot of the altar,
    a sweet-smelling fragrance to the Most High, the king of all.
¹⁶ Then the sons of Aaron would shout
    and blow their trumpets of beaten metal,
sounding a mighty fanfare
    as a reminder before the Most High.
¹⁷ Then all together the people
    would quickly fall prostrate to the ground
in adoration of their Lord,
    the Almighty, God Most High.
¹⁸ Then the choir would chant hymns of praise
    that were sweet, melodious, and full-toned,
¹⁹ while the people were pleading with the Lord Most High
    and praying before the Merciful One,
until the service of the Lord was finished
    and the liturgical ceremony was completed.
²⁰ Then Simon would come down and raise his hands
    over the whole assembly of the Israelites
to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips
    and to glory in his name.
²¹ And once again the people would bow down in worship
    to receive the blessing of the Most High.
²² And now, bless the God of all
    who works great wonders everywhere on the earth,
who has raised us up from our birth
    and who deals with us according to his mercy.
²³ May he grant us joy in our hearts,
    and may there be peace in our days
    in Israel, for all time to come.
²⁴ May his mercy toward us be confirmed,
    and may he deliver us in our times.

²⁵ My whole being detests two nations,
    while a third is not a nation at all:
²⁶ those who live on the mountains of Samaria, the Philistines,
    and the foolish people who dwell in Shechem.

²⁷ Instruction in understanding and knowledge
    I have written in this book,
I, Jesus, son of Sirach, son of Eleazar, of Jerusalem,
    whose heart has poured forth a fountain of wisdom.
²⁸ Blessed is the one who devotes himself to these things;
    if he takes them to heart, wisdom will be his.
²⁹ And if he puts them into practice, he will be able to cope with anything,
    for the light of the Lord is their path.
[He gives wisdom to devout men.
    Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen. Amen.]^[d]