Sirach 50 — ASVBT

50Verse 1It was Simon, the son of Onias, the great priest,
Who in his life repaired the house,
And in his days strengthened the temple:
^{Verse 2}And by him was built from the foundation the height of the double wall,
The lofty underworks of the enclosure of the temple:
^{Verse 3}In his days the cistern of waters was diminished,
The brazen vessel in compass as the sea.
^{Verse 4}It was he that took thought for his people that they should not fall,
And fortified the city against besieging:
^{Verse 5}How glorious was he when the people gathered round him
At his coming forth out of the sanctuary!
^{Verse 6}As the morning star in the midst of a cloud,
As the moon at the full:
^{Verse 7}As the sun shining forth upon the temple of the Most High,
And as the rainbow giving light in clouds of glory:
^{Verse 8}As the flower of roses in the days of new fruits,
As lilies at the waterspring,
As the shoot of the frankincense tree in the time of summer:
^{Verse 9}As fire and incense in the censer,
As a vessel all of beaten gold
Adorned with all manner of precious stones:
^{Verse 10}As an olive tree budding forth fruits,
And as a cypress growing high among the clouds.
^{Verse 11}When he took up the robe of glory,
And put on the perfection of exultation,
In the ascent of the holy altar,
He made glorious the precinct of the sanctuary.
^{Verse 12}And when he received the portions out of the priests’ hands,
Himself also standing by the hearth of the altar,
His brethren as a garland round about him,
He was as a young cedar in Lebanon;
And as stems of palm trees compassed they him round about,
^{Verse 13}And all the sons of Aaron in their glory,
And the Lord’s offering in their hands, before all the congregation of Israel.
^{Verse 14}And finishing the service at the altars,
That he might adorn the offering of the Most High, the Almighty,
^{Verse 15}He stretched out his hand to the cup,
And poured out the cup of the grape;
He poured out at the foot of the altar
A sweet-smelling savor unto the Most High, the King of all.
^{Verse 16}Then shouted the sons of Aaron,
They sounded the trumpets of beaten work,
They made a great noise to be heard,
For a remembrance before the Most High.
^{Verse 17}Then all the people together hasted,
And fell down upon the earth on their faces
To worship their Lord, the Almighty, God Most High.
^{Verse 18}The singers also praised him with their voices;
In the whole house was there made sweet melody.
^{Verse 19}And the people besought the Lord Most High,
In prayer before him that is merciful.
Till the worship of the Lord should be ended;
And so they accomplished his service.
^{Verse 20}Then he went down, and lifted up his hands
Over the whole congregation of the children of Israel,
To give blessing unto the Lord with his lips,
And to glory in his name.
^{Verse 21}And he bowed himself down in worship the second time,
To declare the blessing from the Most High.^{Verse 22}And now bless ye the God of all,
Who everywhere doeth great things,
Who exalteth our days from the womb,
And dealeth with us according to his mercy.
^{Verse 23}May he grant us joyfulness of heart,
And that peace may be in our days in Israel for the days of eternity:
^{Verse 24}To entrust his mercy with us;
And let him deliver us in his time!^{Verse 25}With two nations is my soul vexed,
And the third is no nation:
^{Verse 26}They that sit upon the mountain of Samaria, and the Philistines,
And that foolish people that dwelleth in Shechem.^{Verse 27}I have written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge,
I Jesus, the son of Sirach Eleazar, of Jerusalem,
Who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.
^{Verse 28}Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things;
And he that layeth them up in his heart shall become wise.
^{Verse 29}For if he do them, he shall be strong to all things:
For the light of the Lord is his guide.