Sirach 44

¹ Let us praise the men of glory, and our ancestors in their generation.

² The Lord has wrought great glory, by his own magnificence, from ancient times.

³ There are those who rule with their authority, men of great virtue, who are gifted with prudence. There are those who announce among the prophets, with the dignity of prophets.

⁴ And there are those who rule over the present generation, by the virtue of prudence, with very holy words for the people.

⁵ There are those who, by their skill, compose musical themes, so as to set the verses of Scripture to music.

⁶ There are men rich in virtue, who make a study of beauty, who live in peacefulness in their houses.

⁷ All these obtained glory in their generations, and they had praise in their days.

⁸ They left behind a name for those who were born of them, so that their praises might be described.

⁹ But for some of them, there is no memorial. They have passed away as if they had never existed; and they have become as if they had never been born, and their sons along with them.

¹⁰ But these were men of mercy, whose pious deeds have not failed.

¹¹ Good things continue with their offspring.

¹² Their descendents are a holy inheritance, and their offspring stand firm in the covenants.

¹³ And because of them, their sons remain even unto eternity. Their offspring and their glory will not be forsaken.

¹⁴ Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives on, from generation to generation.

¹⁵ Let the people declare their wisdom, and let the Church announce their praise.

¹⁶ Enoch pleased God, and he was transferred to Paradise, so that he might offer repentance to the nations.

¹⁷ Noah was found to be perfect and just, and so, in the time of wrath, he was made a reconciliation.

¹⁸ As a result, there was a remnant left for the earth, when the great flood was made.

¹⁹ The covenants of the world were placed with him, so that all flesh would not be wiped away by the great flood.

²⁰ Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one was found to be like him in glory. He observed the law of the Most High, and he formed a covenant with him.

²¹ In his flesh, he caused the covenant to stand, and when tested, he was found to be faithful.

²² Therefore, by an oath, he gave glory to him among his people, so as to increase him like the dust of the earth,

²³ and to exalt his offspring like the stars, and to give an inheritance to them from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

²⁴ And he acted in like manner toward Isaac, because of his father Abraham.

²⁵ The Lord gave the blessing of all the nations to him, and he confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob.

²⁶ He acknowledged him in his blessings, and he gave an inheritance to him, and he distributed to him the portion of the twelve tribes.

²⁷ And he preserved for him men of mercy, who were found to have grace before the eyes of all flesh.