Sirach 47

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

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

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

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

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

⁶ For 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.

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

⁸ For 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.

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

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

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

¹² And 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.

¹³ The 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.

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

¹⁵ Solomon 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁶ And Solomon had his end with his fathers.

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

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

²⁹ and 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.

³⁰ They thoroughly turned them away from their own land.

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