Sirach 44

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Now will I praise those godly men, our ancestors, each in his own time:	1 Let us praise the men of glory, and our ancestors in their generation.
2 The abounding glory of the Most High's portion, his own part, since the days of old. Subduers of the land in kingly fashion, men of renown for their might,	2 The Lord has wrought great glory, by his own magnificence, from ancient times.
3 Or counselors in their prudence, or seers of all things in prophecy;	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 Resolute princes of the folk, and governors with their staves; Authors skilled in composition, and forgers of epigrams with their spikes;	4 And there are those who rule over the present generation, by the virtue of prudence, with very holy words for the people.
5 Composers of melodious psalms, or discoursers on lyric themes;	5 There are those who, by their skill, compose musical themes, so as to set the verses of Scripture to music.
6 Stalwart men, solidly established and at peace in their own estates--	6 There are men rich in virtue, who make a study of beauty, who live in peacefulness in their houses.
7 All these were glorious in their time, each illustrious in his day.	7 All these obtained glory in their generations, and they had praise in their days.
8 Some of them have left behind a name and men recount their praiseworthy deeds;	8 They left behind a name for those who were born of them, so that their praises might be described.
9 But of others there is no memory, for when they ceased, they ceased. And they are as though they had not lived, they and their children after them.	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 Yet these also were godly men whose virtues have not been forgotten;	10 But these were men of mercy, whose pious deeds have not failed.
11 Their wealth remains in their families, their heritage with their descendants;	11 Good things continue with their offspring.
12 Through God's covenant with them their family endures, their posterity, for their sake.	12 Their descendents are a holy inheritance, and their offspring stand firm in the covenants.
13 And for all time their progeny will endure, their glory will never be blotted out;	13 And because of them, their sons remain even unto eternity. Their offspring and their glory will not be forsaken.
14 Their bodies are peacefully laid away, but their name lives on and on.	14 Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives on, from generation to generation.
15 At gatherings their wisdom is retold, and the assembly proclaims their praise.	15 Let the people declare their wisdom, and let the Church announce their praise.
16 [ENOCH walked with the LORD and was taken up, that succeeding generations might learn by his example.]	16 Enoch pleased God, and he was transferred to Paradise, so that he might offer repentance to the nations.
17 NOAH, found just and perfect, renewed the race in the time of devastation. Because of his worth there were survivors, and with a sign to him the deluge ended;	17 Noah was found to be perfect and just, and so, in the time of wrath, he was made a reconciliation.
18 A lasting agreement was made with him, that never should all flesh be destroyed.	18 As a result, there was a remnant left for the earth, when the great flood was made.
19 ABRAHAM, father of many peoples, kept his glory without stain:	19 The covenants of the world were placed with him, so that all flesh would not be wiped away by the great flood.
20 He observed the precepts of the Most High, and entered into an agreement with him; In his own flesh he incised the ordinance, and when tested he was found loyal.	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 For this reason, God promised him with an oath that in his descendants the nations would be blessed, That he would make him numerous as the grains of dust, and exalt his posterity like the stars; That he would give them an inheritance from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.	21 In his flesh, he caused the covenant to stand, and when tested, he was found to be faithful.
22 And for ISAAC he renewed the same promise because of Abraham, his father. The covenant with all his forebears was confirmed, and the blessing rested upon the head of JACOB.	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 God acknowledged him as the first-born, and gave him his inheritance. He fixed the boundaries for his tribes, and their division into twelve.	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.