Sirach 45

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 From him was to spring the man who won the favor of all: Dear to God and men, MOSES, whose memory is held in benediction.	1 Moses was beloved of God, and men: whose memory is in benediction.
2 God's honor devolved upon him, and the Lord strengthened him with fearful powers;	2 He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease.
3 God wrought swift miracles at his words and sustained him in the king's presence. He gave him the commandments for his people, and revealed to him his glory.	3 He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory.
4 For his trustworthiness and meekness God selected him from all mankind;	4 He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh.
5 He permitted him to hear his voice, and led him into the cloud, Where, face to face, he gave him the commandments, the law of life and understanding, That he might teach his precepts to Jacob, his judgments and decrees to Israel.	5 For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud.
6 He raised up also, like Moses in holiness, his brother AARON, of the tribe of Levi.	6 And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life and instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his judgments.
7 He made him perpetual in his office when he bestowed on him the priesthood of his people; He established him in honor and crowned him with lofty majesty;	7 He exalted Aaron his brother, and like to himself of the tribe of Levi:
8 He clothed him with splendid apparel, and adorned him with the glorious vestments: Breeches and tunic and robe with pomegranates around the hem,	8 He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the priesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory,
9 And a rustle of bells round about, through whose pleasing sound at each step He would be heard within the sanctuary, and the children of his race would be remembered;	9 And he girded him about with a glorious girdle, and clothed him with a robe of glory, and crowned him with majestic attire.
10 The sacred vestments of gold, of violet, and of crimson, wrought with embroidery; The breastpiece for decision, the ephod and cincture	10 He put upon him a garment to the feet, and breeches, and as ephod, and he compassed him with many little bells of gold all round about,
11 with scarlet yarn, the work of the weaver; Precious stones with seal engravings in golden settings, the work of the jeweler, To commemorate in incised letters each of the tribes of Israel;	11 That as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made that might be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of his people.
12 On his turban the diadem of gold, its plate wrought with the insignia of holiness, Majestic, glorious, renowned for splendor, a delight to the eyes, beauty supreme.	12 He gave him a holy robe of gold, and blue, and purple, a woven work of a wise man, endued with judgment and truth:
13 Before him, no one was adorned with these, nor may they ever be worn by any Except his sons and them alone, generation after generation, for all time.	13 Of twisted scarlet the work of an artist, with precious stones cut and set in gold, and graven by the work of a lapidary for a memorial, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
14 His cereal offering is wholly burnt with the established sacrifice twice each day;	14 And a crown of gold upon his mitre wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honour: a work of power, and delightful to the eyes for its beauty.
15 For Moses ordained him and anointed him with the holy oil, In a lasting covenant with him and with his family, as permanent as the heavens, That he should serve God in his priesthood and bless his people in his name.	15 Before him there were none so beautiful, even from the beginning.
16 He chose him from all mankind to offer holocausts and choice offerings, To burn sacrifices of sweet odor for a memorial, and to atone for the people of Israel.	16 No stranger was ever clothed with them, but only his children alone, and his grandchildren for ever.
17 He gave to him his laws, and authority to prescribe and to judge: To teach the precepts to his people, and the ritual to the descendants of Israel.	17 His sacrifices were consumed with fire every day.
18 Men of other families were inflamed against him, were jealous of him in the desert, The followers of Dathan and Abiram, and the band of Korah in their defiance.	18 Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil.
19 But the LORD saw this and became angry, he destroyed them in his burning wrath. He brought down upon them a miracle, and consumed them with his flaming fire.	19 This was made to him for an everlasting testament, and to his seed as the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and to have praise, and to glorify his people in his name.
20 Then he increased the glory of Aaron and bestowed upon him his inheritance: The sacred offerings he allotted to him, with the showbread as his portion;	20 He chose him out of all men living, to offer sacrifice to God, incense, and a good savour, for a memorial to make reconciliation for his people:
21 The oblations of the LORD are his food, a gift to him and his descendants.	21 And he gave him power in his commandments, in the covenants of his judgments, that he should teach Jacob his testimonies, and give light to Israel in his law.
22 But he holds no land among the people nor shares with them their heritage; For the LORD himself is his portion, his inheritance in the midst of Israel.	22 And strangers stood up against him, and through envy the men that were with Dathan and Abiron, compassed him about in the wilderness, and the congregation of Core in their wrath.
23 PHINEHAS too, the son of Eleazar, was the courageous third of his line When, zealous for the God of all, he met the crisis of his people And, at the prompting of his noble heart, atoned for the children of Israel.	23 The Lord God saw and it pleased him not, and they were consumed in his wrathful indignation.
24 Therefore on him again God conferred the right, in a covenant of friendship, to provide for the sanctuary, So that he and his descendants should possess the high priesthood forever.	24 He wrought wonders upon them, and consumed them with a flame of fire.
25 For even his covenant with David, the son of Jesse of the tribe of Judah, Was an individual heritage through one son alone; but the heritage of Aaron is for all his descendants.	25 And he added glory to Aaron, and gave him an inheritance, and divided unto him the firstfruits of the increase of the earth.
26 And now bless the LORD who has crowned you with glory! May he grant you wisdom of heart to govern his people in justice, Lest their welfare should ever be forgotten, or your authority, throughout all time.	26 He prepared them bread in the first place unto fulness: for the sacrifices also of the Lord they shall eat, which he gave to him, and to his seed.
	27 But he shall not inherit among the people in the land, and he hath no portion among the people: for he himself is his portion and inheritance.
	28 Phinees the son of Eleazar is the third in glory, by imitating him in the fear of the Lord:
	29 And he stood up in the shameful fall of the people: in the goodness and readiness of his soul he appeased God for Israel.
	30 Therefore he made to him a covenant of peace, to be the prince of the sanctuary, and of his people, that the dignity of priesthood should be to him and to his seed for ever.
	31 And a covenant to David the king, the son of Jesse of the tribe of Juda, an inheritance to him and to his seed, that he might give wisdom into our heart to judge his people in justice, that their good things might not be abolished, and he made their glory in their nation everlasting.