Sirach 45

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 by God and men. The remembrance of him is a blessing.
2 God's honor devolved upon him, and the Lord strengthened him with fearful powers;	2 He made him like the holy ones in glory, and he magnified him by the fear of his enemies, and he appeased great portents by his words.
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 he gave commandments to him in the sight of his people, and he revealed his glory to him.
4 For his trustworthiness and meekness God selected him from all mankind;	4 He made him holy by his faith and meekness, and he chose him from among 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 he led 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 precepts in his presence, with a law of life and discipline, so as to 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 his brother Aaron and those who were similar to him from 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 established an eternal covenant with him, and he gave him the priesthood of the people, and he caused him to be 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 encircled him with a glorious belt, and he clothed him with a robe of glory, and he crowned him with virtuous 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 placed upon him a garment to the feet, and pants, and an ephod, and he wrapped him all around with many little bells of gold,
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 so that there would be a sound at his arrival, and so as to make a noise that would be heard in the temple, as a memorial for the sons 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 provided him with a holy robe of gold and hyacinth and purple, a woven work for a wise man of 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 a work of twisted scarlet, the work of an artist, with precious stones, cut and set in gold, and engraved by the work of a jeweler, as 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 He provided him with a crown of gold upon his headdress, on which was written a symbol of holiness, a mark of honor. This was a work of virtue and a delight to the eyes in 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 Prior to him, there was no one of such beauty, 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 foreigner was ever clothed with these things, but only his sons and his descendents alone, for all time.
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 by fire daily.
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 An eternal covenant was made, with him and with his offspring, like the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and to give 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 from among all living men to offer to God sacrifice, incense, and a pleasing fragrance, as a memorial of appeasement on behalf of his people.
21 The oblations of the LORD are his food, a gift to him and his descendants.	21 And he gave him authority by his precepts, in the covenants of his judgments, to teach Jacob his testimonies, and to give light by his law to Israel.
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 Then strangers stood up against him, and, because of envy, the men who were with Dathan and Abiram surrounded him in the desert, along with the congregation of Korah, in their anger.
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 this, and it did not please him, and so they were consumed by the force of his anger.
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 great portents among them, and he 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 he gave him an inheritance, and he allotted to him the first-fruits 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 for them the finest bread unto fullness. And they shall also eat from the sacrifices of the Lord, which he gave to him and to his offspring.
	27 And yet he will not have an inheritance among the people of the land, and he has no portion among the people. For the Lord himself is his portion and his inheritance.
	28 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, is third in glory, by imitating him in the fear of the Lord.
	29 And he stood up against the shamefulness of the people. By the goodness and responsiveness of his soul, he appeased God on behalf of Israel.
	30 For this reason, he made him a covenant of peace, a leader of the sanctuary and of his people, so that the dignity of the priesthood would remain with him and with his offspring unto eternity.
	31 And he made a covenant with king David, the son of Jesse from the tribe of Judah, an inheritance for him and for his offspring, so that he might provide wisdom for our hearts, so as to judge his people in justice, lest their good things be abolished. And he caused their glory within their nation to be everlasting.