Sirach 46

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Valiant leader was JOSHUA, son of Nun, assistant to Moses in the prophetic office, Formed to be, as his name implies, the great savior of God's chosen ones, To punish the enemy and to win the inheritance for Israel.	1 Mighty in war was Joshua son of Nun, successor to Moses in the prophetic office, who well deservedhis name, and was a great saviour of the chosen people, wreaking vengeance on the enemies who opposedhim, and so bringing Israel into its inheritance.
2 What glory was his when he raised his arm, to brandish his javelin against the city!	2 How splendid he was when, arms uplifted, he brandished his sword against cities!
3 And who could withstand him when he fought the battles of the LORD?	3 Who had ever shown such determination as his? He himself led the battles of the Lord.
4 Did he not by his power stop the sun, so that one day became two?	4 Was not the sun held back by his hand, and one day drawn out into two?
5 He called upon the Most High God when his enemies beset him on all sides, And God Most High gave answer to him in hailstones of tremendous power,	5 He called on the Most High, the Mighty One, while pressing the enemies from all directions, and thegreat Lord answered him with hard and violent hailstones.
6 Which he rained down upon the hostile army till on the slope he destroyed the foe; That all the doomed nations might know that the LORD was watching over his people's battles. And because he was a devoted follower of God	6 He fel on that enemy nation, and at the Descent destroyed al resistance to make the nationsacknowledge his warlike prowess and that he was waging war on behalf of the Lord.
7 and in Moses' lifetime showed himself loyal, He and CALEB, son of Jephunneh, when they opposed the rebel assembly, Averted God's anger from the people and suppressed the wicked complaint--	7 For he was a fol ower of the Mighty One, in the time of Moses showing his devotion, he and Caleb sonof Jephunneh, by opposing the whole community, by preventing the people from sinning, and by silencing themutters of rebel ion.
8 Because of this, they were the only two spared from the six hundred thousand infantry, To lead the people into their inheritance, the land flowing with milk and honey.	8 Hence these two alone were preserved out of six hundred thousand men on the march, and broughtinto their inheritance, into a land where milk and honey flow.
9 And the strength he gave to Caleb remained with him even in his old age Till he won his way onto the summits of the land; his family too received an inheritance,	9 And the Lord conferred strength on Caleb too, which stayed by him into old age, so that he could investthe highlands of the country which his descendants kept as their inheritance,
10 That all the people of Jacob might know how good it is to be a devoted follower of the LORD.	10 so that every Israelite might see that it is good to fol ow the Lord.
11 The JUDGES, too, each one of them, whose hearts were not deceived, Who did not abandon God: may their memory be ever blessed,	11 The Judges too, each when he was cal ed, all men whose hearts were never disloyal, who neverturned their backs on the Lord -- may their memory be blessed!
12 Their bones return to life from their resting place, and their names receive fresh luster in their children!	12 May their bones flourish again from the tomb, and may the names of those il ustrious men be worthilyborne by their sons!
13 Beloved of his people, dear to his Maker, dedicated from his mother's womb, Consecrated to the LORD as a prophet, was SAMUEL, the judge and priest. At God's word he established the kingdom and anointed princes to rule the people.	13 Samuel was the beloved of his Lord; prophet of the Lord, he instituted the kingdom, and anointedrulers over his people.
14 By the law of the LORD he judged the nation, when he visited the encampments of Jacob.	14 By the Law of the Lord he judged the assembly, and the Lord watched over Jacob.
15 As a trustworthy prophet he was sought out and his words proved him true as a seer.	15 By his loyalty he was recognised as a prophet, by his words he was known to be a trustworthy seer.
16 He, too, called upon God, and offered him a suckling lamb;	16 He cal ed on the Lord, the Mighty One, when his enemies pressed in from all directions, by offering asucking lamb.
17 Then the LORD thundered forth from heaven, and the tremendous roar of his voice was heard.	17 And the Lord thundered from heaven, and made his voice heard in a rolling peal;
18 He brought low the rulers of the enemy and destroyed all the lords of the Philistines.	18 he massacred the leaders of the enemy, and all the rulers of the Philistines.
19 When Samuel approached the end of his life, he testified before the LORD and his anointed prince, "No bribe or secret gift have I taken from any man!" and no one dared gainsay him.	19 Before the time of his everlasting rest he bore witness to the Lord and his anointed, 'Of no property,not even a pair of sandals, have I ever deprived a soul.' Nor did anyone accuse him.
20 Even when he lay buried, his guidance was sought; he made known to the king his fate, And from the grave he raised his voice as a prophet, to put an end to wickedness.	20 And, having fal en asleep, he prophesied again, warning the king of his end; he spoke from the depthsof the earth in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.