Sirach 47

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 After him came NATHAN who served in the presence of David.	1 After these things, Nathan the prophet arose, in the days of David.
2 Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was DAVID in Israel.	2 And just as fat is separated from meat, so was David separated from the sons of Israel.
3 He made sport of lions as though they were kids, and of bears, like lambs of the flock.	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 As a youth he slew the giant and wiped out the people's disgrace, When his hand let fly the slingstone that crushed the pride of Goliath.	4 Did he not kill the giant, and take away the reproach from his people?
5 Since he called upon the Most High God, who gave strength to his right arm To defeat the skilled warrior and raise up the might of his people,	5 By lifting up his hand, with a stone in a sling, he threw down the boasting of Goliath.
6 Therefore the women sang his praises and ascribed to him tens of thousands. When he assumed the royal crown, he battled	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 and subdued the enemy on every side. He destroyed the hostile Philistines and shattered their power till our own day.	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 With his every deed he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had his praises sung;	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 He added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year With string music before the altar, providing sweet melody for the psalms	9 In all his works, he gave thanks to the Holy One, to the Most High, with words of glory.
10 So that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound.	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 The LORD forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; He conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.	11 And he appointed singers to stand opposite the altar, and by their voices he provided sweet music.
12 Because of his merits he had as his successor a wise son, who lived in security:	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 SOLOMON reigned during an era of peace, for God made tranquil all his borders. He built a house to the name of God, and established a lasting sanctuary.	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 How wise you were when you were young, overflowing with instruction, like the Nile in flood!	14 After him, an understanding son rose up. And by means of him, he cast down all the power of the enemies.
15 Your understanding covered the whole earth, and, like a sea, filled it with knowledge.	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 Your fame reached distant coasts, and their peoples came to hear you;	16 And you were filled with wisdom like a river, and your mind exposed the world.
17 With song and story and riddle, and with your answers, you astounded the nations.	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 You were called by that glorious name which was conferred upon Israel. Gold you gathered like so much iron, you heaped up silver as though it were lead;	18 The earth was in wonder over your canticles, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations,
19 But you abandoned yourself to women and gave them dominion over your body.	19 and over the name of the Lord God, who is known as the God of Israel.
20 You brought dishonor upon your reputation, shame upon your marriage, Wrath upon your descendants, and groaning upon your domain;	20 You gathered gold like copper, and you multiplied silver like lead.
21 Thus two governments came into being, when in Ephraim kingship was usurped.	21 But you bent your thigh to women, and you were held by the power of your body.
22 But God does not withdraw his mercy, nor permit even one of his promises to fail. He does not uproot the posterity of his chosen one, nor destroy the offspring of his friend. So he gave to Jacob a remnant, to David a root from his own family.	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 Solomon finally slept with his fathers, and left behind him one of his sons, Expansive in folly, limited in sense, REHOBOAM, who by his policy made the people rebel; Until one arose who should not be remembered, the sinner who led Israel into sin, Who brought ruin to Ephraim	23 so that you would cause the kingdom to be divided, and an obstinate kingdom to rule from Ephraim.
24 and caused them to be exiled from their land. Their sinfulness grew more and more,	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 and they lent themselves to every evil,	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.