Sirach 47

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 After him came NATHAN who served in the presence of David.	1 And after him Nathan rose up to prophesy in the days of David.
2 Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was DAVID in Israel.	2 As the fat is selected from the peace offering, so David was selected 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 with young goats, and with bears as with lambs of the flock.
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 In his youth did he not kill a giant, and take away reproach from the people, when he lifted his hand with a stone in the sling and struck down the boasting of Goliath?
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 For he appealed to the Lord, the Most High, and he gave him strength in his right hand to slay a man mighty in war, to exalt the power of his people.
6 Therefore the women sang his praises and ascribed to him tens of thousands. When he assumed the royal crown, he battled	6 So they glorified him for his ten thousands, and praised him for the blessings of the Lord, when the glorious diadem was bestowed upon him.
7 and subdued the enemy on every side. He destroyed the hostile Philistines and shattered their power till our own day.	7 For he wiped out his enemies on every side, and annihilated his adversaries the Philistines; he crushed their power even to this day.
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 In all that he did he gave thanks to the Holy One, the Most High, with ascriptions of glory; he sang praise with all his heart, and he loved his Maker.
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 He placed singers before the altar, to make sweet melody with their voices.
10 So that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound.	10 He gave beauty to the feasts, and arranged their times throughout the year, while they praised God's holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning.
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 The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his power for ever; he gave him the covenant of kings and a throne of glory in Israel.
12 Because of his merits he had as his successor a wise son, who lived in security:	12 After him rose up a wise son who fared amply because of him;
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 Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God gave him rest on every side, that he might build a house for his name and prepare a sanctuary to stand for ever.
14 How wise you were when you were young, overflowing with instruction, like the Nile in flood!	14 How wise you became in your youth! You overflowed like a river with understanding.
15 Your understanding covered the whole earth, and, like a sea, filled it with knowledge.	15 Your soul covered the earth, and you filled it with parables and riddles.
16 Your fame reached distant coasts, and their peoples came to hear you;	16 Your name reached to far-off islands, and you were loved for your peace.
17 With song and story and riddle, and with your answers, you astounded the nations.	17 For your songs and proverbs and parables, and for your interpretations, the countries marveled at you.
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 In the name of the Lord God, who is called the God of Israel, you gathered gold like tin and amassed silver like lead.
19 But you abandoned yourself to women and gave them dominion over your body.	19 But you laid your loins beside women, and through your body you were brought into subjection.
20 You brought dishonor upon your reputation, shame upon your marriage, Wrath upon your descendants, and groaning upon your domain;	20 You put stain upon your honor, and defiled your posterity, so that you brought wrath upon your children and they were grieved at your folly,
21 Thus two governments came into being, when in Ephraim kingship was usurped.	21 so that the sovereignty was divided and a disobedient kingdom arose out of Ephraim.
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 But the Lord will never give up his mercy, nor cause any of his works to perish; he will never blot out the descendants of his chosen one, nor destroy the posterity of him who loved him; so he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David a root of his stock.
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 Solomon rested with his fathers, and left behind him one of his sons, ample in folly and lacking in understanding, Rehoboam, whose policy caused the people to revolt. Also Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin and gave Ephraim a sinful way.
24 and caused them to be exiled from their land. Their sinfulness grew more and more,	24 Their sins became exceedingly many, so as to remove them from their land.
25 and they lent themselves to every evil,	25 For they sought out every sort of wickedness, till vengeance came upon them.