Sirach 49

New American Bible	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
¹ The name JOSIAH is like blended incense, made lasting by a skilled perfumer. Precious is his memory, like honey to the taste, like music at a banquet.	¹ The memory of Josiah is like a blending of incense prepared by the art of the perfumer; it is sweet as honey to every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wine.
² For he grieved over our betrayals, and destroyed the abominable idols.	² He was led aright in converting the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity.
³ He turned to God with his whole heart, and, though times were evil, he practiced virtue.	³ He set his heart upon the Lord; in the days of wicked men he strengthened godliness.
⁴ Except for David, Hezekiah and Josiah, they all were wicked; They abandoned the Law of the Most High, these kings of Judah, right to the very end.	⁴ Except David and Hezekiah and Josiah they all sinned greatly, for they forsook the law of the Most High; the kings of Judah came to an end;
⁵ So he gave over their power to others, their glory to a foolish foreign nation	⁵ for they gave their power to others, and their glory to a foreign nation,
⁶ Who burned the holy city and left its streets desolate, As JEREMIAH had foretold;	⁶ who set fire to the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made her streets desolate, according to the word of Jeremiah.
⁷ for they had treated him badly who even in the womb had been made a prophet, To root out, pull down, and destroy, and then to build and to plant.	⁷ For they had afflicted him; yet he had been consecrated in the womb as prophet, to pluck up and afflict and destroy, and likewise to build and to plant.
⁸ EZEKIEL beheld the vision and described the different creatures of the chariot;	⁸ It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of glory which God showed him above the chariot of the cherubim.
⁹ He also referred to JOB, who always persevered in the right path.	⁹ For God remembered his enemies with storm, and did good to those who directed their ways aright.
¹⁰ Then, too, the TWELVE PROPHETS-- may their bones return to life from their resting place!-- Gave new strength to Jacob and saved him by their faith and hope.	¹⁰ May the bones of the twelve prophets revive from where they lie, for they comforted the people of Jacob and delivered them with confident hope.
¹¹ How can we fittingly praise ZERUBBABEL, who was like a signet ring on God's right hand,	¹¹ How shall we magnify Zerubbabel? He was like a signet on the right hand,
¹² And Jeshua, Jozadak's son? In their time they built the house of God; They erected the holy temple, destined for everlasting glory.	¹² and so was Jeshua the son of Jozadak; in their days they built the house and raised a temple holy to the Lord, prepared for everlasting glory.
¹³ Extolled be the memory of NEHEMIAH! He rebuilt our ruined walls, Restored our shattered defenses, and set up gates and bars.	¹³ The memory of Nehemiah also is lasting; he raised for us the walls that had fallen, and set up the gates and bars and rebuilt our ruined houses.
¹⁴ Few on earth have been made the equal of ENOCH, for he was taken up bodily.	¹⁴ No one like Enoch has been created on earth, for he was taken up from the earth.
¹⁵ Was ever a man born like JOSEPH? Even his dead body was provided for.	¹⁵ And no man like Joseph has been born, and his bones are cared for.
¹⁶ Glorious, too, were SHEM and SETH and ENOS; but beyond that of any living being was the splendor of ADAM.	¹⁶ Shem and Seth were honored among men, and Adam above every living being in the creation.