Sirach 47

¹ After him arose Nathan, to prophesy in the time of David.

² As the fat is set apart from the communion sacrifice, so was David chosen out of the Israelites.

³ He played with lions as though with kids, and with bears as though with lambs.

⁴ While stil a boy, did he not slay the giant and take away the people's shame, by hurling a stone fromhis sling and cutting short the boasting of Goliath?

⁵ For he cal ed on the Lord Most High, who gave strength to his right arm to put a mighty warrior to deathand assert the strength of his own people.

⁶ Hence they gave him credit for ten thousand, and praised him while they blessed the Lord, by offeringhim a crown of glory.

⁷ For he destroyed the enemies on every front, he annihilated his foes, the Philistines, and crushed theirstrength for ever.

⁸ In al his activities he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High in words of glory; he put all his heart intohis songs out of love for his Creator.

⁹ He placed singers before the altar, melodiously to sing;

¹⁰ he gave the feasts their splendour, the festivals their solemn pomp, causing the Lord's holy name tobe praised and the sanctuary to resound from dawn.

¹¹ The Lord took away his sins, making his strength ever greater; he gave him a royal covenant, and aglorious throne in Israel.

¹² A wise son succeeded him, who lived content, thanks to him.

¹³ Solomon reigned in a time of peace, and God gave him peace al round so that he could raise a houseto his name and prepare an everlasting sanctuary.

¹⁴ How wise you were despite your youth, like a river, brimming over with intelligence!

¹⁵ Your mind ranged the earth, you fil ed it with mysterious sayings.

¹⁶ Your name reached the distant islands, and you were loved for your peace.

¹⁷ Your songs, your proverbs, your sayings and your answers were the wonder of the world.

¹⁸ In the name of the Lord God, of him who is cal ed the God of Israel, you amassed gold like so muchtin, and made silver as common as lead.

¹⁹ You abandoned your body to women, you became the slave of your appetites.

²⁰ You stained your honour, you profaned your stock, so bringing retribution on your children andaffliction for your fol y:

²¹ the empire split in two, from Ephraim arose a rebel kingdom.

²² But the Lord never goes back on his mercy, never cancels any of his words, wil neither deny offspringto his elect nor stamp out the line of the man who loved him. And hence, he has granted a remnant to Jacob andto David a root sprung from him.

²³ Solomon rested with his ancestors, leaving one of his stock as his successor, the stupidest member ofthe nation, brainless Rehoboam, who drove the people to rebel.

²⁴ Next, Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, and set Ephraim on the way of evil; from then ontheir sins multiplied so excessively as to drive them out of their country;

²⁵ for they tried out every kind of wickedness, until vengeance overtook them.