Sirach 48

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch.	1 the Lord the Almighty, and he gave strength in his right hand, to take away the mighty warrior, and to set up the horn of his nation.
2 It was he who brought famine on them and decimated them in his zeal.	2 And as the fat taken away from the flesh, so was David chosen from among the children of Israel.
3 By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, three times also he brought down fire.	3 He played with lions as with lambs: and with bears he did in like manner as with the lambs of the flock, in his youth.
4 How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason to boast as you have? -	4 Did not he kill the giant, and take away reproach from his people?
5 rousing a corpse from death, from Sheol, by the word of the Most High;	5 In lifting up his hand, with the stone in the sling he beat down the boasting of Goliath:
6 dragging kings down to destruction, and high dignitaries from their beds;	6 For he called upoI
7 hearing a rebuke on Sinai and decrees of punishment on Horeb;	7 So in ten thousand did he glorify him, and praised him in the blessings of the Lord, in offering to him a crown of glory:
8 anointing kings as avengers, and prophets to succeed you;	8 For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and extirpated the Philistines the adversaries unto this day: he broke their horn for ever.
9 taken up in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses;	9 In all his works he gave thanks to the holy one, and to the most High, with words of glory.
10 designated in the prophecies of doom to allay God's wrath before the fury breaks, to turn the hearts offathers towards their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.	10 With his whole heart he praised the Lord, and loved God that made him: and he gave him power against his enemies:
11 Blessed, those who wil see you, and those who have fal en asleep in love; for we too shal certainlyhave life.	11 And he set singers before the altar, and by their voices he made sweet melody.
12 Such was Elijah, who was enveloped in a whirlwind; and Elisha was fil ed with his spirit; throughout hislife no ruler could shake him, and no one could subdue him.	12 And to the festivals he added beauty, and set in order the solemn times even to the end of his life, that they should praise the holy name of the Lord, and magnify the holiness of God in the morning.
13 No task was too hard for him, and even in death his body prophesied.	13 The Lord took away his sine, and exalted his horn for ever: and he gave him a covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel.
14 In his lifetime he performed wonders, and in death his works were marvel ous.	14 After him arose up a wise son, and for his sake he cast down all the power of the enemies.
15 Despite al this the people did not repent, nor did they give up their sins, until they were herded out oftheir country and scattered al over the earth;	15 Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God brought all his enemies under him, that he might build a house in his name, and prepare a sanctuary for ever: O how wise wast thou in thy youth!
16 only a few of the people were left, with a ruler of the House of David. Some of them did what pleasedthe Lord, others piled sin on sin.	16 And thou wast filled as a river with wisdom, and thy soul covered the earth.
17 Hezekiah fortified his city, and laid on a water-supply inside it; with iron he tunnelled through the rockand constructed storage-tanks.	17 And thou didst multiply riddles in parables: thy name went abroad to the islands far off, and thou wast beloved in thy peace.
18 In his days Sennacherib invaded and sent Rabshakeh; he lifted his hand against Zion, and boastedloudly in his arrogance.	18 The countries wondered at thee for thy canticles, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations,
19 Then their hearts and hands trembled, they felt the pangs of a woman in labour,	19 And at the name of the Lord God, whose surname is, God of Israel.
20 but they cal ed on the merciful Lord, stretching out their hands towards him. Swiftly the Holy Oneheard them from heaven and delivered them by the agency of Isaiah;	20 Thou didst gather gold as copper, and didst multiply silver as lead,
21 he struck the camp of the Assyrians and his Angel annihilated them.	21 And thou didst bow thyself to women: and by thy body thou wast brought under subjection.
22 For Hezekiah did what is pleasing to the Lord, and was steadfast in the ways of David his father,enjoined on him by the prophet Isaiah, a great man trustworthy in his vision.	22 Thou hast stained thy glory, and defiled thy seed so as to bring wrath upon thy children, and to have thy folly kindled,
23 In his days the sun moved back; he prolonged the life of the king.	23 That thou shouldst make the kingdom to be divided, and out of Ephraim a rebellious kingdom to rule.
24 In the power of the spirit he saw the last things, he comforted the mourners of Zion,	24 But God will not leave off his mercy, and he will not destroy, nor abolish his own works, neither will he out up by the roots the offspring of his elect: and he will not utterly take away the seed of him that loveth the Lord.
25 he revealed the future to the end of time, and hidden things long before they happened.	25 Wherefore he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David of the same stock.
	26 And Solomon had an end with his fathers.
	27 And he left behind him of his seed, the folly of the nation,
	28 Even Roboam that had little wisdom, who turned away the people through his counsel:
	29 And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who caused Israel to sin, and shewed Ephraim the way of sin, and their sins were multiplied exceedingly.
	30 They removed them far away from their land.
	31 And they sought out all iniquities, till vengeance came upon them, and put an end to all their sine.