Sirach 50

¹ It was the High Priest Simon son of Onias who repaired the Temple during his lifetime and in his day fortified the sanctuary.

² He laid the foundations of double depth, the high buttresses of the Temple precincts.

³ In his day the pool was excavated, a reservoir as huge as the sea.

⁴ Anxious to save the people from ruin, he fortified the city against siege.

⁵ How splendid he was with the people thronging round him, when he emerged from the curtained shrine,

⁶ like the morning star among the clouds, like the moon at the ful ,

⁷ like the sun shining on the Temple of the Most High, like the rainbow gleaming against bril iant clouds,

⁸ like a rose in springtime, like a lily by a spring, like a branch of the incense tree in summer,

⁹ like fire and incense in the censer, like a massive golden vessel encrusted with every kind of preciousstone,

¹⁰ like an olive tree loaded with fruit, like a cypress soaring to the clouds;

¹¹ when he took his ceremonial robe and put on his magnificent ornaments, when he went up to the holyaltar and fil ed the sanctuary precincts with his grandeur;

¹² when he received the portions from the hands of the priests, himself standing by the altar hearth,crowned with the circle of his brothers, as a cedar of Lebanon is by its foliage, as though surrounded by thetrunks of palm trees.

¹³ When all the sons of Aaron in their glory, with the offerings of the Lord in their hands, stood before thewhole assembly of Israel,

¹⁴ while he completed the rites at the altars, nobly presenting the offerings to the Almighty, Most High!

¹⁵ He would reach out his hand to the cup and pour a libation of wine, pouring it at the foot of the altar, afragrance pleasing to the Most High, King of All;

¹⁶ then the sons of Aaron would shout and blow their metal trumpets, making a mighty sound ring out asa reminder before the Most High;

¹⁷ and immediately the people al together would fal on their faces to the ground, in adoration of theirLord, the Almighty, God Most High,

¹⁸ and with the cantors chanting their hymns of praise. Sweet was the melody of al these voices,

¹⁹ as the people pleaded with the Lord Most High and prayed in the presence of the Merciful, until theservice of the Lord was completed and the ceremony at an end.

²⁰ Then he would come down and raise his hands over the whole assembly of the Israelites, to give themthe Lord's blessing from his lips, being privileged to pronounce his name;

²¹ and once again the people would bow low to receive the blessing of the Most High.

²² And now bless the God of al things, the doer of great deeds everywhere, who has exalted our daysfrom the womb and has acted merciful y towards us.

²³ May he grant us cheerful hearts and bring peace in our time, in Israel for ages on ages.

²⁴ May his mercy be faithfully with us, may he redeem us in our own times!

²⁵ There are two nations that my soul detests, the third is not a nation at al :

²⁶ the inhabitants of Mount Seir, the Philistines, and the stupid people living at Shechem.

²⁷ Instruction in wisdom and knowledge is what has been written in this book by Jesus son of SiraEleazar of Jerusalem, who has poured a rain of wisdom from his heart.

²⁸ Blessed is he who devotes his time to these and grows wise by taking them to heart!

²⁹ If he practises them he will be strong enough for anything, since the light of the Lord is his path.