Sirach 49

Catholic Public Domain Bible	New Jerusalem Bible
¹ The memory of Josiah is like a blend of fragrances composed by the work of a perfumer.	¹ The memory of Josiah is like blended incense prepared by the perfumer's art; it is as sweet as honey toal mouths, and like music at a wine feast.
² His remembrance will be sweet like honey in every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wine.	² He took the right course, of converting the people, he rooted out the iniquitous abominations,
³ He was divinely directed for the repentance of the nation, and he took away the abominations of impiety.	³ he set his heart on the Lord, in godless times he upheld the cause of religion.
⁴ And he guided his heart toward the Lord. And during the days of sinners, he strengthened piety.	⁴ Apart from David, Hezekiah and Josiah, they al heaped wrong on wrong, they abandoned the Law ofthe Most High: the kings of Judah disappeared;
⁵ Other than David, and Hezekiah, and Josiah, everyone committed sin.	⁵ for they handed their power over to others and their honour to a foreign nation.
⁶ For the kings of Judah abandoned the law of the Most High, and they held contempt for the fear of God.	⁶ The holy, chosen city was burnt down, her streets were left deserted,
⁷ For they gave their kingdom to foreigners, and their glory to a strange people.	⁷ as Jeremiah had predicted; for they had il -treated him, though consecrated a prophet in his mother'swomb, to tear up and afflict and destroy, but also to build up and to plant.
⁸ They set fire to the chosen city of sanctity, and they made its streets desolate, in accord with the hand of Jeremiah.	⁸ Ezekiel saw a vision of glory which God showed to him above the chariot of the great winged creatures,
⁹ For they treated him wickedly, though he was consecrated as a prophet from his mother’s womb: to overthrow, and to root out, and to destroy, and also to rebuild and to renew.	⁹ for he mentioned the enemies in the downpour to the advantage of those who fol ow the right way.
¹⁰ It was Ezekiel who saw a vision of glory, which was revealed to him with the chariot of the Cherubim.	¹⁰ As for the twelve prophets, may their bones flower again from the tomb, since they have comfortedJacob and redeemed him in faith and hope.
¹¹ For it called to mind the enemies under the figure of rain, to do good to those who have revealed the upright ways.	¹¹ How shal we extol Zerubbabel? He was like a signet ring on the right hand,
¹² And may the bones of the twelve prophets spring up from their place. For they strengthened Jacob, and they redeemed themselves with a virtuous faith.	¹² so too was Joshua son of Jozadak; they who in their days built the Temple and raised a sanctuarysacred to the Lord, destined to everlasting glory.
¹³ How will we magnify Zerubbabel? For he, too, was like a signet on the right hand.	¹³ Great too is the memory of Nehemiah, who rebuilt our wal s which lay in ruins, erected the boltedgates and rebuilt our houses.
¹⁴ So also was Jesus, the son of Jozadak, who in their days built the house, and raised up a holy temple to the Lord, as a preparation for everlasting glory.	¹⁴ No one else has ever been created on earth to equal Enoch, for he was taken up from earth.
¹⁵ And may Nehemiah be remembered for a long time. He raised up for us the walls that had been torn down. And he made firm the gates and the bars. He raised up our houses.	¹⁵ And no one else ever born has been like Joseph, the leader of his brothers, the prop of his people; hisbones received a visitation.
¹⁶ No one has been born upon the earth like Enoch. And he was also taken up from the earth.	¹⁶ Shem and Seth were the most honoured of men, but above every living creature is Adam.
¹⁷ And there was no one like Joseph, who was a man born to be foremost among his brothers, the firmament of his clan, a guide to his brethren, the mainstay of his people.
¹⁸ And his bones were visited, and after death, they prophesied.
¹⁹ Shem and Seth obtained glory among men. And above every soul, at the very beginning, was Adam.