Sirach 48

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Till like a fire there appeared the prophet whose words were as a flaming furnace.	1 Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.
2 Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits;	2 He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.
3 By God's word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire.	3 By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.
4 How awesome are you, ELIJAH! Whose glory is equal to yours?	4 O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!
5 You brought a dead man back to life from the nether world, by the will of the LORD.	5 Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the most High:
6 You sent kings down to destruction, and nobles, from their beds of sickness.	6 Who broughtest kings to destruction, and honorable men from their bed:
7 You heard threats at Sinai, at Horeb avenging judgments.	7 Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance:
8 You anointed kings who should inflict vengeance, and a prophet as your successor.	8 Who annointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him:
9 You were taken aloft in a whirlwind, in a chariot with fiery horses.	9 Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:
10 You are destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD, To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons, and to reestablish the tribes of Jacob.	10 Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
11 Blessed is he who shall have seen you before he dies,	11 Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.
12 O Elijah, enveloped in the whirlwind! Then ELISHA, filled with a twofold portion of his spirit, wrought many marvels by his mere word. During his lifetime he feared no one, nor was any man able to intimidate his will.	12 Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.
13 Nothing was beyond his power; beneath him flesh was brought back into life.	13 No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied.
14 In life he performed wonders, and after death, marvelous deeds.	14 He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.
15 Despite all this the people did not repent, nor did they give up their sins, Until they were rooted out of their land and scattered all over the earth. But Judah remained, a tiny people, with its rulers from the house of David.	15 For all this the people repented not, neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David:
16 Some of these did what was right, but others were extremely sinful.	16 Of whom some did that which was pleasing to God, and some multiplied sins.
17 HEZEKIAH fortified his city and had water brought into it; With iron tools he cut through the rock and he built reservoirs for water.	17 Ezekias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells for waters.
18 During his reign Sennacherib led an invasion and sent his adjutant; He shook his fist at Zion and blasphemed God in his pride.	18 In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion, and boasted proudly.
19 The people's hearts melted within them, and they were in anguish like that of childbirth.	19 Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.
20 But they called upon the Most High God and lifted up their hands to him; He heard the prayer they uttered, and saved them through ISAIAH.	20 But they called upon the Lord which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay.
21 God struck the camp of the Assyrians and routed them with a plague.	21 He smote the host of the Assyrians, and his angel destroyed them.
22 For Hezekiah did what was right and held fast to the paths of David, As ordered by the illustrious prophet Isaiah, who saw the truth in visions.	22 For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.
23 In his lifetime he turned back the sun and prolonged the life of the king.	23 In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king's life.
24 By his powerful spirit he looked into the future and consoled the mourners of Zion;	24 He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pass at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.
25 He foretold what should be till the end of time, hidden things yet to be fulfilled.	25 He shewed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they came.