Sirach 48

NEW JERUSALEM	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch.	1 Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, and his word burned like a torch.
2 It was he who brought famine on them and decimated them in his zeal.	2 He brought a famine upon them, and by his zeal he made them few in number.
3 By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, three times also he brought down fire.	3 By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, and also three times brought down fire.
4 How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason to boast as you have? -	4 How glorious you were, O Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! And who has the right to boast which you have?
5 rousing a corpse from death, from Sheol, by the word of the Most High;	5 You who raised a corpse from death and from Hades, by the word of the Most High;
6 dragging kings down to destruction, and high dignitaries from their beds;	6 who brought kings down to destruction, and famous men from their beds;
7 hearing a rebuke on Sinai and decrees of punishment on Horeb;	7 who heard rebuke at Sinai and judgments of vengeance at Horeb;
8 anointing kings as avengers, and prophets to succeed you;	8 who anointed kings to inflict retribution, and prophets to succeed you.
9 taken up in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses;	9 You who were taken up by a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with horses of fire;
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 you who are ready at the appointed time, it is written, to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
11 Blessed, those who wil see you, and those who have fal en asleep in love; for we too shal certainlyhave life.	11 Blessed are those who saw you, and those who have been adorned in love; for we also shall surely live.
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 It was Elijah who was covered by the whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit; in all his days he did not tremble before any ruler, and no one brought him into subjection.
13 No task was too hard for him, and even in death his body prophesied.	13 Nothing was too hard for him, and when he was dead his body prophesied.
14 In his lifetime he performed wonders, and in death his works were marvel ous.	14 As in his life he did wonders, so in death his deeds were marvelous.
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 For all this the people did not repent, and they did not forsake their sins, till they were carried away captive from their land and were scattered over all the earth; the people were left very few in number, but with rulers from the house of David.
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 Some of them did what was pleasing to God, but others multiplied sins.
17 Hezekiah fortified his city, and laid on a water-supply inside it; with iron he tunnelled through the rockand constructed storage-tanks.	17 Hezekiah fortified his city, and brought water into the midst of it; he tunneled the sheer rock with iron and built pools for water.
18 In his days Sennacherib invaded and sent Rabshakeh; he lifted his hand against Zion, and boastedloudly in his arrogance.	18 In his days Sennacherib came up, and sent the Rabshakeh; he lifted up his hand against Zion and made great boasts in his arrogance.
19 Then their hearts and hands trembled, they felt the pangs of a woman in labour,	19 Then their hearts were shaken and their hands trembled, and they were in anguish, like women in travail.
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 But they called upon the Lord who is merciful, spreading forth their hands toward him; and the Holy One quickly heard them from heaven, and delivered them by the hand of Isaiah.
21 he struck the camp of the Assyrians and his Angel annihilated them.	21 The Lord smote the camp of the Assyrians, and his angel wiped them out.
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 For Hezekiah did what was pleasing to the Lord, and he held strongly to the ways of David his father, which Isaiah the prophet commanded, who was great and faithful in his vision.
23 In his days the sun moved back; he prolonged the life of the king.	23 In his days the sun went backward, and he lengthened the life of the king.
24 In the power of the spirit he saw the last things, he comforted the mourners of Zion,	24 By the spirit of might he saw the last things, and comforted those who mourned in Zion.
25 he revealed the future to the end of time, and hidden things long before they happened.	25 He revealed what was to occur to the end of time, and the hidden things before they came to pass.