Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

1 The firmament on high is his beauty; it is the beauty of heaven in a vision of glory.

2 The sun, at its appearance, announces its journey; it is an instrument of wonder, a work of the Most High.

3 At midday, it scorches the earth. And in the presence of its heat, who would be able to endure? It is like the custodian of a furnace in its works of heat.

4 In three ways, the sun acts: scorching the mountains, emitting fiery rays, and shining with its beams that can blind the eyes.

5 Great is the Lord who made it, and at his word, it hurries on its journey.

6 And the moon, in all its phases, serves to mark the seasons and to be a sign of the times.

7 From the moon is the sign of a feast day; it is a light which diminishes at its consummation.

8 A month is named according to its phases, increasing wonderfully at its culmination.

9 It is an instrument of the armies on high, shining gloriously in the firmament of heaven.

10 The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven; the Lord illuminates the world from on high.

11 At the words of the Holy One, they stand for judgment, and they will never fail in their vigilance.

12 Consider the rainbow, and bless the One who made it; it is very beautiful in its splendor.

13 It encompasses the heavens with the circle of its glory; the hands of the Most High made it appear.

14 By his order, he hastens the snow, and he spurs on the lightning to express his judgment.

15 In like manner, his storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds.

16 By his greatness, he has positioned the clouds, and the hailstones have been broken.

17 At his glance, the mountains will be shaken, and by his will, the south wind will blow.

18 The voice of his thunder will reverberate through the earth, by a storm from the north, and by a gathering of the whirlwind.

19 And like the birds landing in a flock upon the earth, he sends down the snow; and its descent is like the arrival of a swarm of locusts.

20 The eye is in wonder at the beauty of its whiteness, and the heart is astonished at its falling.

21 He will pour out frost like salt upon the earth. And when it freezes, it will become like the tops of thistles.

22 The cold north wind blows, and the water freezes into crystals; it will rest upon every gathering of water, and it will clothe the water like a breastplate.

23 And it will devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and extinguish the greenery, like a fire.

24 Relief for all is in the hurried arrival of a cloud. And the lowly dew will arrive to meet the heat and overpower it.

25 At his word, the wind grows quiet, and by his thought, he appeases the abyss, for the Lord has planted islands in it.

26 Let those who navigate the sea describe its perils. And when we have heard it with our ears, we will wonder.

27 There are illustrious and wondrous works: the various kinds of wild animals, and all manner of cattle, and the great creatures of the sea.

28 Through him, the end of their journey is confirmed, and by his word, all things fit together.

29 We can say much, and yet still lack for words. But the consummation of our words is this: He is in all things.

30 What would we be able to do to glorify him? For the Almighty himself is above all his own works.

31 The Lord is terrible, and exceedingly great, and his power is wonderful.

32 Glorify the Lord as much as you are able, yet still he will far exceed this. For his magnificence is beyond wonder.

33 Bless the Lord and exalt him, as much as you are able. But he is beyond all praise.

34 When you exalt him, use all your ability, and do not cease in this labor. For you can never comprehend him.

35 Who will see him and explain? And who will magnify him, as he is from the beginning?

36 There are many things, hidden from us, which are greater than these things. For we have seen but a few of his works.

37 But the Lord has made all things, and he has given wisdom to those who act with piety.

1 Let us praise the men of glory, and our ancestors in their generation.

2 The Lord has wrought great glory, by his own magnificence, from ancient times.

3 There are those who rule with their authority, men of great virtue, who are gifted with prudence. There are those who announce among the prophets, with the dignity of prophets.

4 And there are those who rule over the present generation, by the virtue of prudence, with very holy words for the people.

5 There are those who, by their skill, compose musical themes, so as to set the verses of Scripture to music.

6 There are men rich in virtue, who make a study of beauty, who live in peacefulness in their houses.

7 All these obtained glory in their generations, and they had praise in their days.

8 They left behind a name for those who were born of them, so that their praises might be described.

9 But for some of them, there is no memorial. They have passed away as if they had never existed; and they have become as if they had never been born, and their sons along with them.

10 But these were men of mercy, whose pious deeds have not failed.

11 Good things continue with their offspring.

12 Their descendents are a holy inheritance, and their offspring stand firm in the covenants.

13 And because of them, their sons remain even unto eternity. Their offspring and their glory will not be forsaken.

14 Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives on, from generation to generation.

15 Let the people declare their wisdom, and let the Church announce their praise.

16 Enoch pleased God, and he was transferred to Paradise, so that he might offer repentance to the nations.

17 Noah was found to be perfect and just, and so, in the time of wrath, he was made a reconciliation.

18 As a result, there was a remnant left for the earth, when the great flood was made.

19 The covenants of the world were placed with him, so that all flesh would not be wiped away by the great flood.

20 Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one was found to be like him in glory. He observed the law of the Most High, and he formed a covenant with him.

21 In his flesh, he caused the covenant to stand, and when tested, he was found to be faithful.

22 Therefore, by an oath, he gave glory to him among his people, so as to increase him like the dust of the earth,

23 and to exalt his offspring like the stars, and to give an inheritance to them from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

24 And he acted in like manner toward Isaac, because of his father Abraham.

25 The Lord gave the blessing of all the nations to him, and he confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob.

26 He acknowledged him in his blessings, and he gave an inheritance to him, and he distributed to him the portion of the twelve tribes.

27 And he preserved for him men of mercy, who were found to have grace before the eyes of all flesh.

1 Moses was beloved by God and men. The remembrance of him is a blessing.

2 He made him like the holy ones in glory, and he magnified him by the fear of his enemies, and he appeased great portents by his words.

3 He glorified him in the sight of kings, and he gave commandments to him in the sight of his people, and he revealed his glory to him.

4 He made him holy by his faith and meekness, and he chose him from among all flesh.

5 For he heard him and his voice, and he led him into a cloud.

6 And he gave him precepts in his presence, with a law of life and discipline, so as to teach Jacob his covenant and Israel his judgments.

7 He exalted his brother Aaron and those who were similar to him from the tribe of Levi.

8 He established an eternal covenant with him, and he gave him the priesthood of the people, and he caused him to be blessed in glory.

9 And he encircled him with a glorious belt, and he clothed him with a robe of glory, and he crowned him with virtuous attire.

10 He placed upon him a garment to the feet, and pants, and an ephod, and he wrapped him all around with many little bells of gold,

11 so that there would be a sound at his arrival, and so as to make a noise that would be heard in the temple, as a memorial for the sons of his people.

12 He provided him with a holy robe of gold and hyacinth and purple, a woven work for a wise man of judgment and truth,

13 a work of twisted scarlet, the work of an artist, with precious stones, cut and set in gold, and engraved by the work of a jeweler, as a memorial according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

14 He provided him with a crown of gold upon his headdress, on which was written a symbol of holiness, a mark of honor. This was a work of virtue and a delight to the eyes in its beauty.

15 Prior to him, there was no one of such beauty, even from the beginning.

16 No foreigner was ever clothed with these things, but only his sons and his descendents alone, for all time.

17 His sacrifices were consumed by fire daily.

18 Moses filled his hands and anointed him with holy oil.

19 An eternal covenant was made, with him and with his offspring, like the days of heaven, to execute the office of the priesthood, and to give praise and to glorify his people, in his name.

20 He chose him from among all living men to offer to God sacrifice, incense, and a pleasing fragrance, as a memorial of appeasement on behalf of his people.

21 And he gave him authority by his precepts, in the covenants of his judgments, to teach Jacob his testimonies, and to give light by his law to Israel.

22 Then strangers stood up against him, and, because of envy, the men who were with Dathan and Abiram surrounded him in the desert, along with the congregation of Korah, in their anger.

23 The Lord God saw this, and it did not please him, and so they were consumed by the force of his anger.

24 He wrought great portents among them, and he consumed them with a flame of fire.

25 And he added glory to Aaron, and he gave him an inheritance, and he allotted to him the first-fruits of the earth.

26 He prepared for them the finest bread unto fullness. And they shall also eat from the sacrifices of the Lord, which he gave to him and to his offspring.

27 And yet he will not have an inheritance among the people of the land, and he has no portion among the people. For the Lord himself is his portion and his inheritance.

28 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, is third in glory, by imitating him in the fear of the Lord.

29 And he stood up against the shamefulness of the people. By the goodness and responsiveness of his soul, he appeased God on behalf of Israel.

30 For this reason, he made him a covenant of peace, a leader of the sanctuary and of his people, so that the dignity of the priesthood would remain with him and with his offspring unto eternity.

31 And he made a covenant with king David, the son of Jesse from the tribe of Judah, an inheritance for him and for his offspring, so that he might provide wisdom for our hearts, so as to judge his people in justice, lest their good things be abolished. And he caused their glory within their nation to be everlasting.

1 Joshua, the son of Nun, was valiant in warfare; he was the successor of Moses among the prophets. He was great in accord with his name,

2 very great in the saving the elect of God. He fought against the insurgent enemies, so that he might obtain the inheritance for Israel.

3 What great glory he secured, by lifting up his hands and throwing his spears against the cities!

4 Who before him has stood so firmly? For the Lord himself led forward the enemies.

5 Was not the sun halted by his wrath, and one day made as if two?

6 He called upon the Most High Power, when the enemies assailed him on every side. And the great and holy God answered him with hailstones of exceedingly great force.

7 He made a violent assault against a hostile nation, and at his descent, he destroyed his adversaries,

8 so that the nations would acknowledge his power: that it is not easy to fight against God. And he followed the Almighty.

9 And in the days of Moses, he accomplished a work of mercy. He and Caleb, the son of Jephuneh, stood against the enemy, and forbid the people from sin, and broke their wicked murmuring.

10 And these two, having been appointed, were freed from peril, from foot soldiers numbering six hundred thousand, so as to lead them into their inheritance, into a land flowing with milk and honey.

11 And the Lord gave strength to Caleb also, and his strength remained even in his old age, so that he ascended to the high places of the land, and his offspring obtained it as an inheritance.

12 This was so that all the sons of Israel would see that it is good to obey the holy God.

13 Then there were the judges, each one called by name, whose heart was not corrupted. They did not turn away from the Lord,

14 so that their memory might be blessed, and their bones might spring forth from their place,

15 and their name might remain forever, continuing in their sons, holy men of glory.

16 Samuel, prophet of the Lord, beloved by the Lord his God, established a new government, and he anointed leaders over his people.

17 By the law of the Lord, he judged the congregation, and the God of Jacob saw it, and so, by his fidelity, he was proven to be a prophet.

18 And he was known to be faithful in his words. For he saw the God of light.

19 And when fighting against the enemies, who stood against him on every side, he called upon the name of the Almighty Lord, with an offering of an inviolate lamb.

20 And the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise, he made his voice to be heard.

21 And he crushed the leaders of the Tyrians, and all the commanders of the Philistines.

22 And before the time of the end of his life in the world, he offered testimony in the sight of the Lord and of his Christ, that he had not taken a bribe from any flesh, not even so much as a shoe, and that no man made an accusation against him.

23 And after this, he slept. And he made known to the king and revealed to him the end of his life. And he lifted up his voice from the earth in prophecy, to abolish the impiety of the people.

1 After these things, Nathan the prophet arose, in the days of David.

2 And just as fat is separated from meat, so was David separated from the sons of Israel.

3 He played with lions, as if with lambs, and he acted similarly with bears, as if they were lambs of the flock, in his youth.

4 Did he not kill the giant, and take away the reproach from his people?

5 By lifting up his hand, with a stone in a sling, he threw down the boasting of Goliath.

6 For he called upon the Almighty Lord, and he swore with his right hand to take away the mighty man of war, and to exalt the horn of his people.

7 So he glorified him amid ten thousand, and he praised him with the blessings of the Lord, by offering him a crown of glory.

8 For he crushed the enemies on every side, and he eradicated his adversaries, the Philistines, even to this day. He broke their horn, even for all time.

9 In all his works, he gave thanks to the Holy One, to the Most High, with words of glory.

10 With all his heart, he praised the Lord and he loved God, who made him and who gave him power against his enemies.

11 And he appointed singers to stand opposite the altar, and by their voices he provided sweet music.

12 And he provided beauty for the celebrations, and he gave order to the times, even until the end of his life, so that they would praise the holy name of the Lord, and magnify the sanctity of God, from early morning.

13 The Lord purged his sins, and he exalted his horn forever. And he gave him the covenant of the kingdom, and a throne of glory in Israel.

14 After him, an understanding son rose up. And by means of him, he cast down all the power of the enemies.

15 Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God subjected all his enemies to him, so that he might build a house in his name, and prepare a sanctuary for all time. O how well-taught you were in your youth!

16 And you were filled with wisdom like a river, and your mind exposed the world.

17 And you explained mysteries by means of parables. Your name became known to far off islands, and you were beloved for your peace.

18 The earth was in wonder over your canticles, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations,

19 and over the name of the Lord God, who is known as the God of Israel.

20 You gathered gold like copper, and you multiplied silver like lead.

21 But you bent your thigh to women, and you were held by the power of your body.

22 You brought a stain upon your glory, and you profaned your seed, so as to bring wrath upon your children, and to incite your foolishness,

23 so that you would cause the kingdom to be divided, and an obstinate kingdom to rule from Ephraim.

24 But God will not abandon his mercy, nor will he corrupt or abolish his own works. And he will not perish the stock of the descendents of his elect. And he will not destroy the offspring of him who loves the Lord.

25 Therefore, he left behind a remnant for Jacob and for David, from the same stock.

26 And Solomon had his end with his fathers.

27 And he left behind himself some of his offspring, as the folly of the nation:

28 both Rehoboam, who had little prudence, and who turned away the people by his counsel,

29 and Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, and who provided a way of sin to Ephraim. And their sins were multiplied exceedingly.

30 They thoroughly turned them away from their own land.

31 And they sought every kind of wickedness, even until punishment overwhelmed them, and freed them from every kind of sin.

1 And the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, and his word burned like a torch.

2 He brought a famine upon them, and those who provoked him in their envy became few. For they could not bear the precepts of the Lord.

3 By the word of the Lord, he closed the heavens, and he brought down fire from heaven three times.

4 In this way, Elijah was magnified in his wondrous works. So who can say that he is similar to you in glory?

5 He raised up a dead man from the grave, from the fate of death, by the word of the Lord God.

6 He threw down kings unto perdition, and he easily shattered their power and boasting from his bed.

7 He heeded the judgment at Sinai, and the judgments of punishment at Horeb.

8 He anointed kings unto repentance, and he chose the prophets who would follow after him.

9 He was received into a whirlwind of fire, into a swift chariot with fiery horses.

10 He is written in the judgments of the times, so as to lessen the wrath of the Lord, to reconcile the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

11 Blessed are those who saw you, and who were adorned with your friendship.

12 For we live only in our life, and after death, our name will not be the same.

13 Certainly, Elijah was covered by the whirlwind, and his spirit was completed in Elisha. In his days, he was not fearful of the ruler, and no power defeated him.

14 No word overwhelmed him, and after death, his body prophesied.

15 In his life, he gave great portents, and in death, he wrought miracles.

16 In all these things, the people did not repent, and they did not withdraw from their sins, even until they were cast out of their land, and were dispersed throughout all the earth.

17 And there was left behind a people very few in number, but with a leader in the house of David.

18 Some of these did what pleased God. But others committed many sins.

19 Hezekiah fortified his city, and he brought water into its midst, and he dug into rock with iron, and he built a well for water.

20 In his days, Sennacherib rose up, and he sent Rabshakeh, and he lifted up his hand against them, and he extended his hand against Zion, and he became arrogant in his power.

21 Then their hearts and hands shook. And they were in pain, like women giving birth.

22 And they called upon the merciful Lord. And they spread their hands and lifted them up to heaven. And the holy Lord God quickly heeded their voice.

23 He was not mindful of their sins, and he did not give them over to their enemies. Instead, he purified them by the hand of Isaiah, the holy prophet.

24 He threw down the army of the Assyrians, and the Angel of the Lord crushed them.

25 For Hezekiah did what pleased God, and he went with fortitude in the way of David his father, just as he had been commanded by Isaiah, a prophet great and faithful in the sight of God.

26 In his days, the sun went backwards, and he added to the king’s life.

27 With a great spirit he saw the final things. And he consoled the mourners in Zion.

28 He revealed the future, even the distant future, and hidden things before they occurred.

1 The memory of Josiah is like a blend of fragrances composed by the work of a perfumer.

2 His remembrance will be sweet like honey in every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wine.

3 He was divinely directed for the repentance of the nation, and he took away the abominations of impiety.

4 And he guided his heart toward the Lord. And during the days of sinners, he strengthened piety.

5 Other than David, and Hezekiah, and Josiah, everyone committed sin.

6 For the kings of Judah abandoned the law of the Most High, and they held contempt for the fear of God.

7 For they gave their kingdom to foreigners, and their glory to a strange people.

8 They set fire to the chosen city of sanctity, and they made its streets desolate, in accord with the hand of Jeremiah.

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.

10 It was Ezekiel who saw a vision of glory, which was revealed to him with the chariot of the Cherubim.

11 For it called to mind the enemies under the figure of rain, to do good to those who have revealed the upright ways.

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.

13 How will we magnify Zerubbabel? For he, too, was like a signet on the right hand.

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.

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.

16 No one has been born upon the earth like Enoch. And he was also taken up from the earth.

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.

1 Simon, the high priest, son of Onias: in his life, he propped up the house, and in his days, he strengthened the temple.

2 Even the height of the temple was established by him: the double building and the high walls of the temple.

3 In his days, waters flowed out from the wells, and these were full beyond measure, like the sea.

4 He cared for his nation, and he freed it from perdition.

5 He prevailed, so as to enlarge the city. And he obtained glory by his behavior among the people. And he enlarged the entrance of the house and of the atrium.

6 He shined in his days like the morning star through the midst of a cloud, and like the full moon.

7 And he shined forth in the temple of God in this manner: like the sun when it shines brightly,

8 and like a rainbow shining amid clouds of glory, and like flowering roses in the days of spring, and like lilies along the water’s edge, and like sweet smelling frankincense in the days of summer,

9 like a fire shining brightly, and like frankincense burning within a fire,

10 like a vessel of solid gold, adorned with every precious stone,

11 like an olive tree producing buds, and like a cypress tree lifting itself on high, when he received the robe of glory and was vested with the consummation of virtue.

12 He gave glory to the vestment of sanctity, when he ascended to the holy altar.

13 Then, when he received the portions from the hands of the priests, he himself stood next to the altar. And around him was the crown of his brethren, like a cedar planted on a mountain of Lebanon.

14 And they stood around him like palm branches, and all were sons of Aaron in their glory.

15 Then the oblation of the Lord was in their hands, in the sight of the entire synagogue of Israel. And completing his service at the altar, so as to magnify the offering to the Most High King,

16 he extended his hand to make a libation, and he offered from the blood of the grape.

17 At the base of the altar, he poured out a divine fragrance to the Most High Prince.

18 Then the sons of Aaron shouted; they sounded finely-made trumpets, and they made a great noise, as a memorial in the sight of God.

19 Then all the people at once hurried forward, and they fell to the ground on their faces, to adore the Lord their God, and to offer prayers to Almighty God Most High.

20 And the singers of Psalms raised their voices, and a full sweet sound increased in the great house.

21 And the people petitioned the Most High Lord in prayer, even until the honor of the Lord was completed, and they finished offering their gifts.

22 Then, descending, he extended his hands over the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, to give glory to God from his lips, and to glory in his name.

23 And he repeated his prayer, wanting to reveal the virtue of God.

24 And now, pray to the God of all, who has accomplished great things over all the earth, who has increased our days from our mother’s womb, and who has acted toward us in accord with his mercy.

25 May he give us joyfulness in heart, and may there be peace in our days, in Israel for unending days,

26 so that Israel may trust the mercy of God to be with us, in order to free us in his days.

27 Two nations my soul hates, and a third, which I hate, is not a nation:

28 those who sit upon mount Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people who live at Shechem.

29 Jesus, the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, who renewed wisdom from his heart, wrote the doctrine of wisdom and discipline in this book.

30 Blessed is he who lives by these good things. Whoever places these things in his heart will be ever wise.

31 For if he does these things, he will prevail in all things. For the light of God is upon his footsteps.

1 The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Saviour.

2 I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector.

3 And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby.

4 And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour,

5 from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me,

6 from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire,

7 from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue.

8 My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death.

9 For my life was drawing near to hell below.

10 And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none.

11 Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning.

12 For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles.

13 You exalted my habitation upon the earth, and I made supplication that death would pass away.

14 I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, so that he would not abandon me in the day of my tribulation, nor in the time of arrogance without assistance.

15 I will praise your name unceasingly, and I will praise it with thanksgiving, for my prayer was heeded.

16 And you freed me from perdition, and you rescued me from the time of iniquity.

17 Because of this, I will give thanks and praise to you, and I will bless the name of the Lord.

18 When I was still young, before I wandered astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

19 I asked for her before the temple, and even to the very end, I will inquire after her. And she flourished like a newly-ripened grape.

20 My heart rejoiced in her. My feet walked in the right path. From my youth, I pursued her.

21 I bent my ear a little and accepted her.

22 I found much wisdom within myself, and I benefited greatly by her.

23 I will give glory to him who gives wisdom to me.

24 For I have decided that I should act according to wisdom. I have been zealous for what is good, and so I will not be confounded.

25 My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed.

26 I extended my hands on high, and I mourned my ignorance of her.

27 I directed my soul toward her, and I found her within knowledge.

28 From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken.

29 My stomach was stirred up while seeking her. Because of her, I will hold a good possession.

30 The Lord has given me a tongue as my reward, and I will praise him with it.

31 Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline.

32 Why are you reluctant? And what do you have to say about these things? Your souls are exceedingly thirsty!

33 I have opened my mouth, and I have spoken. Buy wisdom for yourselves without silver,

34 and subject your neck to her yoke, and let your soul accept her discipline. For she is close enough to be found.

35 See with your own eyes how I have labored only a little, and have found much rest for myself.

36 Take up discipline, as if it were a great sum of money, and possess an abundance of gold in her.

37 Let your soul rejoice in his mercy. For you will not be confounded by his praise.

38 Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward in his time.