Sirac (NAB) 39

39 1 How different the man who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High! He explores the wisdom of the men of old and occupies himself with the prophecies;
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He treasures the discourses of famous men, and goes to the heart of involved sayings;
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He studies obscure parables, and is busied with the hidden meanings of the sages.
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He is in attendance on the great, and has entrance to the ruler.
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He travels among the peoples of foreign lands to learn what is good and evil among men.
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His care is to seek the LORD, his Maker, to petition the Most High, To open his lips in prayer, to ask pardon for his sins. Then, if it pleases the LORD Almighty, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; He will pour forth his words of wisdom and in prayer give thanks to the LORD,
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Who will direct his knowledge and his counsel, as he meditates upon his mysteries.
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He will show the wisdom of what he has learned and glory in the law of the LORD'S covenant.
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Many will praise his understanding; his fame can never be effaced; Unfading will be his memory, through all generations his name will live;
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Peoples will speak of his wisdom, and in assembly sing his praises.
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While he lives he is one out of a thousand, and when he dies his renown will not cease.


A Hymn of Praise to God

12 Once more I will set forth my theme to shine like the moon in its fullness!
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Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters;
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Send up the sweet odor of incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the LORD for all he has done!
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Proclaim the greatness of his name, loudly sing his praises, With music on the harp and all stringed instruments; sing out with joy as you proclaim:
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The works of God are all of them good; in its own time every need is supplied.
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At his word the waters become still as in a flask; he had but to speak and the reservoirs were made.
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He has but to command and his will is done; nothing can limit his achievement.
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The works of all mankind are present to him; not a thing escapes his eye.
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His gaze spans all the ages; to him there is nothing unexpected.
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No cause then to say: "What is the purpose of this?" Everything is chosen to satisfy a need.
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His blessing overflows like the Nile; like the Euphrates it enriches the surface of the earth.
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Again, his wrath expels the nations and turns fertile land into a salt marsh.
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For the virtuous his paths are level, to the haughty they are steep;
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Good things for the good he provided from the beginning, but for the wicked good things and bad.
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Chief of all needs for human life are water and fire, iron and salt, The heart of the wheat, milk and honey, the blood of the grape, and oil, and cloth;
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For the good all these are good, but for the wicked they turn out evil.
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There are storm winds created to punish, which in their fury can dislodge mountains; When destruction must be, they hurl all their force and appease the anger of their Maker.
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In his treasury also, kept for the proper time, are fire and hail, famine, disease,
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Ravenous beasts, scorpions, vipers, and the avenging sword to exterminate the wicked;
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In doing his bidding they rejoice, in their assignments they disobey not his command.
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So from the first I took my stand, and wrote down as my theme:
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The works of God are all of them good; every need when it comes he fills.
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No cause then to say: "This is not as good as that"; for each shows its worth at the proper time.
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So now with full joy of heart proclaim and bless the name of the Holy One.


Human Wretchedness

40 1 A great anxiety has God allotted, and a heavy yoke, to the sons of men; From the day one leaves his mother's womb to the day he returns to the mother of all the living,
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His thoughts, the fear in his heart, and his troubled forebodings till the day he dies--
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Whether he sits on a lofty throne or grovels in dust and ashes,
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Whether he bears a splendid crown or is wrapped in the coarsest of cloaks--
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Are of wrath and envy, trouble and dread, terror of death, fury and strife. Even when he lies on his bed to rest, his cares at night disturb his sleep.
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So short is his rest it seems like none, till in his dreams he struggles as he did by day, Terrified by what his mind's eye sees, like a fugitive being pursued;
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As he reaches safety, he wakes up astonished that there was nothing to fear.
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So it is with all flesh, with man and with beast, but for sinners seven times more.
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Plague and bloodshed, wrath and the sword, plunder and ruin, famine and death:
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For the wicked, these were created evil, and it is they who bring on destruction.
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All that is of earth returns to earth, and what is from above returns above.


Injustice Will Not Prosper

12 All that comes from bribes or injustice will be wiped out, but loyalty remains for ages.
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Wealth out of wickedness is like a wadi in spate: like a mighty stream with lightning and thunder,
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Which, in its rising, rolls along the stones, but suddenly, once and for all, comes to an end.
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The offshoot of violence will not flourish, for the root of the godless is on sheer rock;
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Or they are like reeds on the riverbank, withered before all other plants;
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But goodness will never be cut off, and justice endures forever. Wealth or wages can make life sweet, but better than either is finding a treasure.


The Joys of Life

18 A child or a city will preserve one's name, but better than either, attaining wisdom.
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Sheepfolds and orchards bring flourishing health; but better than either, a devoted wife;
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Wine and music delight the soul, but better than either, conjugal love.
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The flute and the harp offer sweet melody, but better than either, a voice that is true.
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Charm and beauty delight the eye, but better than either, the flowers of the field.
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A friend, a neighbor, are timely guides, but better than either, a prudent wife.
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A brother, a helper, for times of stress; but better than either, charity that rescues.
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Gold and silver make one's way secure, but better than either, sound judgment.
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Wealth and vigor build up confidence, but better than either, fear of God. Fear of the LORD leaves nothing wanting; he who has it need seek no other support:
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The fear of God is a paradise of blessings; its canopy, all that is glorious.


The Disgrace of Begging

28 My son, live not the life of a beggar, better to die than to beg;
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When one has to look to another's table, his life is not really a life. His neighbor's delicacies bring revulsion of spirit to one who understands inward feelings:
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In the mouth of the shameless man begging is sweet, but within him it burns like fire.


Concerning Death

41 1 O death! how bitter the thought of you for the man at peace amid his possessions, For the man unruffled and always successful, who still can enjoy life's pleasures.
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O death! how welcome your sentence to the weak man of failing strength, Tottering and always rebuffed, with no more sight, with vanished hope.
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Fear not death's decree for you; remember, it embraces those before you, and those after.
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Thus God has ordained for all flesh; why then should you reject the will of the Most High? Whether one has lived a thousand years, a hundred, or ten, in the nether world he has no claim on life.


The Fate of the Wicked

5 A reprobate line are the children of sinners, and witless offspring are in the homes of the wicked.
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Their dominion is lost to sinners' children, and reproach abides with their descendants.
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Children curse their wicked father, for they suffer disgrace through him.
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Woe to you, O sinful men, who forsake the law of the Most High.
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If you have children, calamity will seize them; you will beget them only for groaning. When you stumble, there is lasting joy; at death, you become a curse.
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Whatever is of nought returns to nought, so too the godless from void to void.
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Man's body is a fleeting thing, but a virtuous name will never be annihilated.
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Have a care for your name, for it will stand by you better than precious treasures in the thousands;
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The boon of life is for limited days, but a good name, for days without number.
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My children, heed my instruction about shame; judge of disgrace only according to my rules, For it is not always well to be ashamed, nor is it always the proper thing to blush:


A Series of Contrasts

15 Before father and mother be ashamed of immorality, before master and mistress, of falsehood;
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Before prince and ruler, of flattery; before the public assembly, of crime;
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Before friend and companion, of disloyalty, and of breaking an oath or agreement.
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Be ashamed of theft from the people where you settle, and of stretching out your elbow when you dine;
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Of refusing to give when asked, of defrauding another of his appointed share,
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Of failing to return a greeting, and of rebuffing a friend;
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Of gazing at a married woman, and of entertaining thoughts about another's wife; Of trifling with a servant girl you have, and of violating her couch;
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Of using harsh words with friends, and of following up your gifts with insults;
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Of repeating what you hear, and of betraying secrets--
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These are the things you should rightly avoid as shameful if you would be looked upon by everyone with favor.


42 1 But of these things be not ashamed, lest you sin through human respect:
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Of the law of the Most High and his precepts, or of the sentence to be passed upon the sinful;
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Of sharing the expenses of a business or a journey, or of dividing an inheritance or property;
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Of accuracy of scales and balances, or of tested measures and weights;
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Of acquiring much or little, or of bargaining in dealing with a merchant; Of constant training of children, or of beating the sides of a disloyal servant;
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Of a seal to keep an erring wife at home, or of a lock placed where there are many hands;
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Of numbering every deposit, or of recording all that is given or received;
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Of chastisement of the silly and the foolish, or of the aged and infirm answering for wanton conduct. Thus you will be truly cautious and recognized by all men as discreet.


Daughters and Fathers

9 A daughter is a treasure that keeps her father wakeful, and worry over her drives away rest: Lest she pass her prime unmarried, or when she is married, lest she be disliked;
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While unmarried, lest she be seduced, or, as a wife, lest she prove unfaithful; Lest she conceive in her father's home, or be sterile in that of her husband.
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Keep a close watch on your daughter, lest she make you the sport of your enemies, A byword in the city, a reproach among the people, an object of derision in public gatherings. See that there is no lattice in her room, no place that overlooks the approaches to the house.
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Let her not parade her charms before men, or spend her time with married women;
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For just as moths come from garments, so harm to women comes from women:
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Better a man's harshness than a woman's indulgence, and a frightened daughter than any disgrace.


The Works of God in Nature

15 Now will I recall God's works; what I have seen, I will describe. At God's word were his works brought into being; they do his will as he has ordained for them.
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As the rising sun is clear to all, so the glory of the LORD fills all his works;
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Yet even God's holy ones must fail in recounting the wonders of the LORD, Though God has given these, his hosts, the strength to stand firm before his glory.
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He plumbs the depths and penetrates the heart; their innermost being he understands. The Most High possesses all knowledge, and sees from of old the things that are to come:
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He makes known the past and the future, and reveals the deepest secrets.
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No understanding does he lack; no single thing escapes him.
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Perennial is his almighty wisdom; he is from all eternity one and the same,
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With nothing added, nothing taken away; no need of a counselor for him!
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How beautiful are all his works! even to the spark and the fleeting vision!
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The universe lives and abides forever; to meet each need, each creature is preserved.
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All of them differ, one from another, yet none of them has he made in vain, For each in turn, as it comes, is good; can one ever see enough of their splendor?


The Splendor of the Sun

43 1 The clear vault of the sky shines forth like heaven itself, a vision of glory.
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The orb of the sun, resplendent at its rising: what a wonderful work of the Most High!
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At noon it seethes the surface of the earth, and who can bear its fiery heat?
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Like a blazing furnace of solid metal, it sets the mountains aflame with its rays; By its fiery darts the land is consumed; the eyes are dazzled by its light.
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Great indeed is the LORD who made it, at whose orders it urges on its steeds.


The Splendor of the Moon

6 The moon, too, that marks the changing times, governing the seasons, their lasting sign,
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By which we know the feast days and fixed dates, this light-giver which wanes in its course:
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As its name says, each month it renews itself; how wondrous in this change!


The Glory of the Stars and the Rainbow

9 The beauty, the glory, of the heavens are the stars that adorn with their sparkling the heights of God,
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At whose command they keep their place and never relax in their vigils. A weapon against the flood waters stored on high, lighting up the firmament by its brilliance,
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Behold the rainbow! Then bless its Maker, for majestic indeed is its splendor;
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It spans the heavens with its glory, this bow bent by the mighty hand of God.


The Marvels of Nature

13 His rebuke marks out the path for the lightning, and speeds the arrows of his judgment to their goal.
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At it the storehouse is opened, and like vultures the clouds hurry forth.
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In his majesty he gives the storm its power and breaks off the hailstones.
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The thunder of his voice makes the earth writhe; before his might the mountains quake.
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A word from him drives on the south wind, the angry north wind, the hurricane and the storm.
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He sprinkles the snow like fluttering birds; it comes to settle like swarms of locusts.
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Its shining whiteness blinds the eyes, the mind is baffled by its steady fall.
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He scatters frost like so much salt; it shines like blossoms on the thornbush.
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Cold northern blasts he sends that turn the ponds to lumps of ice. He freezes over every body of water, and clothes each pool with a coat of mail.
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When the mountain growth is scorched with heat, and the flowering plains as though by flames,
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The dripping clouds restore them all, and the scattered dew enriches the parched land.
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His is the plan that calms the deep, and plants the islands in the sea.
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Those who go down to the sea tell part of its story, and when we hear them we are thunderstruck;
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In it are his creatures, stupendous, amazing, all kinds of life, and the monsters of the deep.
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For him each messenger succeeds, and at his bidding accomplishes his will.
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More than this we need not add; let the last word be, he is all in all!
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Let us praise him the more, since we cannot fathom him, for greater is he than all his works;
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Awful indeed is the LORD'S majesty, and wonderful is his power.
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Lift up your voices to glorify the LORD, though he is still beyond your power to praise;
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Extol him with renewed strength, and weary not, though you cannot reach the end:
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For who can see him and describe him? or who can praise him as he is?34 Beyond these, many things lie hid; only a few of his works have we seen.35 It is the LORD who has made all things, and to those who fear him he gives wisdom.


44 1 Now will I praise those godly men, our ancestors, each in his own time:
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The abounding glory of the Most High's portion, his own part, since the days of old. Subduers of the land in kingly fashion, men of renown for their might,
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Or counselors in their prudence, or seers of all things in prophecy;
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Resolute princes of the folk, and governors with their staves; Authors skilled in composition, and forgers of epigrams with their spikes;
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Composers of melodious psalms, or discoursers on lyric themes;
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Stalwart men, solidly established and at peace in their own estates--
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All these were glorious in their time, each illustrious in his day.
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Some of them have left behind a name and men recount their praiseworthy deeds;
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But of others there is no memory, for when they ceased, they ceased. And they are as though they had not lived, they and their children after them.
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Yet these also were godly men whose virtues have not been forgotten;
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Their wealth remains in their families, their heritage with their descendants;
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Through God's covenant with them their family endures, their posterity, for their sake.
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And for all time their progeny will endure, their glory will never be blotted out;
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Their bodies are peacefully laid away, but their name lives on and on.
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At gatherings their wisdom is retold, and the assembly proclaims their praise.


Enoch

16 (ENOCH walked with the LORD and was taken up, that succeeding generations might learn by his example.)


Noah

17 NOAH, found just and perfect, renewed the race in the time of devastation. Because of his worth there were survivors, and with a sign to him the deluge ended;
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A lasting agreement was made with him, that never should all flesh be destroyed.


Abraham

19 ABRAHAM, father of many peoples, kept his glory without stain:
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He observed the precepts of the Most High, and entered into an agreement with him; In his own flesh he incised the ordinance, and when tested he was found loyal.
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For this reason, God promised him with an oath that in his descendants the nations would be blessed, That he would make him numerous as the grains of dust, and exalt his posterity like the stars; That he would give them an inheritance from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.


Isaac and Jacob

22 And for ISAAC he renewed the same promise because of Abraham, his father. The covenant with all his forebears was confirmed, and the blessing rested upon the head of JACOB.


Moses

23 God acknowledged him as the first-born, and gave him his inheritance. He fixed the boundaries for his tribes, and their division into twelve.


45 1 From him was to spring the man who won the favor of all: Dear to God and men, MOSES, whose memory is held in benediction.
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God's honor devolved upon him, and the Lord strengthened him with fearful powers;
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God wrought swift miracles at his words and sustained him in the king's presence. He gave him the commandments for his people, and revealed to him his glory.
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For his trustworthiness and meekness God selected him from all mankind;
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He permitted him to hear his voice, and led him into the cloud, Where, face to face, he gave him the commandments, the law of life and understanding, That he might teach his precepts to Jacob, his judgments and decrees to Israel.


Aaron

6 He raised up also, like Moses in holiness, his brother AARON, of the tribe of Levi.
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He made him perpetual in his office when he bestowed on him the priesthood of his people; He established him in honor and crowned him with lofty majesty;
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He clothed him with splendid apparel, and adorned him with the glorious vestments: Breeches and tunic and robe with pomegranates around the hem,
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And a rustle of bells round about, through whose pleasing sound at each step He would be heard within the sanctuary, and the children of his race would be remembered;
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The sacred vestments of gold, of violet, and of crimson, wrought with embroidery; The breastpiece for decision, the ephod and cincture
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with scarlet yarn, the work of the weaver; Precious stones with seal engravings in golden settings, the work of the jeweler, To commemorate in incised letters each of the tribes of Israel;
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On his turban the diadem of gold, its plate wrought with the insignia of holiness, Majestic, glorious, renowned for splendor, a delight to the eyes, beauty supreme.
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Before him, no one was adorned with these, nor may they ever be worn by any Except his sons and them alone, generation after generation, for all time.
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His cereal offering is wholly burnt with the established sacrifice twice each day;
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For Moses ordained him and anointed him with the holy oil, In a lasting covenant with him and with his family, as permanent as the heavens, That he should serve God in his priesthood and bless his people in his name.
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He chose him from all mankind to offer holocausts and choice offerings, To burn sacrifices of sweet odor for a memorial, and to atone for the people of Israel.
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He gave to him his laws, and authority to prescribe and to judge: To teach the precepts to his people, and the ritual to the descendants of Israel.
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Men of other families were inflamed against him, were jealous of him in the desert, The followers of Dathan and Abiram, and the band of Korah in their defiance.
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But the LORD saw this and became angry, he destroyed them in his burning wrath. He brought down upon them a miracle, and consumed them with his flaming fire.
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Then he increased the glory of Aaron and bestowed upon him his inheritance: The sacred offerings he allotted to him, with the showbread as his portion;
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The oblations of the LORD are his food, a gift to him and his descendants.
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But he holds no land among the people nor shares with them their heritage; For the LORD himself is his portion, his inheritance in the midst of Israel.


Phinehas

23 PHINEHAS too, the son of Eleazar, was the courageous third of his line When, zealous for the God of all, he met the crisis of his people And, at the prompting of his noble heart, atoned for the children of Israel.
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Therefore on him again God conferred the right, in a covenant of friendship, to provide for the sanctuary, So that he and his descendants should possess the high priesthood forever.
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For even his covenant with David, the son of Jesse of the tribe of Judah, Was an individual heritage through one son alone; but the heritage of Aaron is for all his descendants.
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And now bless the LORD who has crowned you with glory! May he grant you wisdom of heart to govern his people in justice, Lest their welfare should ever be forgotten, or your authority, throughout all time.


Joshua and Caleb

46 1 Valiant leader was JOSHUA, son of Nun, assistant to Moses in the prophetic office, Formed to be, as his name implies, the great savior of God's chosen ones, To punish the enemy and to win the inheritance for Israel.
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What glory was his when he raised his arm, to brandish his javelin against the city!
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And who could withstand him when he fought the battles of the LORD?
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Did he not by his power stop the sun, so that one day became two?
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He called upon the Most High God when his enemies beset him on all sides, And God Most High gave answer to him in hailstones of tremendous power,
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Which he rained down upon the hostile army till on the slope he destroyed the foe; That all the doomed nations might know that the LORD was watching over his people's battles. And because he was a devoted follower of God
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and in Moses' lifetime showed himself loyal, He and CALEB, son of Jephunneh, when they opposed the rebel assembly, Averted God's anger from the people and suppressed the wicked complaint--
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Because of this, they were the only two spared from the six hundred thousand infantry, To lead the people into their inheritance, the land flowing with milk and honey.
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And the strength he gave to Caleb remained with him even in his old age Till he won his way onto the summits of the land; his family too received an inheritance,
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That all the people of Jacob might know how good it is to be a devoted follower of the LORD.


The Judges

11 The JUDGES, too, each one of them, whose hearts were not deceived, Who did not abandon God: may their memory be ever blessed,
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Their bones return to life from their resting place, and their names receive fresh luster in their children!
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Beloved of his people, dear to his Maker, dedicated from his mother's womb, Consecrated to the LORD as a prophet, was SAMUEL, the judge and priest. At God's word he established the kingdom and anointed princes to rule the people.
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By the law of the LORD he judged the nation, when he visited the encampments of Jacob.
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As a trustworthy prophet he was sought out and his words proved him true as a seer.
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He, too, called upon God, and offered him a suckling lamb;
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Then the LORD thundered forth from heaven, and the tremendous roar of his voice was heard.
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He brought low the rulers of the enemy and destroyed all the lords of the Philistines.
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When Samuel approached the end of his life, he testified before the LORD and his anointed prince, "No bribe or secret gift have I taken from any man!" and no one dared gainsay him.
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Even when he lay buried, his guidance was sought; he made known to the king his fate, And from the grave he raised his voice as a prophet, to put an end to wickedness.


Nathan

47 1 After him came NATHAN who served in the presence of David.


David

2 Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was DAVID in Israel.
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He made sport of lions as though they were kids, and of bears, like lambs of the flock.
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As a youth he slew the giant and wiped out the people's disgrace, When his hand let fly the slingstone that crushed the pride of Goliath.
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Since he called upon the Most High God, who gave strength to his right arm To defeat the skilled warrior and raise up the might of his people,
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Therefore the women sang his praises and ascribed to him tens of thousands. When he assumed the royal crown, he battled
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and subdued the enemy on every side. He destroyed the hostile Philistines and shattered their power till our own day.
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With his every deed he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had his praises sung;
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He added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year With string music before the altar, providing sweet melody for the psalms
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So that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound.
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The LORD forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; He conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.


Solomon

12 Because of his merits he had as his successor a wise son, who lived in security:
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SOLOMON reigned during an era of peace, for God made tranquil all his borders. He built a house to the name of God, and established a lasting sanctuary.
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How wise you were when you were young, overflowing with instruction, like the Nile in flood!
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Your understanding covered the whole earth, and, like a sea, filled it with knowledge.
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Your fame reached distant coasts, and their peoples came to hear you;
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With song and story and riddle, and with your answers, you astounded the nations.
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You were called by that glorious name which was conferred upon Israel. Gold you gathered like so much iron, you heaped up silver as though it were lead;
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But you abandoned yourself to women and gave them dominion over your body.
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You brought dishonor upon your reputation, shame upon your marriage, Wrath upon your descendants, and groaning upon your domain;
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Thus two governments came into being, when in Ephraim kingship was usurped.
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But God does not withdraw his mercy, nor permit even one of his promises to fail. He does not uproot the posterity of his chosen one, nor destroy the offspring of his friend. So he gave to Jacob a remnant, to David a root from his own family.


Rehoboam and Jeroboam

23 Solomon finally slept with his fathers, and left behind him one of his sons, Expansive in folly, limited in sense, REHOBOAM, who by his policy made the people rebel; Until one arose who should not be remembered, the sinner who led Israel into sin, Who brought ruin to Ephraim
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and caused them to be exiled from their land. Their sinfulness grew more and more,
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and they lent themselves to every evil,


Elijah

48 1 Till like a fire there appeared the prophet whose words were as a flaming furnace.
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Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
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By God's word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire.
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How awesome are you, ELIJAH! Whose glory is equal to yours?
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You brought a dead man back to life from the nether world, by the will of the LORD.
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You sent kings down to destruction, and nobles, from their beds of sickness.
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You heard threats at Sinai, at Horeb avenging judgments.
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You anointed kings who should inflict vengeance, and a prophet as your successor.
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You were taken aloft in a whirlwind, in a chariot with fiery horses.
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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.
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Blessed is he who shall have seen you before he dies,


Elisha

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.
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Nothing was beyond his power; beneath him flesh was brought back into life.
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In life he performed wonders, and after death, marvelous deeds.
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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.
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Some of these did what was right, but others were extremely sinful.


Hezekiah

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.
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During his reign Sennacherib led an invasion and sent his adjutant; He shook his fist at Zion and blasphemed God in his pride.
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The people's hearts melted within them, and they were in anguish like that of childbirth.
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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.
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God struck the camp of the Assyrians and routed them with a plague.
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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.


Isaiah

23 In his lifetime he turned back the sun and prolonged the life of the king.
24
By his powerful spirit he looked into the future and consoled the mourners of Zion;
25
He foretold what should be till the end of time, hidden things yet to be fulfilled.


Josiah and Other Worthies

49 1 The name JOSIAH is like blended incense, made lasting by a skilled perfumer. Precious is his memory, like honey to the taste, like music at a banquet.
2
For he grieved over our betrayals, and destroyed the abominable idols.
3
He turned to God with his whole heart, and, though times were evil, he practiced virtue.
4
Except for David, Hezekiah and Josiah, they all were wicked; They abandoned the Law of the Most High, these kings of Judah, right to the very end.
5
So he gave over their power to others, their glory to a foolish foreign nation
6
Who burned the holy city and left its streets desolate, As JEREMIAH had foretold;
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for they had treated him badly who even in the womb had been made a prophet, To root out, pull down, and destroy, and then to build and to plant.
8
EZEKIEL beheld the vision and described the different creatures of the chariot;
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He also referred to JOB, who always persevered in the right path.
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Then, too, the TWELVE PROPHETS-- may their bones return to life from their resting place!-- Gave new strength to Jacob and saved him by their faith and hope.
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How can we fittingly praise ZERUBBABEL, who was like a signet ring on God's right hand,
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And Jeshua, Jozadak's son? In their time they built the house of God; They erected the holy temple, destined for everlasting glory.
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Extolled be the memory of NEHEMIAH! He rebuilt our ruined walls, Restored our shattered defenses, and set up gates and bars.


Retrospect

14 Few on earth have been made the equal of ENOCH, for he was taken up bodily.
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Was ever a man born like JOSEPH? Even his dead body was provided for.
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Glorious, too, were SHEM and SETH and ENOS; but beyond that of any living being was the splendor of ADAM.


Simon Son of Onias


Sirac (NAB) 39