Ben Sira 49  New American Bible (Revised Edition)

¹ The name Josiah is like blended incense,
    made lasting by a skilled perfumer.^(A)
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 kept his heart fixed on God,
    and in times of lawlessness 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 foreign nation
⁶ Who burned the holy city
    and left its streets desolate,
⁷ As foretold by Jeremiah.^(B) They mistreated him
    who even in the womb had been made a prophet,
To root out, pull down, and destroy,
    and then to build and to plant.^(C)
8 Ezekiel beheld a vision
    and described the different creatures of the chariot;^(D)
9 He also referred to Job,
    who always persevered in the right path.^(E)
10 Then, too, the Twelve Prophets—
    may their bones flourish with new life where they lie!—
They gave new strength to Jacob
    and saved him with steadfast hope.

¹¹ How to extol Zerubbabel?^[b]
    He was like a signet ring on the right hand,^(F)
12 And Jeshua, Jozadak’s son?
    In their time they rebuilt the altar
And erected the holy temple,
    destined for everlasting glory.
¹³ Exalted be the memory of Nehemiah!
    He rebuilt our ruined walls,
Restored our shattered defenses,
    and set up gates and bars.^(G)

¹⁴ Few on earth have been created like Enoch;^[c]
    he also was taken up bodily.^(H)
15 Was ever a man born like Joseph?
    Even his dead body was provided for.^(I)
16 Glorious, too, were Shem and Seth and Enosh;
    but beyond that of any living being was the splendor of Adam.^(J)