Sirach 44

Wycliffe Bible

44 Praise we glorious men, and our fathers in their generation. [We praise glorious men, and our fathers and mothers in their generation.]

² The Lord made much glory by his great doing, from the world. [Much glory the Lord did in his great doing.]

³ Great men in virtue were lords in their powers, and rich in their prudence; telling in (or by) (the) prophets (or by prophecies) the dignity of (the) prophets, [From the world be men lordshipping in their powers, great men in virtue, and by their prudence before others made rich; telling in (or by) prophets (or by prophecies) the dignity of prophets,]

⁴ and commanding in (the) present people, and telling holiest words to (the) peoples, by the virtue of prudence. [and commanding in the present people, and by virtue of prudence of the people, most holy words.]

⁵ Seeking manners of music in their cunning (or in their knowing), and telling songs of scriptures. [In their wisdom seeking the music manners, and telling the ditties of scriptures.]

⁶ Rich men in virtue, having the study of fairness, making peace in their houses.

⁷ All these men got glory in the generations of their folk; and be had in praisings in their days.

⁸ They that were born of them, left a name to tell the praisings of them.

⁹ And some there be, of which is no mind (or memory); they perished as they that were not, and they were born as not born; and their sons perished with them. [And there be, of whom is no mind; they perished as that were not, and be born as not born; and the sons of them with them.]

¹⁰ But also the men of mercy be, whose pieties failed not; [But they men of mercy be, of whom the piousnesses failed not;]

¹¹ and good heritage dwelled continually with the seed of them. And the seed of their sons’ sons stood in (the) testament, [and with the seed of them dwelled still good heritage. And the seed of the sons’ sons of them stood in the testament,]

¹² and the heritage of their sons dwelleth for them, till into without end;

¹³ the seed of them, and the glory of them, shall not be forsaken.

¹⁴ The bodies of them be buried in peace; and the name of them shall live into generations and generations.

¹⁵ (The) Peoples (shall) tell (of) the wisdom of them; and the church telleth the praising of them. [The wisdom of them peoples shall tell; and the praising of them the church shall show out.]

¹⁶ Enoch^[a] pleased God, and was translated into paradise, (so) that he give wisdom to folks.

¹⁷ Noah was found perfect and just, and he was made reconciling in the time of wrathfulness. Therefore residue seed was left to (the) earth, when the great flood was made. [Noah is found a perfect, rightwise man, and in time of wrath he is made reconciling. Therefore is left the remnant of the earth, when the flood was done.]

¹⁸ (The) Testaments of the world were set with him, lest all flesh might be done away by the great flood.

¹⁹ Abraham was the great father of the multitude of folks; and none was found like him in glory, that is, in virtuous work, [Abraham the father of the multitude of the folk of kind; and there is not found like to him in glory,]

²⁰ which kept the law of (the) high God, and was in testament (or in covenant) with him. He made a testament to stand in his flesh; and he was found faithful in temptation. [that kept the law of the Highest, and was in testament with him. In his flesh he made to stand the testament; and in tempting he is found faithful.]

²¹ Therefore God with an oath gave to him glory in his folk; God made him to increase, as an heap of earth, and to enhance his seed as (the) stars, and to inherit them from the sea unto the sea, from the flood (or the river) unto the ends of (the) earth. [Therefore by oath he gave to him glory in his folk of kind, to increase him as an hillock of earth; and to enhance the seed of him as the stars, and to heritage him from the sea unto the sea, and from the flood unto the terms of the earth.]

²² And to (or for) Isaac God did in the same manner, (as) for Abraham, his father. The Lord gave to him the blessing of all folks; and confirmed his testament [And to Isaac he did the same manner, for Abraham, his father. The blessing of all folk of kind the Lord gave to him; and his testament he confirmed]

²³ on the head of Jacob. He knew him in his blessings, and gave heritage to him; and parted to him a part in (the) twelve lineages. [upon the head of Jacob. He knew him in his blessings, and gave to him the heritage; and he divided to him (his) part in the twelve lineages.]