Sirach 47

Wycliffe Bible

47 After these things Nathan, the prophet, rose (up), in the days of David. [After these things rose Nathan, the prophet, in the days of David.]

² And as inner fatness departed from the flesh, so David from the sons of Israel. [As tallow severed from the flesh, so David from the sons of Israel.]

³ He played with lions, as with lambs; he did in like manner with bears, as with lambs of sheep.

⁴ Whether in his youth he killed not a giant, and took away shame from the folk? In raising (up) the hand in (or with) a stone of a sling, he casted down the full out joying of Goliath, [In his youth whether he slew not a giant, and took away reproof from the folk? In taking the hand in the stone of the sling, he threw down the joy of Goliath,]

⁵ where he called to help [or he inwardly called] the Lord Almighty; and he gave in his right hand to do away a strong man in battle, and to enhance the horn of his folk.

⁶ So he glorified him, that is, made him to be praised, in (or with) ten thousand, and he praised him in the blessings of the Lord, in offering to him the crown of glory. [So in ten thousands he glorified him, and praised him in the blessings of the Lord, in offering to him a crown of glory.]

⁷ For he all-brake enemies on each side, and drew out by the root (the) Philistines contrary [or and destroyed the Philistines contrarious], unto this day; he all-brake the horn of them unto without end.

⁸ David in each work gave acknowledging to (the) holy God, and high in the word of glory (or to the Most High with words of glory). Of (or With) all his heart he praised God, and he loved the Lord that made him, and gave to him power against (the) enemies. [In all work he gave acknowledging unto the holy (One), and to the (most) High in the word of glory. Of all his heart he praised God, and loved the Lord that made him, and gave to him against the enemies might.]

⁹ And he made singers to stand against (or before) the altar; and he made sweet motets in the sound of them. [And he made to stand singers against (or before) the altar; and in the sound of them he made sweet motets.]

¹⁰ And he gave fairness in hallowings, and he adorned times, or solemnities, unto the ending of life; (so) that they should praise the holy name of the Lord, and make large (or magnify) early the holiness of God.

¹¹ Christ^[a] purged the sins of him, and enhanced his horn without end; and he gave to him the testament of kings, and the seat of glory [or a seat of glory] in Israel.

¹² After him rose (up) a witty (or a wise) son; and for him he, (that is, God), casted down all the power [or all the might] of (their) enemies.

¹³ Solomon reigned in the days of peace, to whom God made subject all (the) enemies, (so) that he should make an house in the name of God, and make ready holiness (or the sanctuary) without end, as he was learned in his youth. [Solomon commanded in days of peace, to whom God subjected all the enemies, that he should make an house in his name, and prepare holiness into evermore, as he was taught in his youth.]

¹⁴ And he was filled with wisdom as a flood is filled; and his soul uncovered the earth. [And he is full-filled as a flood with wisdom; and his soul again-covered the earth.]

¹⁵ And thou, Solomon, filledest dark figurative speeches in likenesses; [And thou fulfilledest in comparisons dark proverbs;]

¹⁶ and thy name was published to isles afar, and thou were loved in (or for) thy peace.

¹⁷ Lands, that is, men dwelling in (those) lands, wondered in songs, and in proverbs, and in likenesses [or in comparisons], (or wondered at, or about, thy songs, and proverbs, and likenesses, or comparisons), and interpretings, either expositions;

¹⁸ and in the name of the Lord, to whom the surname is God of Israel [or to whom is the surname God of Israel]. Thou gatheredest together gold as latten, and thou filledest silver as lead.

¹⁹ And thou bowedest thy thighs to women; thou haddest power in thy body to fill the lust of thy body. [And thou bowedest in thine hips to women; power thou haddest in thy body.]

²⁰ Thou hast given a wem in thy glory, and madest unholy thy seed, to bring in wrathfulness to thy children, and thy folly in other men; [Thou gave a wem in thy glory, and cursedest thy seed, to bring in wrathfulness to thy free children, and in other things thy folly;]

²¹ (so) that thou shouldest make the realm parted into twain, and of Ephraim to command an hard commandment. [that thou shouldest make the empire parted on (or in) two, and of Ephraim to command an hard commandment.]

²² But God shall not forsake his mercy, and shall not destroy, neither do away his works, neither he shall lose (or destroy) from generation the sons’ sons of his chosen king David; and he shall not destroy the seed of him that loveth the Lord. Forsooth God gave (a) remnant to Jacob, and to David of that generation. [God forsooth shall not leave (off) his mercy, and he shall not spoil, nor do away his works, nor lose from the stock his chosen sons’ sons; and the seed of him that loveth the Lord he shall not shame. He gave forsooth another (to) Jacob, and (to) David of that lineage.]

²³ And Solomon had an end with his fathers. And he left after him of his seed Rehoboam, (yea), the folly of the folk, and made less [or diminished] from prudence; which Rehoboam turned away the folk by his counsel. And Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that made Israel to do sin, and gave to Ephraim (the) way to do sin;

²⁴ and full many sins of them were plenteous, for they turned them(selves) away greatly from their land, that is, sins great and horrible made them to be prisoners far from their land. [and full many redounded the sins of them greatly, forsooth they turned them away from their land.]

²⁵ And the lineage of Ephraim sought (out) all wickednesses, till defence came to them; and (he) delivered them from all (their) sins. [And he sought all wickednesses, unto the time that defending full came to them; and from all sins he delivered them.]