Sirach 50:1-21

Common English Bible

High Priest Simon

50 Simon, Onias’ son, was
a great high priest.^[a]
    During his life, he repaired the house
    and, in his time,
    strengthened the temple’s defenses.
²He made the foundation
for the courtyard wall,
    a high fortification for the
    temple enclosure.
³In his time, he dug out a storage basin
for water,
    a reservoir with a circumference
    like a lake’s.
⁴He gave forethought to keeping
his people from disaster,
    and he strengthened the city
    against sieges.
⁵How glorious he was as the people thronged around him
        when he came out from behind
        the curtain and left the temple!^[b]
⁶    Like a morning star
    in the midst of a cloud,
    like the full moon at the time of a feast,
⁷    like the sun shining
    on the temple of the Most High,
    like a rainbow gleaming
    in glorious clouds,
⁸    like a rose blossom in springtime,
    like lilies by streams of water,
    like a fresh shoot of the incense tree
    in the summertime,
⁹    like fire and incense
    in an incense burner,
    like an object of hammered gold
        adorned with all sorts
        of precious stones,
¹⁰    like an olive tree sprouting fruit,
    and like a cypress towering
    to the clouds.
¹¹When he put on his glorious robe
    and clothed himself
    with perfect splendor,^[c]
    when he stepped up to the holy altar,
    he brought glory to the courts
    of the temple.

¹²When he received the portions
of the sacrificial animals^[d]
from the priests’ hands,
        standing beside the altar’s hearth, surrounded by a wreath of brothers,
        he was like a new cedar of Lebanon,
    and they surrounded him
    like palm-tree trunks.
¹³All Aaron’s sons were in their glory,
    and they held the Lord’s offering
    in their hands
    in front of the entire assembly
    of Israel.
¹⁴When he was finishing his service
at the altar,
    after he had arranged an offering
    to the Most High, the almighty,
¹⁵    he stretched out his hand
    for the cup used for drink offerings
        and he poured a libation of wine.^[e]
        He poured it out at the base
        of the altar,
        a pleasing aroma to the Most High,
        the king of all.
¹⁶Then Aaron’s sons cheered;
    they blew trumpets
    made of hammered metal
    and caused a great sound to be heard
    as a reminder before the Most High.
¹⁷Then all at once, all the people
put their faces to the ground,
    bowing down to worship their Lord,
    the almighty, God Most High.

¹⁸The singers, accompanied by harps,
    sang praises with their voices;
        they made a sweet melody
        with a full-bodied sound.
¹⁹The people of the Lord Most High
offered prayers before the merciful one
    until the order of the Lord’s service
    was completed,
        and they finished their
        worship duties to him.
²⁰Then Simon came down
and raised his hands
    over the entire assembly
    of the Israelites
    to give the Lord’s blessing from his lips
    and to glorify his name.
²¹And they bowed down to worship
a second time,
    to receive the blessing
    from the Most High.

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Notas al pie

Sirach 50:1 Heb Distinguished among his brothers and the glory of his people was the high priest Simon son of Onias.
Sirach 50:5 Heb when he gazed out of the temple
Sirach 50:11 Heb and when he put on splendid clothes
Sirach 50:12 Gk lacks of the sacrificial animals.
Sirach 50:15 LXX blood of the grape