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Simon Son of Onias

50The leader of his brothers and the pride of his people^*
   was the high priest, Simon son of Onias,
who in his life repaired the house,
   and in his time fortified the temple.
² He laid the foundations for the high double walls,
   the high retaining walls for the temple enclosure.
³ In his days a water cistern was dug,^*
   a reservoir like the sea in circumference.
⁴ He considered how to save his people from ruin,
   and fortified the city against siege.
⁵ How glorious he was, surrounded by the people,
   as he came out of the house of the curtain.
⁶ Like the morning star among the clouds,
   like the full moon at the festal season;^*
7 like the sun shining on the temple of the Most High,
   like the rainbow gleaming in splendid clouds;
⁸ like roses in the days of first fruits,
   like lilies by a spring of water,
   like a green shoot on Lebanon on a summer day;
⁹ like fire and incense in the censer,
   like a vessel of hammered gold
   studded with all kinds of precious stones;
¹⁰ like an olive tree laden with fruit,
   and like a cypress towering in the clouds.
¹¹ When he put on his glorious robe
   and clothed himself in perfect splendour,
when he went up to the holy altar,
   he made the court of the sanctuary glorious.

¹² When he received the portions from the hands of the priests,
   as he stood by the hearth of the altar
with a garland of brothers around him,
   he was like a young cedar on Lebanon
   surrounded by the trunks of palm trees.
¹³ All the sons of Aaron in their splendour
   held the Lord’s offering in their hands
   before the whole congregation of Israel.
¹⁴ Finishing the service at the altars,^*
   and arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty,
¹⁵ he held out his hand for the cup
   and poured a drink-offering of the blood of the grape;
he poured it out at the foot of the altar,
   a pleasing odour to the Most High, the king of all.
¹⁶ Then the sons of Aaron shouted;
   they blew their trumpets of hammered metal;
they sounded a mighty fanfare
   as a reminder before the Most High.
¹⁷ Then all the people together quickly
   fell to the ground on their faces
to worship their Lord,
   the Almighty, God Most High.

¹⁸ Then the singers praised him with their voices
   in sweet and full-toned melody.^*
19 And the people of the Lord Most High offered
   their prayers before the Merciful One,
until the order of worship of the Lord was ended,
   and they completed his ritual.
²⁰ Then Simon^* came down and raised his hands
   over the whole congregation of Israelites,
to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips,
   and to glory in his name;
²¹ and they bowed down in worship a second time,
   to receive the blessing from the Most High.

A Benediction

²² And now bless the God of all,
   who everywhere works great wonders,
who fosters our growth from birth,
   and deals with us according to his mercy.
²³ May he give us^* gladness of heart,
   and may there be peace in our^* days
   in Israel, as in the days of old.
²⁴ May he entrust to us his mercy,
   and may he deliver us in our^* days!

Epilogue

²⁵ Two nations my soul detests,
   and the third is not even a people:
²⁶ Those who live in Seir,^* and the Philistines,
   and the foolish people that live in Shechem.

²⁷ Instruction in understanding and knowledge
   I have written in this book,
Jesus son of Eleazar son of Sirach^* of Jerusalem,
   whose mind poured forth wisdom.
²⁸ Happy are those who concern themselves with these things,
   and those who lay them to heart will become wise.
²⁹ For if they put them into practice, they will be equal to anything,
   for the fear^* of the Lord is their path.