1   Simon ^note the sonne of Onias, the high priest, who in his life held vp the house, and in his daies strengthned the temple.

2   The height also of the temple was founded by him, the duble building and high walles of the temple.

3   In his daies the welles of waters flowed out, and they were filled as the sea aboue measure.

4   Who had care of his nation, and deliuered it from perdition.

5   Who preuailed to amplifie the citie,

who obteyned glorie in conuersing with the nation: and amplified the entrance of the house, and the court.

6   As the morning starre in the middes of a cloude, and as the ful moone he shineth in his dayes.

7   And as the sunne shining, so did he shine in the temple of God.

8   As the rainbow that shineth among the cloudes of glorie, and as a flower of roses in the daies of the spring, and as the lilies that are in the passage of water, and as frankensence smelling in summer daies.

9   As fire glistering, and frankensence burning in the fire.

10   As a massie vessel of gold, adorned with euerie precious stone.

11   As an oliue tree budding, and a cypresse tree aduancing it self on high, when he tooke the robe of glorie, and was reuested to the consummation of strength.

12   In going vp to the holie altar, he made the vesture of holines, glorie.

13   And in receiuing the portions out of the hand of the priestes, himself also standing by the altar. About him was the ring of his bretheren: and as the ceder plant in mount Libanus,

14   so stoode they about him as boughes of the palme tree, & al the children of Aaron in their glorie.

15   And the oblation of our Lord in their handes, before al the synagogue of Israel: and executing the consummation on the altar, to amplifie the oblation of the high king,

16   he stretched forth his hand in ^note oblation of moist sacrifice, and offered of the blood of the grape.

17   He powred out on the fundation of the altar a diuine odour to the high prince.

18   Then cried out the children of Aaron, they sounded with beaten trumpets, and made a great voice to be heard for a remembrance before God.

19   Then al the people together made hast, and fel on their face vpon the earth, to adore our Lord their God, and to make prayers to God omnipotent the Highest.

20   And the singers amplified in their voices, and in the great house the sound was encreased ful of sweetenes.

21   And the people in prayer desired our Lord the Highest, vntil the honour of our Lord was perfected, and they finished their office.

22   Then coming downe, he lifted vp his handes ouer al the congregation of the children of Israel, to geue glorie to God from his lippes, and to glorie in his name,

23   and he repeated his prayer, willing to shew the power of God.

24   And now pray ye the God of al, who hath done great thinges in al the land, who hath encreased our daies from our mothers wombe, and hath done with vs according to his mercie:

25   geue he vnto vs ioyfulnes of

euerlasting:

26   that Israel may beleue that the mercie of God is with vs, to deliuer vs in his dayes.

27   Two nations my soule hateth: and the third is ^note no nation, which I hate:

28   they that sitte in mount Seir, and the Philisthijms, and the ^note foolish people that dwel in Sichem.

29   Iesus the sonne of Sirach, a man of Ierusalem, wrote the doctrine of wisdom and discipline in this booke, who renewed wisdom from his hart.

30   Blessed is he, that conuerseth in these good thinges: and he that layeth them in his hart, shal be wise always.

31   For if he doe them, he shal be able to doe al thinges: because his steppes are in the light of God.

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