Siracide, 49

1. Il ricordo di Giosia è come una mistura d'incenso preparata con l'arte del profumiere, è dolce, in ogni bocca, come il miele, è come musica in un convito con vino.

1. Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, and his word burned like a torch.

2. Ha voluto la riforma del popolo che era giusta, ha distrutto gli abomini idolatrici contrari alla legge.

2. He brought a famine upon them, and by his zeal he made them few in number.

3. Ha avuto il cuore retto con il Signore, quando imperversava l'empietà ha favorito la pietà.

3. By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, and also three times brought down fire.

4. Ad eccezione di Davide, Ezechia e Giosia, tutti sono stati perversi; avendo abbandonato la legge dell'Altissimo i re di Giuda hanno avuto la loro fine.

4. How glorious you were, O Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! And who has the right to boast which you have?

5. Hanno consegnato il loro potere agli altri, la loro gloria ad una nazione straniera,

5. You who raised a corpse from death and from Hades, by the word of the Most High;

6. che ha incendiato la città eletta del tempio e ha reso deserte le sue strade,

6. who brought kings down to destruction, and famous men from their beds;

7. secondo la profezia fatta da Geremia. L'hanno infatti amareggiato, lui, profeta santificato nell'utero per sradicare, distruggere e perdere, ma anche per costruire e piantare.

7. who heard rebuke at Sinai and judgments of vengeance at Horeb;

8. Ezechiele ebbe la visione della gloria portata sul carro dai cherubini.

8. who anointed kings to inflict retribution, and prophets to succeed you.

9. Dio si è ricordato dei nemici mandando la bufera, ma ha salvato quelli che vanno per vie diritte.

9. You who were taken up by a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with horses of fire;

10. Possano le ossa dei dodici profeti germogliare dalla loro tomba, perché hanno consolato Giacobbe, l'hanno riscattato con la loro confidente speranza.

10. you who are ready at the appointed time, it is written, to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

11. Come possiamo onorare Zorobabele, che è come un sigillo sulla mano destra?

11. Blessed are those who saw you, and those who have been adorned in love; for we also shall surely live.

12. Era con lui Giosuè, figlio di Iozedek; nei loro giorni hanno costruito la casa, hanno elevato un tempio sacro al Signore, destinato a una gloria senza fine.

12. It was Elijah who was covered by the whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit; in all his days he did not tremble before any ruler, and no one brought him into subjection.

13. Molto grande è il ricordo di Neemia che ha ricostruito le nostre mura cadute, vi ha posto le porte e i catenacci, ha fatto risorgere le nostre case.

13. Nothing was too hard for him, and when he was dead his body prophesied.

14. Nessuno fu creato sulla terra uguale a Enoch, perciò fu fatto ascendere dalla terra.

14. As in his life he did wonders, so in death his deeds were marvelous.

15. Né è nato un uomo come Giuseppe, guida dei fratelli e sostegno del popolo, le cui ossa sono state onorate.

15. For all this the people did not repent, and they did not forsake their sins, till they were carried away captive from their land and were scattered over all the earth; the people were left very few in number, but with rulers from the house of David.

16. Sem e Set hanno avuto molta gloria tra gli uomini, ma più di ogni vivente spicca nella creazione Adamo.

16. Some of them did what was pleasing to God, but others multiplied sins.

17.

17. Hezekiah fortified his city, and brought water into the midst of it; he tunneled the sheer rock with iron and built pools for water.

18.

18. In his days Sennacherib came up, and sent the Rabshakeh; he lifted up his hand against Zion and made great boasts in his arrogance.

19.

19. Then their hearts were shaken and their hands trembled, and they were in anguish, like women in travail.

20.

20. But they called upon the Lord who is merciful, spreading forth their hands toward him; and the Holy One quickly heard them from heaven, and delivered them by the hand of Isaiah.

21.

21. The Lord smote the camp of the Assyrians, and his angel wiped them out.

22.

22. For Hezekiah did what was pleasing to the Lord, and he held strongly to the ways of David his father, which Isaiah the prophet commanded, who was great and faithful in his vision.

23.

23. In his days the sun went backward, and he lengthened the life of the king.

24.

24. By the spirit of might he saw the last things, and comforted those who mourned in Zion.

25.

25. He revealed what was to occur to the end of time, and the hidden things before they came to pass.