Ecclesiasticus, 47

1. After him came NATHAN who served in the presence of David.

1. After him arose Nathan, to prophesy in the time of David.

2. Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was DAVID in Israel.

2. As the fat is set apart from the communion sacrifice, so was David chosen out of the Israelites.

3. He made sport of lions as though they were kids, and of bears, like lambs of the flock.

3. He played with lions as though with kids, and with bears as though with lambs.

4. As a youth he slew the giant and wiped out the people's disgrace, When his hand let fly the slingstone that crushed the pride of Goliath.

4. While still a boy, did he not slay the giant and take away the people's shame, by hurling a stone from his sling and cutting short the boasting of Goliath?

5. Since he called upon the Most High God, who gave strength to his right arm To defeat the skilled warrior and raise up the might of his people,

5. For he called on the Lord Most High, who gave strength to his right arm to put a mighty warrior to death and assert the strength of his own people.

6. Therefore the women sang his praises and ascribed to him tens of thousands. When he assumed the royal crown, he battled

6. Hence they gave him credit for ten thousand, and praised him while they blessed the Lord, by offering him a crown of glory.

7. and subdued the enemy on every side. He destroyed the hostile Philistines and shattered their power till our own day.

7. For he destroyed the enemies on every front, he annihilated his foes, the Philistines, and crushed their strength for ever.

8. With his every deed he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had his praises sung;

8. In all his activities he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High in words of glory; he put all his heart into his songs out of love for his Creator.

9. He added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year With string music before the altar, providing sweet melody for the psalms

9. He placed singers before the altar, melodiously to sing;

10. So that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound.

10. he gave the feasts their splendour, the festivals their solemn pomp, causing the Lord's holy name to be praised and the sanctuary to resound from dawn.

11. The LORD forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; He conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.

11. The Lord took away his sins, making his strength ever greater; he gave him a royal covenant, and a glorious throne in Israel.

12. Because of his merits he had as his successor a wise son, who lived in security:

12. A wise son succeeded him, who lived content, thanks to him.

13. SOLOMON reigned during an era of peace, for God made tranquil all his borders. He built a house to the name of God, and established a lasting sanctuary.

13. Solomon reigned in a time of peace, and God gave him peace all round so that he could raise a house to his name and prepare an everlasting sanctuary.

14. How wise you were when you were young, overflowing with instruction, like the Nile in flood!

14. How wise you were despite your youth, like a river, brimming over with intelligence!

15. Your understanding covered the whole earth, and, like a sea, filled it with knowledge.

15. Your mind ranged the earth, you filled it with mysterious sayings.

16. Your fame reached distant coasts, and their peoples came to hear you;

16. Your name reached the distant islands, and you were loved for your peace.

17. With song and story and riddle, and with your answers, you astounded the nations.

17. Your songs, your proverbs, your sayings and your answers were the wonder of the world.

18. You were called by that glorious name which was conferred upon Israel. Gold you gathered like so much iron, you heaped up silver as though it were lead;

18. In the name of the Lord God, of him who is called the God of Israel, you amassed gold like so much tin, and made silver as common as lead.

19. But you abandoned yourself to women and gave them dominion over your body.

19. You abandoned your body to women, you became the slave of your appetites.

20. You brought dishonor upon your reputation, shame upon your marriage, Wrath upon your descendants, and groaning upon your domain;

20. You stained your honour, you profaned your stock, so bringing retribution on your children and affliction for your folly:

21. Thus two governments came into being, when in Ephraim kingship was usurped.

21. the empire split in two, from Ephraim arose a rebel kingdom.

22. But God does not withdraw his mercy, nor permit even one of his promises to fail. He does not uproot the posterity of his chosen one, nor destroy the offspring of his friend. So he gave to Jacob a remnant, to David a root from his own family.

22. But the Lord never goes back on his mercy, never cancels any of his words, will neither deny offspring to his elect nor stamp out the line of the man who loved him. And hence, he has granted a remnant to Jacob and to David a root sprung from him.

23. Solomon finally slept with his fathers, and left behind him one of his sons, Expansive in folly, limited in sense, REHOBOAM, who by his policy made the people rebel; Until one arose who should not be remembered, the sinner who led Israel into sin, Who brought ruin to Ephraim

23. Solomon rested with his ancestors, leaving one of his stock as his successor, the stupidest member of the nation, brainless Rehoboam, who drove the people to rebel.

24. and caused them to be exiled from their land. Their sinfulness grew more and more,

24. Next, Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, and set Ephraim on the way of evil; from then on their sins multiplied so excessively as to drive them out of their country;

25. and they lent themselves to every evil,

25. for they tried out every kind of wickedness, until vengeance overtook them.