Liber Ecclesiasticus, 48

1. Et surrexit Elias propheta quasi ignis, et verbum ipsius quasi facula ardebat.

1. And after him Nathan rose up to prophesy in the days of David.

2. Qui induxit in illos famem et zelo suo paucos fecit eos.

2. As the fat is selected from the peace offering, so David was selected from the sons of Israel.

3. Verbo Domini continuit caelum et deiecit de caelo ignem ter.

3. He played with lions as with young goats, and with bears as with lambs of the flock.

4. Quam amplificatus es, Elias, in mirabilibus tuis! Et quis potest similiter gloriari tibi?

4. In his youth did he not kill a giant, and take away reproach from the people, when he lifted his hand with a stone in the sling and struck down the boasting of Goliath?

5. Qui suscitasti mortuum de sorte mortis ab inferis in verbo Domini.

5. For he appealed to the Lord, the Most High, and he gave him strength in his right hand to slay a man mighty in war, to exalt the power of his people.

6. Qui deiecisti reges ad perniciem et gloriosos de lecto suo et confregisti facile potentiam ipsorum;

6. So they glorified him for his ten thousands, and praised him for the blessings of the Lord, when the glorious diadem was bestowed upon him.

7. qui audis in Sinai indicium et in Horeb iudicia vindictae.

7. For he wiped out his enemies on every side, and annihilated his adversaries the Philistines; he crushed their power even to this day.

8. Qui ungis reges ad retributionem et prophetas facis successores post te;

8. In all that he did he gave thanks to the Holy One, the Most High, with ascriptions of glory; he sang praise with all his heart, and he loved his Maker.

9. qui receptus es in turbine ignis et in curru equorum igneorum;

9. He placed singers before the altar, to make sweet melody with their voices.

10. qui scriptus es paratus in tempora lenire iracundiam Domini ante furorem, convertere cor patris ad filium et restituere tribus Iacob.

10. He gave beauty to the feasts, and arranged their times throughout the year, while they praised God's holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning.

11. Beati sunt, qui te viderunt et in amicitia tua dormierunt!

11. The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his power for ever; he gave him the covenant of kings and a throne of glory in Israel.

12. Nam et nos vita quidem vivemus, post mortem autem non erit tale nomen nostrum.

12. After him rose up a wise son who fared amply because of him;

13. Elias quidem in turbine tectus est, et in Eliseo completus est spiritus eius. In diebus suis non pertimuit principem, et potentia nemo vicit illum;

13. Solomon reigned in days of peace, and God gave him rest on every side, that he might build a house for his name and prepare a sanctuary to stand for ever.

14. nec superavit illum verbum aliquod, et mortuum prophetavit corpus eius.

14. How wise you became in your youth! You overflowed like a river with understanding.

15. In vita sua fecit monstra et in morte mirabilia operatus est.

15. Your soul covered the earth, and you filled it with parables and riddles.

16. In omnibus istis non paenituit populum, et non recesserunt a peccatis suis, usque dum eiecti sunt de terra sua et dispersi sunt in omnem terram;

16. Your name reached to far-off islands, and you were loved for your peace.

17. et relicta est gens perpauca, et princeps in domo David.

17. For your songs and proverbs and parables, and for your interpretations, the countries marveled at you.

18. Quidam ipsorum fecerunt, quod placeret Deo; alii autem multiplicaverunt peccata.

18. In the name of the Lord God, who is called the God of Israel, you gathered gold like tin and amassed silver like lead.

19. Ezechias munivit civitatem suam et induxit in medium ipsius aquam et fodit ferro rupem et aedificavit ad aquam puteum.

19. But you laid your loins beside women, and through your body you were brought into subjection.

20. In diebus ipsius ascendit Sennacherib et misit Rabsacen et discessit, et sustulit manum suam in Sion et superbus factus est in exaltatione sua.

20. You put stain upon your honor, and defiled your posterity, so that you brought wrath upon your children and they were grieved at your folly,

21. Tunc mota sunt corda et manus ipsorum, et doluerunt quasi parturientes mulieres

21. so that the sovereignty was divided and a disobedient kingdom arose out of Ephraim.

22. et invocaverunt Dominum misericordem et expandentes manus suas extulerunt ad eum, et Sanctus audivit cito vocem ipsorum.

22. But the Lord will never give up his mercy, nor cause any of his works to perish; he will never blot out the descendants of his chosen one, nor destroy the posterity of him who loved him; so he gave a remnant to Jacob, and to David a root of his stock.

23. Non est commemoratus peccatorum illorum neque dedit illos inimicis suis, sed purgavit eos in manu Isaiae sancti prophetae;

23. Solomon rested with his fathers, and left behind him one of his sons, ample in folly and lacking in understanding, Rehoboam, whose policy caused the people to revolt. Also Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin and gave to Ephraim a sinful way.

24. percussit castra Assyriorum et contrivit illos angelus eius.

24. Their sins became exceedingly many, so as to remove them from their land.

25. Nam fecit Ezechias quod placuit Deo et fortiter ivit in via David patris sui, quam mandavit illi Isaias propheta, magnus et fidelis in visione sua.

25. For they sought out every sort of wickedness, till vengeance came upon them.

26. In diebus ipsius retro rediit sol, et addidit regi vitam.

26.

27. Spiritu magno vidit ultima et consolatus est lugentes in Sion; usque in sempiternum ostendit futura

27.

28. et abscondita, antequam evenirent.

28.