The Holy Scripture
Chapter L
Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house again, and in his days fortified the temple:
Σιμων Ονιου υἱὸς ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας ὃς ἐν ζωῇ αὐτοῦ ὑπέρραψεν οἶκον καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἐστερέωσεν ναόν
and by him was built from the foundation the double height, the high fortress of the wall about the temple:
καὶ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐθεμελιώθη ὕψος διπλῆς ἀνάλημμα ὑψηλὸν περιβόλου ἱεροῦ
in his days the cistern to receive water, being in compass as the sea, was covered with plates of brass:
ἐν ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἐλατομήθη ἀποδοχεῖον ὑδάτων λάκκος ὡσεὶ θαλάσσης τὸ περίμετρον
he took care of the temple that it should not fall, and fortified the city against besieging:
ὁ φροντίζων τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πτώσεως καὶ ἐνισχύσας πόλιν ἐν πολιορκήσει
how was he honoured in the midst of the people in his coming out of the sanctuary!
ὡς ἐδοξάσθη ἐν περιστροφῇ λαοῦ ἐν ἐξόδῳ οἴκου καταπετάσματος
He was as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full:
ὡς ἀστὴρ ἑωθινὸς ἐν μέσῳ νεφελῶν ὡς σελήνη πλήρης ἐν ἡμέραις
as the sun shining upon the temple of the most High, and as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds:
ὡς ἥλιος ἐκλάμπων ἐπὶ ναὸν ὑψίστου καὶ ὡς τόξον φωτίζον ἐν νεφέλαις δόξης
and as the flower of roses in the spring of the year, as lilies by the rivers of waters, and as the branches of the frankincense tree in the time of summer:
ὡς ἄνθος ῥόδων ἐν ἡμέραις νέων ὡς κρίνα ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ ὕδατος ὡς βλαστὸς Λιβάνου ἐν ἡμέραις θέρους
as fire and incense in the censer, and as a vessel of beaten gold set with all manner of precious stones:
ὡς πῦρ καὶ λίβανος ἐπὶ πυρείου ὡς σκεῦος χρυσίου ὁλοσφύρητον κεκοσμημένον παντὶ λίθῳ πολυτελεῖ
and as a fair olive tree budding forth fruit, and as a cypress tree which groweth up to the clouds.
ὡς ἐλαία ἀναθάλλουσα καρποὺς καὶ ὡς κυπάρισσος ὑψουμένη ἐν νεφέλαις
When he put on the robe of honour, and was clothed with the perfection of glory, when he went up to the holy altar, he made the garment of holiness honourable.
ἐν τῷ ἀναλαμβάνειν αὐτὸν στολὴν δόξης καὶ ἐνδιδύσκεσθαι αὐτὸν συντέλειαν καυχήματος ἐν ἀναβάσει θυσιαστηρίου ἁγίου ἐδόξασεν περιβολὴν ἁγιάσματος
When he took the portions out of the priests' hands, he himself stood by the hearth of the altar, compassed with his brethren round about, as a young cedar in Libanus; and as palm trees compassed they him round about.
ἐν δὲ τῷ δέχεσθαι μέλη ἐκ χειρῶν ἱερέων καὶ αὐτὸς ἑστὼς παρ᾿ ἐσχάρᾳ βωμοῦ κυκλόθεν αὐτοῦ στέφανος ἀδελφῶν ὡς βλάστημα κέδρων ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν αὐτὸν ὡς στελέχη φοινίκων
So were all the sons of Aaron in their glory, and the oblations of the Lord in their hands, before all the congregation of Israel.
καὶ πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ Ααρων ἐν δόξῃ αὐτῶν καὶ προσφορὰ κυρίου ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν ἔναντι πάσης ἐκκλησίας Ισραηλ
And finishing the service at the altar, that he might adorn the offering of the most high Almighty,
καὶ συντέλειαν λειτουργῶν ἐπὶ βωμῶν κοσμῆσαι προσφορὰν ὑψίστου παντοκράτορος
he stretched out his hand to the cup, and poured of the blood of the grape, he poured out at the foot of the altar a sweetsmelling savour unto the most high King of all.
ἐξέτεινεν ἐπὶ σπονδείου χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσπεισεν ἐξ αἵματος σταφυλῆς ἐξέχεεν εἰς θεμέλια θυσιαστηρίου ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας ὑψίστῳ παμβασιλεῖ
Then shouted the sons of Aaron, and sounded the silver trumpets, and made a great noise to be heard, for a remembrance before the most High.
τότε ἀνέκραγον οἱ υἱοὶ Ααρων ἐν σάλπιγξιν ἐλαταῖς ἤχησαν ἀκουστὴν ἐποίησαν φωνὴν μεγάλην εἰς μνημόσυνον ἔναντι ὑψίστου
Then all the people together hasted, and fell down to the earth upon their faces to worship their Lord God Almighty, the most High.
τότε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς κοινῇ κατέσπευσαν καὶ ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν προσκυνῆσαι τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῶν παντοκράτορι θεῷ ὑψίστῳ
The singers also sang praises with their voices, with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody.
καὶ ᾔνεσαν οἱ ψαλτῳδοὶ ἐν φωναῖς αὐτῶν ἐν πλείστῳ ἤχῳ ἐγλυκάνθη μέλος
And the people besought the Lord, the most High, by prayer before him that is merciful, till the solemnity of the Lord was ended, and they had finished his service.
καὶ ἐδεήθη ὁ λαὸς κυρίου ὑψίστου ἐν προσευχῇ κατέναντι ἐλεήμονος ἕως συντελεσθῇ κόσμος κυρίου καὶ τὴν λειτουργίαν αὐτοῦ ἐτελείωσαν
Then he went down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation of the children of Israel, to give the blessing of the Lord with his lips, and to rejoice in his name.
τότε καταβὰς ἐπῆρεν χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἐκκλησίαν υἱῶν Ισραηλ δοῦναι εὐλογίαν κυρίου ἐκ χειλέων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ καυχήσασθαι
And they bowed themselves down to worship the second time, that they might receive a blessing from the most High.
καὶ ἐδευτέρωσαν ἐν προσκυνήσει ἐπιδέξασθαι τὴν εὐλογίαν παρὰ ὑψίστου
Now therefore bless ye the God of all, which only doeth wondrous things every where, which exalteth our days from the womb, and dealeth with us according to his mercy.
καὶ νῦν εὐλογήσατε τὸν θεὸν πάντων τὸν μεγάλα ποιοῦντα πάντῃ τὸν ὑψοῦντα ἡμέρας ἡμῶν ἐκ μήτρας καὶ ποιοῦντα μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν κατὰ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ
He grant us joyfulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days in Israel for ever:
δῴη ἡμῖν εὐφροσύνην καρδίας καὶ γενέσθαι εἰρήνην ἐν ἡμέραις ἡμῶν ἐν Ισραηλ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ αἰῶνος
that he would confirm his mercy with us, and deliver us at his time!
ἐμπιστεύσαι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἡμῶν λυτρωσάσθω ἡμᾶς
There be two manner of nations which my heart abhorreth, and the third is no nation:
ἐν δυσὶν ἔθνεσιν προσώχθισεν ἡ ψυχή μου καὶ τὸ τρίτον οὐκ ἔστιν ἔθνος
they that sit upon the mountain of Samaria, and they that dwell among the Philistines, and that foolish people that dwell in Sichem.
οἱ καθήμενοι ἐν ὄρει Σαμαρείας καὶ Φυλιστιιμ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ μωρὸς ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν Σικιμοις
Jesus the son of Sirach of Jerusalem hath written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge, who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.
παιδείαν συνέσεως καὶ ἐπιστήμης ἐχάραξεν ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ Ἰησοῦς υἱὸς Σιραχ Ελεαζαρ ὁ Ιεροσολυμίτης ὃς ἀνώμβρησεν σοφίαν ἀπὸ καρδίας αὐτοῦ
Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things: and he that layeth them up in his heart shall become wise.
μακάριος ὃς ἐν τούτοις ἀναστραφήσεται καὶ θεὶς αὐτὰ ἐπὶ καρδίαν αὐτοῦ σοφισθήσεται
For if he do them, he shall be strong to all things: for the light of the Lord is his path.
ἐὰν γὰρ αὐτὰ ποιήσῃ πρὸς πάντα ἰσχύσει ὅτι φῶς κυρίου τὸ ἴχνος αὐτοῦ