Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

Apocrypha.

ECCLESIASTICUS.

Apocrypha.

2 How great glory gat he, when he did || voice from the earth in prophecy, to blot out lift up his hands, and stretched out his sword the wickedness of the people. against the cities!

3 Who before him so stood to it? for the Lord himself brought his enemies unto him. 4 Did not the sun go back by his means ? and was not one day as long as two?

5 He called upon the most high Lord, when the enemies pressed upon him on every side; and the great Lord heard him.

6 And with hailstones of mighty power he made the battle to fall violently upon the nations, and in the descent [of Bethhoron] he destroyed them that resisted, that the nations might know all their strength, because he fought in the sight of the Lord, and he followed the Mighty One.

7 In the time of Moses also he did a work of mercy, he and Caleb the son of Jephunne, in that they withstood the congregation, and withheld the people from sin, and appeased the wicked murmuring.

8 And of six hundred thousand people on foot, they two were preserved to bring them into the heritage, even unto the land that floweth with milk and honey.

9 The Lord gave strength also unto Caleb, which remained with him unto his old age: so that he entered upon the high places of the land, and his seed obtained it for an heritage :

10 That all the children of Israel might see that it is good to follow the Lord.

11 And concerning the judges, every one by name, whose heart went not a whoring, nor departed from the Lord, let their memory be blessed :

12 Let their bones flourish out of their place, and let the name of them that were honoured be continued upon their children. || 13 Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, beloved of his Lord, established a kingdom, and anointed princes over his people.

14 By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the Lord had respect unto Jacob.

15 By his faithfulness he was found a true prophet, and by his word he was known to be faithful in vision.

16 He called upon the mighty Lord, when his enemies pressed upon him on every side, when he offered the sucking lamb.

17 And the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise made his voice to be heard.

18 And he destroyed the rulers of the Tyrians, and all the princes of the Philistines.

19 And before his long sleep he made protestations in the sight of the Lord and his anointed, I have not taken any man's goods, so much as a shoe: and no man did accuse him.

20 And after his death he prophesied, and shewed the king his end, and lifted up his

CHAP. XLVII.

1 The praise of Nathan, 2 of David, 12 of Selomon; bis glory and infirmities,

A

c.

ND after him rose up Nathan to pro

phesy in the time of David.

2 As is the fat taken away from the peace offering, so was David chosen out of the children of Israel.

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

4 Slew he not a giant, when he was yet but young? and did he not take away reproach from the people, when he lifted up his hand with the stone in the sling, and beat down the boasting of Goliath ?

5 For he called upon the most high Lord : and he gave him strength in his right hand to slay that mighty warrior, and set up the horn of his people.

6 So the people honoured him with ten thousands, and praised him in the blessings of the Lord, in that he gave him a crown of glory.

7 For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and brought to nought the Philistines his adversaries, and brake their horn in sunder unto this day.

8 In all his works he praised the Holy One most high with words of glory; with his whole heart he sung songs, and loved him that made him.

9 He set singers also before the altar, that by their voices they might make sweet melody, and daily sing praises in their songs.

10 He beautified their feasts, and set in order the solemn times until the end, that they might praise his holy name, and that the temple might sound from morning.

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

12 ¶ After him rose up a wise son, and for his sake he dwelt at large.

13 Solomon reigned in a peaceable time, and was honoured; for God made all quiet round about him, that he might build an house in his name, and prepare his sanctuary for ever.

14 How wise wast thou in thy youth, and, as a flood, filled with understanding!

15 Thy soul covered the whole earth, and thou filledst it with dark parables.

16 Thy name went far into the island; and for thy peace thou wast beloved.

17 The countries marvelled at thee for thy songs, and proverbs, and parables, and interpretations.

18 By the name of the Lord God, which is called the Lord God of Israel, thou didst gather gold as tin, and didst multiply silver as 'lead.

19 Thou didst bow thy loins unto women,

Аростурва.

CHAP. XLIX. and by thy body thou wast brought into subjection.

20 Thou didst stain thy honour, and polJute thy seed so that thou broughtest wrath upon thy children, and wast grieved for thy folly.

21 So the kingdom was divided, and out of Ephraim ruled a rebellious kingdom.

22 But the Lord will never leave off his mercy, neither shall any of his works perish, neither will he abolish the posterity of his elect, and the seed of him that loveth him he will not take away: wherefore he gave a remnant unto Jacob, and out of him a root unto David.

23 Thus rested Solomon with his fathers, and of his seed he left behind him Roboam, even the foolishness of the people, and one that had no understanding, who turned away the people through his counsel. There was also Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, and shewed Ephraim the way of sin :

24 And their sins were multiplied exceedingly, that they were driven out of the land. 25 For they sought out all wickedness, till the vengeance came upon them.

CHAP. XLVIII.

1 The praise of Elias, 12 of Eliseus, 17 and of Ezekias.

TH

HEN stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.

2 He brought à sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.

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

4 O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wonderous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!

5 Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the Most High:

[ocr errors]

Apocrypha.

13 No word could overcome him; and after his death his body prophesied.

14 He did wonders in his life, and at his death were his works marvellous.

15 For all this the people repented not, neither departed they from their sins, till they were spoiled and carried out of their land, and were scattered through all the earth: yet there remained a small people, and a ruler in the house of David:

16 Of whom some did that which was pleasing to God, and some multiplied sins.

17¶Ezekias fortified his city, and brought in water into the midst thereof: he digged the hard rock with iron, and made wells for

waters.

18 In his time Sennacherib came up, and sent Rabsaces, and lifted up his hand against Sion, and boasted proudly.

19 Then trembled their hearts and hands, and they were in pain, as women in travail.

20 But they called upon the Lord which is merciful, and stretched out their hands toward him: and immediately the Holy One heard them out of heaven, and delivered them by the ministry of Esay.

21 He smote the host of the Assyrians, and his angel destroyed them.

22 For Ezekias had done the thing that pleased the Lord, and was strong in the ways of David his father, as Esay the prophet, who was great and faithful in his vision, had commanded him.

23 In his time the sun went backward, and he lengthened the king's life.

24 He saw by an excellent spirit what should come to pass at the last, and he comforted them that mourned in Sion.

25 He shewed what should come to pass for ever, and secret things or ever they came. CHAP. XLIX.

1 The praise of Josias, 4 of David, and Ezekias, 6 of Jeremy, 8 of Ezekiel, 11 Zorobabel, Sc. HE remembrance of Josias is like the

6 Who broughtest kings to destruction, Composition of the perfume that is

and honourable men from their bed :

7 Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance:

8 Who anointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him:

9 Who wast taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:

10 Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment, before it break forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

11 Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.

12 Elias it was, who was covered with a whirlwind: and Eliseus was filled with his spirit: whilst he lived, he was not moved with the presence of any prince, neither could any bring him into subjection.

made by the art of the apothecary: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as musick at a banquet of wine.

2 He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity.

3 He directed his heart unto the Lord, and in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of God.

4 All, except David, and Ezekias, and Josias, were defective: for they forsook the law of the Most High, even the kings of Juda failed.

5 Therefore he gave their power unto others, and their glory to a strange nation.

6 They burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made the streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremias.

7 For they entreated him evil, who never

[blocks in formation]

theless was a prophet, sanctified in his mother's womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant.

8 It was Ezekiel who saw the glorious vision, which was shewed him upon the chariot of the cherubims.

9 For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of the rain, and directed them that went right.

10 And of the twelve prophets let the memorial be blessed, and let their bones flourish again out of their place for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them by assured hope.

11 ¶ How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand :

12 So was Jesus the son of Josedec: who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the Lord, which was prepared for everlasting glory.

13 And among the elect was Neemias, whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again.

14 But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch; for he was taken from the earth. 15 Neither was there a man born like unto Joseph, a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the Lord.

16 Sem and Seth were in great honour among men, and so was Adam above every living thing in the creation.

CHAP. L.

1 Of Simon the son of Onias. 22 How the people were taught to praise God, and pray. 27 The conclusion.

IMON the high priest, the son of Onias,

Shown his life repaired the house again,

and in his days fortified the temple :

2 And by him was built from the foundation the double height, the high fortress of the wall about the temple:

3 In his days the cistern to receive water, being in compass as the sea, was covered with plates of brass :

Apocrypha.

10 And as a fair olive tree budding forth fruit, and as a cypress tree which groweth up to the clouds.

11 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.

12 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.

13 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.

14 And finishing the service at the altar, that he might adorn the offering of the most high Almighty,

15 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 sweet smelling savour unto the most high King of all.

16 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.

17 Then all the people together hasted, and fell down to the earth upon their faces to worship their Lord God Almighty, the Most High.

18 The singers also sang praises with their voices, with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody.

19 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.

20 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.

21 And they bowed themselves down to worship the second time, that they might receive a blessing from the Most High.

22¶Now therefore bless ye the God of 4 He took care of the temple that it should all, which only doeth wonderous things eve not fall, and fortified the city against be-ry where, which exalteth our days from the sieging: womb, and dealeth with us according to his mercy.

5 How was he honoured in the midst of the people in his coming out of the sanctuary! 6 He was as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full :

7 As the sun shining upon the temple of the Most High, and as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds:

8 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 :

9 As fire and incense in the censer, and as a vessel of beaten gold set with all manner of precious stones :

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

1

Apocrypha.

CHAP. I. hath written in this book the instruction of understanding and knowledge, who out of his heart poured forth wisdom.

28 Blessed is he that shall be exercised in these things; and he that layeth them up in his heart shall become wise.

29 For if he do them, he shall be strong to all things for the light of the Lord leadeth him, who giveth wisdom to the godly. Blessed be the Lord for ever. Amen, Amen. CHAP. LI.

I

A prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. WILL thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:

2 For thou art my defender and helper, and hast preserved my body from destruction, and from the snare of the slanderous tongue, and from the lips that forge lies, and hast been mine helper against mine adversaries :

3 And hast delivered me, according to the multitude of thy mercies and greatness of thy name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had ;

4 From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;

5 From the depth of the belly of hell, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words.

6 By an accusation to the king from an unrighteous tongue my soul drew near even unto death, my life was near to the hell beneath.

7 They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.

||

8 Then thought I upon thy mercy, O|| Lord, and upon thy acts of old, how thou deliverest such as wait for thee, and savest them out of the hands of the enemies.

9 Then lifted I up my supplication from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death. 10 I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no help.

11 I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praise with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard :

CHAP. I.

[ocr errors]

Apocrypha.

12 For thou savedst me from destruction, and deliveredst me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise thee, and bless thy name, O Lord.

13 When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.

14 I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.

15 Even from the flower till the grape was ripe hath my heart delighted in her : my foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her.

16 I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.

17 I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe the glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.

18 For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.

19 My soul hath wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.

20 I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be forsaken.

21 My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good posses→ sion.

22 The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith. 23 Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.

24 Wherefore are ye slow, and what say ye of these things, seeing your souls are very thirsty?

25 I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.

26 Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction: she is hard at hand to find.

27 Behold with your eyes, how that I have had but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.

28 Get learning with a great sum of mon ey, and get much gold by her.

29 Let your soul rejoice in his mercy, and be not ashamed of his praise.

30 Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward.

BARUCH.

1 Baruch wrote a book in Babylon: 7 the Jews send money and the book to the brethren at Jerusalem.

of Asadias, the son of Chelcias, wrote in Babylon.

2 In the fifth year, and in the seventh day of the month, what time as the Chaldeans

AND these are the words of the book, took Jerusalem, and burnt it with fire.

which Baruch the son of Nerias, the

son of Maasias, the son of Sedecias, the son

3 And Baruch did read the words of this book in the hearing of Jechonias the son of

[blocks in formation]

Joachim king of Juda, and in the ears of all the people that came to hear the book, 4 And in the hearing of the nobles, and of the king's sons, and in the hearing of the elders, and of all the people, from the lowest unto the highest, even of all them that dwelt at Babylon by the river Sud.

5 Whereupon they wept, fasted, and prayed before the Lord.

6 They made also a collection of money according to every man's power:

7 And they sent it to Jerusalem unto Joachim the high priest, the son of Chelcias, son of Salom, and to the priests, and to all the people which were found with him at Jerusalem,

8 At the same time when he received the vessels of the house of the Lord, that were carried out of the temple, to return them into the land of Juda, the tenth day of the month Sivan, namely, silver vessels, which Sedecias the son of Josias king of Juda had made,

abyfofter that Nabuchodonosor king of

Babylon had carried away Jechonias, and the princes, and the captives, and the mighty men, and the people of the land, from Jerusalem, and brought them unto Babylon.

10 And they said, Behold, we have sent you money to buy you burnt offerings, and sin offerings, and incense, and prepare ye manna, and offer upon the altar of the Lord our God;

11 And pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his son, that their days may be upon earth as the days of heaven:

12 And the Lord will give us strength, and lighten our eyes, and we shall live under the shadow of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and under the shadow of Balthasar || his son, and we shall serve them many days, and find favour in their sight.

13 Pray for us also unto the Lord our God, for we have sinned against the Lord our God; and unto this day the fury of the Lord and his wrath is not turned from us.

14 And ye shall read this book which we have sent unto you, to make confession in the house of the Lord, upon the feasts and solemn days.

15 And ye shall say, To the Lord our God belongeth righteousness, but unto us the confusion of faces, as it is come to pass this day, unto them of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

16 And to our kings, and to our princes, and to our priests, and to our prophets, and to our fathers :

17 For we have sinned before the Lord, 18 And disobeyed him, and have not hearkened unto the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in the commandments that he gave us openly:

Apocrypha.

19 Since the day that the Lord brought our forefathers out of the land of Egypt, unto this present day, we have been disobedient unto the Lord our God, and we have been negligent in not hearing his voice.

20 Wherefore the evils cleaved unto us, and the curse, which the Lord appointed by Moses his servant at the time that he brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt, to give us a land that floweth with milk and honey, like as it is to see this day.

21 Nevertheless we have not hearkened unto the voice of the Lord our God, according unto all the words of the prophets, whom he sent unto us :

22 But every man followed the imagination of his own wicked heart, to serve strange gods, and to do evil in the sight of the Lord our God.

CHAP. II.

The prayer and confession which the Jews at Babylon made, and sent in that book unto the brethren in Jerusalem.

THEREFORE the Lord hath made good

his word, which he pronounced against us, and against our judges that judged Israel, and against our kings, and against our princes, and against the men of Israel and Juda,

2 To bring upon us great plagues, such as never happened under the whole heaven, as it came to pass in Jerusalem, according to the things that were written in the law of Moses;

3 That a man should eat the flesh of his own son, and the flesh of his own daughter.

4 Moreover he hath delivered them to be in subjection to all the kingdoms that are round about us, to be as a reproach and desolation among all the people round about, where the Lord hath scattered them.

5 Thus we were cast down, and not exalted, because we have sinned against the Lord our God, and have not been obedient unto his

voice.

6 To the Lord our God appertaineth righteousness: but unto us and to our fathers open shame, as appeareth this day.

7 For all these plagues are come upon us, which the Lord hath pronounced against us.

8 Yet have we not prayed before the Lord, that we might turn every one from the imaginations of his wicked heart.

9 Wherefore the Lord watched over us for evil, and the Lord hath brought it upon us : for the Lord is righteous in all his works which he hath commanded us.

10 Yet we have not hearkened unto his voice, to walk in the commandments of the Lord, that he hath set before us.

11 And now, O Lord God of Israel, that hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and high arm, and with signs, and with wonders, and with great power, and hast gotten thyself a name, as ap peareth this day:

« FöregåendeFortsätt »