Sirac (RSV) 38

38 1 Honor the physician with the honor due him, according to your need of him, for the Lord created him;
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for healing comes from the Most High, and he will receive a gift from the king.
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The skill of the physician lifts up his head, and in the presence of great men he is admired.
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The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible man will not despise them.
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Was not water made sweet with a tree in order that his power might be known?
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And he gave skill to men that he might be glorified in his marvelous works.
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By them he heals and takes away pain;
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the pharmacist makes of them a compound. His works will never be finished; and from him health is upon the face of the earth.
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My son, when you are sick do not be negligent, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
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Give up your faults and direct your hands aright, and cleanse your heart from all sin.
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Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of fine flour, and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.
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And give the physician his place, for the Lord created him; let him not leave you, for there is need of him.
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There is a time when success lies in the hands of physicians,
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for they too will pray to the Lord that he should grant them success in diagnosis and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.
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He who sins before his Maker, may he fall into the care of a physician.


On Mourning for the Dead

16 My son, let your tears fall for the dead, and as one who is suffering grievously begin the lament. Lay out his body with the honor due him, and do not neglect his burial.
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Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing fervent; observe the mourning according to his merit, for one day, or two, to avoid criticism; then be comforted for your sorrow.
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For sorrow results in death, and sorrow of heart saps one's strength.
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In calamity sorrow continues, and the life of the poor man weighs down his heart.
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Do not give your heart to sorrow; drive it away, remembering the end of life.
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Do not forget, there is no coming back; you do the dead no good, and you injure yourself.
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"Remember my doom, for yours is like it: yesterday it was mine, and today it is yours."
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When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance cease, and be comforted for him when his spirit is departed.


Trades and Crafts

24 The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure; and he who has little business may become wise.
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How can he become wise who handles the plow, and who glories in the shaft of a goad, who drives oxen and is occupied with their work, and whose talk is about bulls?
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He sets his heart on plowing furrows, and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.
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So too is every craftsman and master workman who labors by night as well as by day; those who cut the signets of seals, each is diligent in making a great variety; he sets his heart on painting a lifelike image, and he is careful to finish his work.
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So too is the smith sitting by the anvil, intent upon his handiwork in iron; the breath of the fire melts his flesh, and he wastes away in the heat of the furnace; he inclines his ear to the sound of the hammer, and his eyes are on the pattern of the object. He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork, and he is careful to complete its decoration.
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So too is the potter sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet; he is always deeply concerned over his work, and all his output is by number.
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He moulds the clay with his arm and makes it pliable with his feet; he sets his heart to finish the glazing, and he is careful to clean the furnace.
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All these rely upon their hands, and each is skilful in his own work.
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Without them a city cannot be established, and men can neither sojourn nor live there.
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Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people, nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly. They do not sit in the judge's seat, nor do they understand the sentence of judgment; they cannot expound discipline or judgment, and they are not found using proverbs.


The Activity of the Scribe

34 But they keep stable the fabric of the world, and their prayer is in the practice of their trade.


39 1 On the other hand he who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be concerned with prophecies;
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he will preserve the discourse of notable men and penetrate the subtleties of parables;
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he will seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs and be at home with the obscurities of parables.
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He will serve among great men and appear before rulers; he will travel through the lands of foreign nations, for he tests the good and the evil among men.
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He will set his heart to rise early to seek the Lord who made him, and will make supplication before the Most High; he will open his mouth in prayer and make supplication for his sins.
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If the great Lord is willing, he will be filled with the spirit of understanding; he will pour forth words of wisdom and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
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He will direct his counsel and knowledge aright, and meditate on his secrets.
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He will reveal instruction in his teaching, and will glory in the law of the Lord's covenant.
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Many will praise his understanding, and it will never be blotted out; his memory will not disappear, and his name will live through all generations.
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Nations will declare his wisdom, and the congregation will proclaim his praise;
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if he lives long, he will leave a name greater than a thousand, and if he goes to rest, it is enough for him.


A Hymn of Praise to God

12 I have yet more to say, which I have thought upon, and I am filled, like the moon at the full.
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Listen to me, O you holy sons, and bud like a rose growing by a stream of water;
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send forth fragrance like frankincense, and put forth blossoms like a lily. Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise; bless the Lord for all his works;
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ascribe majesty to his name and give thanks to him with praise, with songs on your lips, and with lyres; and this you shall say in thanksgiving:
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"All things are the works of the Lord, for they are very good, and whatever he commands will be done in his time."
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No one can say, "What is this?" "Why is that?" for in God's time all things will be sought after. At his word the waters stood in a heap, and the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.
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At his command whatever pleases him is done, and none can limit his saving power.
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The works of all flesh are before him, and nothing can be hid from his eyes.
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From everlasting to everlasting he beholds them, and nothing is marvelous to him.
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No one can say, "What is this?" "Why is that?" for everything has been created for its use.
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His blessing covers the dry land like a river, and drenches it like a flood.
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The nations will incur his wrath, just as he turns fresh water into salt.
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To the holy his ways are straight, just as they are obstacles to the wicked.
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From the beginning good things were created for good people, just as evil things for sinners.
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Basic to all the needs of man's life are water and fire and iron and salt and wheat flour and milk and honey, the blood of the grape, and oil and clothing.
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All these are for good to the godly, just as they turn into evils for sinners.
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There are winds that have been created for vengeance, and in their anger they scourge heavily; in the time of consummation they will pour out their strength and calm the anger of their Maker.
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Fire and hail and famine and pestilence, all these have been created for vengeance;
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the teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions and vipers, and the sword that punishes the ungodly with destruction;
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they will rejoice in his commands, and be made ready on earth for their service, and when their times come they will not transgress his word.
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Therefore from the beginning I have been convinced, and have thought this out and left it in writing:
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The works of the Lord are all good, and he will supply every need in its hour.
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And no one can say, "This is worse than that," for all things will prove good in their season.
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So now sing praise with all your heart and voice, and bless the name of the Lord.


Human Wretchedness

40 1 Much labor was created for every man, and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day they come forth from their mother's womb till the day they return to the mother of all.
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Their perplexities and fear of heart -- their anxious thought is the day of death,
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from the man who sits on a splendid throne to the one who is humbled in dust and ashes,
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from the man who wears purple and a crown to the one who is clothed in burlap;
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there is anger and envy and trouble and unrest, and fear of death, and fury and strife. And when one rests upon his bed, his sleep at night confuses his mind.
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He gets little or no rest, and afterward in his sleep, as though he were on watch, he is troubled by the visions of his mind like one who has escaped from the battle-front;
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at the moment of his rescue he wakes up, and wonders that his fear came to nothing.
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With all flesh, both man and beast, and upon sinners seven times more,
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are death and bloodshed and strife and sword, calamities, famine and affliction and plague.
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All these were created for the wicked, and on their account the flood came.
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All things that are from the earth turn back to the earth, and what is from the waters returns to the sea.


Injustice Will Not Prosper

12 All bribery and injustice will be blotted out, but good faith will stand for ever.
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The wealth of the unjust will dry up like a torrent, and crash like a loud clap of thunder in a rain.
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A generous man will be made glad; likewise transgressors will utterly fail.
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The children of the ungodly will not put forth many branches; they are unhealthy roots upon sheer rock.
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The reeds by any water or river bank will be plucked up before any grass.
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Kindness is like a garden of blessings, and almsgiving endures for ever.


The Joys of Life

18 Life is sweet for the self-reliant and the worker, but he who finds treasure is better off than both.
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Children and the building of a city establish a man's name, but a blameless wife is accounted better than both.
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Wine and music gladden the heart, but the love of wisdom is better than both.
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The flute and the harp make pleasant melody, but a pleasant voice is better than both.
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The eye desires grace and beauty, but the green shoots of grain more than both.
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A friend or a companion never meets one amiss, but a wife with her husband is better than both.
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Brothers and help are for a time of trouble, but almsgiving rescues better than both.
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Gold and silver make the foot stand sure, but good counsel is esteemed more than both.
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Riches and strength lift up the heart, but the fear of the Lord is better than both. There is no loss in the fear of the Lord, and with it there is no need to seek for help.
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The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing, and covers a man better than any glory.


The Disgrace of Begging

28 My son, do not lead the life of a beggar; it is better to die than to beg.
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When a man looks to the table of another, his existence cannot be considered as life. He pollutes himself with another man's food, but a man who is intelligent and well instructed guards against that.
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In the mouth of the shameless begging is sweet, but in his stomach a fire is kindled.


Concerning Death

41 1 O death, how bitter is the reminder of you to one who lives at peace among his possessions, to a man without distractions, who is prosperous in everything, and who still has the vigor to enjoy his food!
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O death, how welcome is your sentence to one who is in need and is failing in strength, very old and distracted over everything; to one who is contrary, and has lost his patience!
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Do not fear the sentence of death; remember your former days and the end of life; this is the decree from the Lord for all flesh,
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and how can you reject the good pleasure of the Most High? Whether life is for ten or a hundred or a thousand years, there is no inquiry about it in Hades.


The Fate of the Wicked

5 The children of sinners are abominable children, and they frequent the haunts of the ungodly.
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The inheritance of the children of sinners will perish, and on their posterity will be a perpetual reproach.
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Children will blame an ungodly father, for they suffer reproach because of him.
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Woe to you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the Most High God!
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When you are born, you are born to a curse; and when you die, a curse is your lot.
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Whatever is from the dust returns to dust; so the ungodly go from curse to destruction.
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The mourning of men is about their bodies, but the evil name of sinners will be blotted out.
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Have regard for your name, since it will remain for you longer than a thousand great stores of gold.
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The days of a good life are numbered, but a good name endures for ever.
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My children, observe instruction and be at peace; hidden wisdom and unseen treasure, what advantage is there in either of them?


A Series of Contrasts

15 Better is the man who hides his folly than the man who hides his wisdom.
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Therefore show respect for my words: For it is good to retain every kind of shame, and not everything is confidently esteemed by every one.
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Be ashamed of immorality, before your father or mother; and of a lie, before a prince or a ruler;
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of a transgression, before a judge or magistrate; and of iniquity, before a congregation or the people; of unjust dealing, before your partner or friend;
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and of theft, in the place where you live. Be ashamed before the truth of God and his covenant. Be ashamed of selfish behavior at meals, of surliness in receiving and giving,
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and of silence, before those who greet you; of looking at a woman who is a harlot,
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and of rejecting the appeal of a kinsman; of taking away some one's portion or gift, and of gazing at another man's wife;
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of meddling with his maidservant -- and do not approach her bed; of abusive words, before friends -- and do not upbraid after making a gift;
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of repeating and telling what you hear, and of revealing secrets. Then you will show proper shame, and will find favor with every man.


42 1 Of the following things do not be ashamed, and do not let partiality lead you to sin:
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of the law of the Most High and his covenant, and of rendering judgment to acquit the ungodly;
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of keeping accounts with a partner or with traveling companions, and of dividing the inheritance of friends;
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of accuracy with scales and weights, and of acquiring much or little;
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of profit from dealing with merchants, and of much discipline of children, and of whipping a wicked servant severely.
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Where there is an evil wife, a seal is a good thing; and where there are many hands, lock things up.
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Whatever you deal out, let it be by number and weight, and make a record of all that you give out or take in.
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Do not be ashamed to instruct the stupid or foolish or the aged man who quarrels with the young. Then you will be truly instructed, and will be approved before all men.


Daughters and Fathers

9 A daughter keeps her father secretly wakeful, and worry over her robs him of sleep; when she is young, lest she do not marry, or if married, lest she be hated;
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while a virgin, lest she be defiled or become pregnant in her father's house; or having a husband, lest she prove unfaithful, or, though married, lest she be barren.
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Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter, lest she make you a laughingstock to your enemies, a byword in the city and notorious among the people, and put you to shame before the great multitude.
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Do not look upon any one for beauty, and do not sit in the midst of women;
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for from garments comes the moth, and from a woman comes woman's wickedness.
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Better is the wickedness of a man than a woman who does good; and it is a woman who brings shame and disgrace.


The Works of God in Nature

15 I will now call to mind the works of the Lord, and will declare what I have seen. By the words of the Lord his works are done.
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The sun looks down on everything with its light, and the work of the Lord is full of his glory.
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The Lord has not enabled his holy ones to recount all his marvelous works, which the Lord the Almighty has established that the universe may stand firm in his glory.
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He searches out the abyss, and the hearts of men, and considers their crafty devices. For the Most High knows all that may be known, and he looks into the signs of the age.
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He declares what has been and what is to be, and he reveals the tracks of hidden things.
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No thought escapes him, and not one word is hidden from him.
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He has ordained the splendors of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting and to everlasting. Nothing can be added or taken away, and he needs no one to be his counselor.
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How greatly to be desired are all his works, and how sparkling they are to see!
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All these things live and remain for ever for every need, and are all obedient.
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All things are twofold, one opposite the other, and he has made nothing incomplete.
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One confirms the good things of the other, and who can have enough of beholding his glory?


The Splendor of the Sun

43 1 The pride of the heavenly heights is the clear firmament, the appearance of heaven in a spectacle of glory.
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The sun, when it appears, making proclamation as it goes forth, is a marvelous instrument, the work of the Most High.
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At noon it parches the land; and who can withstand its burning heat?
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A man tending a furnace works in burning heat, but the sun burns the mountains three times as much; it breathes out fiery vapors, and with bright beams it blinds the eyes.
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Great is the Lord who made it; and at his command it hastens on its course.


The Splendor of the Moon

6 He made the moon also, to serve in its season to mark the times and to be an everlasting sign.
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From the moon comes the sign for feast days, a light that wanes when it has reached the full.
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The month is named for the moon, increasing marvelously in its phases, an instrument of the hosts on high shining forth in the firmament of heaven.


The Glory of the Stars and the Rainbow

9 The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven, a gleaming array in the heights of the Lord.
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At the command of the Holy One they stand as ordered, they never relax in their watches.
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Look upon the rainbow, and praise him who made it, exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.
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It encircles the heaven with its glorious arc; the hands of the Most High have stretched it out.


The Marvels of Nature

13 By his command he sends the driving snow and speeds the lightnings of his judgment.
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Therefore the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly forth like birds.
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In his majesty he amasses the clouds, and the hailstones are broken in pieces.
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At his appearing the mountains are shaken; at his will the south wind blows.
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The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth; so do the tempest from the north and the whirlwind. He scatters the snow like birds flying down, and its descent is like locusts alighting.
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The eye marvels at the beauty of its whiteness, and the mind is amazed at its falling.
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He pours the hoarfrost upon the earth like salt, and when it freezes, it becomes pointed thorns.
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The cold north wind blows, and ice freezes over the water; it rests upon every pool of water, and the water puts it on like a breastplate.
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He consumes the mountains and burns up the wilderness, and withers the tender grass like fire.
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A mist quickly heals all things; when the dew appears, it refreshes from the heat.
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By his counsel he stilled the great deep and planted islands in it.
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Those who sail the sea tell of its dangers, and we marvel at what we hear.
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for in it are strange and marvelous works, all kinds of living things, and huge creatures of the sea.
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Because of him his messenger finds the way, and by his word all things hold together.
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Though we speak much we cannot reach the end, and the sum of our words is: "He is the all."
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Where shall we find strength to praise him? For he is greater than all his works.
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Terrible is the Lord and very great, and marvelous is his power.
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When you praise the Lord, exalt him as much as you can; for he will surpass even that. When you exalt him, put forth all your strength, and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough.
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Who has seen him and can describe him? Or who can extol him as he is?
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Many things greater than these lie hidden, for we have seen but few of his works.
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For the Lord has made all things, and to the godly he has granted wisdom.


44 1 Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers in their generations.
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The Lord apportioned to them great glory, his majesty from the beginning.
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There were those who ruled in their kingdoms, and were men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and proclaiming prophecies;
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leaders of the people in their deliberations and in understanding of learning for the people, wise in their words of instruction;
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those who composed musical tunes, and set forth verses in writing;
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rich men furnished with resources, living peaceably in their habitations --
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all these were honored in their generations, and were the glory of their times.
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There are some of them who have left a name, so that men declare their praise.
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And there are some who have no memorial, who have perished as though they had not lived; they have become as though they had not been born, and so have their children after them.
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But these were men of mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten;
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their prosperity will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance to their children's children.
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Their descendants stand by the covenants; their children also, for their sake.
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Their posterity will continue for ever, and their glory will not be blotted out.
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Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives to all generations.
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Peoples will declare their wisdom, and the congregation proclaims their praise.


Enoch

16 Enoch pleased the Lord, and was taken up; he was an example of repentance to all generations.


Noah

17 Noah was found perfect and righteous; in the time of wrath he was taken in exchange; therefore a remnant was left to the earth when the flood came.
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Everlasting covenants were made with him that all flesh should not be blotted out by a flood.


Abraham

19 Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one has been found like him in glory;
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he kept the law of the Most High, and was taken into covenant with him; he established the covenant in his flesh, and when he was tested he was found faithful.
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Therefore the Lord assured him by an oath that the nations would be blessed through his posterity; that he would multiply him like the dust of the earth, and exalt his posterity like the stars, and cause them to inherit from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.


Isaac and Jacob

22 To Isaac also he gave the same assurance for the sake of Abraham his father.


Moses

23 The blessing of all men and the covenant he made to rest upon the head of Jacob; he acknowledged him with his blessings, and gave him his inheritance; he determined his portions, and distributed them among twelve tribes.


45 1 From his descendants the Lord brought forth a man of mercy, who found favor in the sight of all flesh and was beloved by God and man, Moses, whose memory is blessed.
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He made him equal in glory to the holy ones, and made him great in the fears of his enemies.
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By his words he caused signs to cease; the Lord glorified him in the presence of kings. He gave him commands for his people, and showed him part of his glory.
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He sanctified him through faithfulness and meekness; he chose him out of all mankind.
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He made him hear his voice, and led him into the thick darkness, and gave him the commandments face to face, the law of life and knowledge, to teach Jacob the covenant, and Israel his judgments.


Aaron

6 He exalted Aaron, the brother of Moses, a holy man like him, of the tribe of Levi.
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He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the priesthood of the people. He blessed him with splendid vestments, and put a glorious robe upon him.
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He clothed him with superb perfection, and strengthened him with the symbols of authority, the linen breeches, the long robe, and the ephod.
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And he encircled him with pomegranates, with very many golden bells round about, to send forth a sound as he walked, to make their ringing heard in the temple as a reminder to the sons of his people;
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with a holy garment, of gold and blue and purple, the work of an embroiderer; with the oracle of judgment, Urim and Thummim;
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with twisted scarlet, the work of a craftsman; with precious stones engraved like signets, in a setting of gold, the work of a jeweler, for a reminder, in engraved letters, according to the number of the tribes of Israel;
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with a gold crown upon his turban, inscribed like a signet with "Holiness," a distinction to be prized, the work of an expert, the delight of the eyes, richly adorned.
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Before his time there never were such beautiful things. No outsider ever put them on, but only his sons and his descendants perpetually.
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His sacrifices shall be wholly burned twice every day continually.
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Moses ordained him, and anointed him with holy oil; it was an everlasting covenant for him and for his descendants all the days of heaven, to minister to the Lord and serve as priest and bless his people in his name.
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He chose him out of all the living to offer sacrifice to the Lord, incense and a pleasing odor as a memorial portion, to make atonement for the people.
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In his commandments he gave him authority and statutes and judgments, to teach Jacob the testimonies, and to enlighten Israel with his law.
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Outsiders conspired against him, and envied him in the wilderness, Dathan and Abiram and their men and the company of Korah, in wrath and anger.
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The Lord saw it and was not pleased, and in the wrath of his anger they were destroyed; he wrought wonders against them to consume them in flaming fire.
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He added glory to Aaron and gave him a heritage; he allotted to him the first of the first fruits, he prepared bread of first fruits in abundance;
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for they eat the sacrifices to the Lord, which he gave to him and his descendants.
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But in the land of the people he has no inheritance, and he has no portion among the people; for the Lord himself is his portion and inheritance.


Phinehas

23 Phinehas the son of Eleazar is the third in glory, for he was zealous in the fear of the Lord, and stood fast, when the people turned away, in the ready goodness of his soul, and made atonement for Israel.
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Therefore a covenant of peace was established with him, that he should be leader of the sanctuary and of his people, that he and his descendants should have the dignity of the priesthood for ever.
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A covenant was also established with David, the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah: the heritage of the king is from son to son only; so the heritage of Aaron is for his descendants.
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May the Lord grant you wisdom in your heart to judge his people in righteousness, so that their prosperity may not vanish, and that their glory may endure throughout their generations.


Joshua and Caleb

46 1 Joshua the son of Nun was mighty in war, and was the successor of Moses in prophesying. He became, in accordance with his name, a great savior of God's elect, to take vengeance on the enemies that rose against them, so that he might give Israel its inheritance.
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How glorious he was when he lifted his hands and stretched out his sword against the cities!
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Who before him ever stood so firm? For he waged the wars of the Lord.
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Was not the sun held back by his hand? And did not one day become as long as two?
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He called upon the Most High, the Mighty One, when enemies pressed him on every side,
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and the great Lord answered him with hailstones of mighty power. He hurled down war upon that nation, and at the descent of Bethhoron he destroyed those who resisted, so that the nations might know his armament, that he was fighting in the sight of the Lord; for he wholly followed the Mighty One.
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And in the days of Moses he did a loyal deed, he and Caleb the son of Jephunneh: they withstood the congregation, restrained the people from sin, and stilled their wicked murmuring.
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And these two alone were preserved out of six hundred thousand people on foot, to bring them into their inheritance, into a land flowing with milk and honey.
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And the Lord gave Caleb strength, which remained with him to old age, so that he went up to the hill country, and his children obtained it for an inheritance;
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so that all the sons of Israel might see that it is good to follow the Lord.


The Judges

11 The judges also, with their respective names, those whose hearts did not fall into idolatry and who did not turn away from the Lord -- may their memory be blessed!
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May their bones revive from where they lie, and may the name of those who have been honored live again in their sons!
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Samuel, beloved by his Lord, a prophet of the Lord, established the kingdom and anointed rulers over his people.
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By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the Lord watched over Jacob.
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By his faithfulness he was proved to be a prophet, and by his words he became known as a trustworthy seer.
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He called upon the Lord, the Mighty One, when his enemies pressed him on every side, and he offered in sacrifice a sucking lamb.
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Then the Lord thundered from heaven, and made his voice heard with a mighty sound;
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and he wiped out the leaders of the people of Tyre and all the rulers of the Philistines.
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Before the time of his eternal sleep, Samuel called men to witness before the Lord and his anointed: "I have not taken any one's property, not so much as a pair of shoes." And no man accused him.
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Even after he had fallen asleep he prophesied and revealed to the king his death, and lifted up his voice out of the earth in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.


Nathan

47 1 And after him Nathan rose up to prophesy in the days of David.


David

2 As the fat is selected from the peace offering, so David was selected from the sons of Israel.
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He played with lions as with young goats, and with bears as with lambs of the flock.
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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?
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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
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
For he wiped out his enemies on every side, and annihilated his adversaries the Philistines; he crushed their power even to this day.
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
He placed singers before the altar, to make sweet melody with their voices.
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
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.


Solomon

12 After him rose up a wise son who fared amply because of him;
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
How wise you became in your youth! You overflowed like a river with understanding.
15
Your soul covered the earth, and you filled it with parables and riddles.
16
Your name reached to far-off islands, and you were loved for your peace.
17
For your songs and proverbs and parables, and for your interpretations, the countries marveled at you.
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
But you laid your loins beside women, and through your body you were brought into subjection.
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
so that the sovereignty was divided and a disobedient kingdom arose out of Ephraim.
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.


Rehoboam and Jeroboam

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
Their sins became exceedingly many, so as to remove them from their land.
25
For they sought out every sort of wickedness, till vengeance came upon them.


Elijah


Sirac (RSV) 38