Sirach Chapter 49

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 The memory of Josias is like the composition of a sweet smell made by the art of a perfumer:
2 His remembrance shall be sweet as honey in every mouth, and as music at a banquet of wine.
3 He was directed by God unto the repentance of the nation, and he took away the abominations of wickedness.
4 And he directed his heart towards the Lord, and in the days of sinners he strengthened godliness.

5 Except David, and Ezechias and Josias, all committed sin.
6 For the kings of Juda forsook the law of the most High, and despised the fear of God.
7 So they gave their kingdom to others, and their glory to a strange nation,
8 They burnt the chosen city of holiness, and made the streets thereof desolate according to the prediction of Jeremiah.
9 For they treated him evil, who was consecrated a prophet from his mother's womb, to overthrow, and pluck up, and destroy, and to build again, and renew.
10 It was Ezechiel that saw the glorious vision, which was shown him upon the chariot of cherubims.
11 For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of rain, and of doing good to them that showed right ways.
12 And may the bones of the twelve prophets spring up out of their place: for they strengthened Jacob, and redeemed themselves by strong faith.

13 How shall we magnify Zorobabel? for he was as a signet on the right hand;
14 In like manner Jesus the son of Josedec who in their days built the house, and set up a holy temple to the Lord, prepared for everlasting glory.
15 And let Nehemias be a long time remembered, who raised up for us our walls that were cast down, and set up the gates and the bars, who rebuilt our houses.

16 No man was born upon earth like Henoch: for he also was taken up from the earth.
17 Nor as Joseph, who was a man born prince of his brethren, the support of his family, the ruler of his brethren, the stay of the people:
18 And his bones were visited, and after death they prophesied. They prophesied... That is, by their being carried out of Egypt they verified the prophetic prediction of Joseph. [Genesis 50]
19 Seth and Sem obtained glory among men: and above every soul Adam in the beginning,

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 Memoria Josiæ in compositionem odoris facta
opus pigmentarii.
2 In omni ore quasi mel indulcabitur ejus memoria,
et ut musica in convivio vini.
3 Ipse est directus divinitus in pœnitentiam gentis,
et tulit abominationes impietatis.
4 Et gubernavit ad Dominum cor ipsius,
et in diebus peccatorum corroboravit pietatem.

5 Præter David et Ezechiam et Josiam,
omnes peccatum commiserunt:
6 nam reliquerunt legem Altissimi reges Juda,
et contempserunt timorem Dei.
7 Dederunt enim regnum suum aliis,
et gloriam suam alienigenæ genti.
8 Incenderunt electam sanctitatis civitatem,
et desertas fecerunt vias ipsius in manu Jeremiæ.
9 Nam male tractaverunt illum
qui a ventre matris consecratus est propheta,
evertere, et eruere, et perdere,
et iterum ædificare, et renovare:
10 Ezechiel, qui vidit conspectum gloriæ
quam ostendit illi in curru cherubim.
11 Nam commemoratus est inimicorum in imbre,
benefacere illis qui ostenderunt rectas vias.
12 Et duodecim prophetarum ossa pullulent de loco suo:
nam corroboraverunt Jacob,
et redemerunt se in fide virtutis.

13 Quomodo amplificemus Zorobabel?
nam et ipse quasi signum in dextera manu:
14 sic et Jesum filium Josedec,
qui in diebus suis ædificaverunt domum,
et exaltaverunt templum sanctum Domino,
paratum in gloriam sempiternam.
15 Et Nehemias in memoriam multi temporis,
qui erexit nobis muros eversos,
et stare fecit portas et seras,
qui erexit domos nostras.

16 Nemo natus est in terra qualis Henoch,
nam et ipse receptus est a terra:
17 neque ut Joseph, qui natus est homo princeps fratrum,
firmamentum gentis, rector fratrum, stabilimentum populi:
18 et ossa ipsius visitata sunt,
et post mortem prophetaverunt.
19 Seth et Sem apud homines gloriam adepti sunt,
et super omnem animam in origine Adam.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition

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