Simon, Oniæ filius, sacerdos magnus, qui in vita sua suffulsit domum, et in diebus suis corroboravit templum.

Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life propped up the house, and in his days fortified the temple.

A great priest was Simon, son of Onias; in his day the house of God was repaired, to make the temple strong was his life’s task.

Templi etiam altitudo ab ipso fundata est, duplex ædificatio, et excelsi parietes templi.

By him also the height of the temple was founded, the double building and the high walls of the temple.

The high part of the temple, where the building was of double thickness, and the towering walls about it, he underpinned;

In diebus ipsius emanaverunt putei aquarum, et quasi mare adimpleti sunt supra modum.

In his days the wells of water flowed out, and they were filled as the sea above measure.

in his day, too, the cisterns received their full flow of water, rose beyond all measuring, sea-deep.

Qui curavit gentem suam, et liberavit eam a perditione:

He took care of his nation, and delivered it from destruction.

So well he cared for his fellow-citizens; no enemy should be able to compass our ruin;

qui prævaluit amplificare civitatem, qui adeptus est gloriam in conversatione gentis, et ingressum domus et atrii amplificavit.

He prevailed to enlarge the city, and obtained glory in his conversation with the people: and enlarged the entrance of the house and the court.

nor lacked he means to enlarge the city’s span. See in what state he comes out to meet the people; entrance of temple and of temple-court lifted high above him!

Quasi stella matutina in medio nebulæ, et quasi luna plena, in diebus suis lucet:

He shone in his days as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full.

Bright he shone as the day-star amid the clouds, as the full moon in her season;

et quasi sol refulgens, sic ille effulsit in templo Dei.

And as the sun when it shineth, so did he shine in the temple of God.

nor sun ever shed on our own temple such generous rays as he.

Quasi arcus refulgens inter nebulas gloriæ, et quasi flos rosarum in diebus vernis, et quasi lilia quæ sunt in transitu aquæ, et quasi thus redolens in diebus æstatis:

And as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds, and as the flower of roses in the days of the spring, and as the lilies that are on the brink of the water, and as the sweet smelling frankincense in the time of summer.

What shall be compared with him? Rainbow that lights up the clouds with sudden glory, rose in spring-time, lilies by the water-side, scent of olibanum on the summer air?

quasi ignis effulgens, et thus ardens in igne:

As a bright fire, and frankincense burning in the fire.

Fire that glows brightly, and glow of incense on the fire?

quasi vas auri solidum, ornatum omni lapide pretioso:

As a massy vessel of gold, adorned with every precious stone.

Ornament of pure gold, set with whatever stones are rarest;

quasi oliva pullulans, et cypressus in altitudinem se extollens, in accipiendo ipsum stolam gloriæ, et vestiri eum in consummationem virtutis.

As an olive tree budding forth, and a cypress tree rearing itself on high, when he put on the robe of glory, and was clothed with the perfection of power.

olive-tree that burgeons, tall cypress pointing to the sky? Such was he when he put on his robe of office, clad himself with the full majesty of his array;

In ascensu altaris sancti gloriam dedit sanctitatis amictum.

When he went up to the holy altar, he honoured the vesture of holiness.

sacred the garments in which he went up to the sacred altar, yet were they ennobled by the man that wore them.

In accipiendo autem partes de manu sacerdotum, et ipse stans juxta aram: et circa illum corona fratrum: quasi plantatio cedri in monte Libano,

And when he took the portions out of the hands of the priests, he himself stood by the altar. And about him was the ring of his brethren: and as the cedar planted in mount Libanus,

There he stood, by the altar, with the priests handing him their portions, every one, for sacrifice; and all these standing about him were but Lebanon cedars standing about Lebanon,

sic circa illum steterunt quasi rami palmæ: et omnes filii Aaron in gloria sua.

And as branches of palm trees, they stood round about him, and all the sons of Aaron in their glory.

were but as palm branches growing from their parent stem, all these sons of Aaron in the splendour of their attire.

Oblatio autem Domini in manibus ipsorum coram omni synagoga Israël: et consummatione fungens in ara, amplificare oblationem excelsi Regis,

And the oblation of the Lord was in their hands, before all the congregation of Israel: and finishing his service, on the altar, to honour the offering of the most high King,

Theirs to hold out, before assembled Israel, the offerings made to the Lord; and he, completing his task at the altar, for the due observance of the great King’s sacrifice,

porrexit manum suam in libatione, et libavit de sanguine uvæ.

He stretched forth his hand to make a libation, and offered of the blood of the grape.

would reach out his hand for the cup, and with the grape’s blood offer libation.

Effudit in fundamento altaris odorem divinum excelso Principi.

He poured out at the foot of the altar a divine odour to the most high Prince.

And as he poured out at the altar’s foot its consecrated fragrance,

Tunc exclamaverunt filii Aaron, in tubis productilibus sonuerunt: et auditam fecerunt vocem magnam in memoriam coram Deo.

Then the sons of Aaron shouted, they sounded with beaten trumpets, and made a great noise to be heard for a remembrance before God.

loud shouted the sons of Aaron, loud the silver trumpets blew; great was the cry raised to win God’s audience.

Tunc omnis populus simul properaverunt, et ceciderunt in faciem super terram, adorare Dominum Deum suum, et dare preces omnipotenti Deo excelso.

Then all the people together made haste, and fell down to the earth upon their faces, to adore the Lord their God, and to pray to the Almighty God the most High.

And with that, down fell all the people, face to earth, worshipping the Lord their God and pouring out their prayers to him, the Almighty, to him, the most High.

Et amplificaverunt psallentes in vocibus suis, et in magna domo auctus est sonus suavitatis plenus.

And the singers lifted up their voices, and in the great house the sound of sweet melody was increased.

The singers, too, broke out into chants of praise; sweetly their voices echoed through the wide courts;

Et rogavit populus Dominum excelsum in prece, usque dum perfectus est honor Domini, et munus suum perfecerunt.

And the people in prayer besought the Lord the most High, until the worship of the Lord was perfected, and they had finished their office.

nor would the people leave off their praying to the Lord, the most High, till the divine praise was completed, and all their duty done.

Tunc descendens, manus suas extulit in omne congregationem filiorum Israël, dare gloriam Deo a labiis suis, et in nomine ipsius gloriari:

Then coming down, he lifted up his hands over all the congregation of the children of Israel, to give glory to God with his lips, and to glory in his name:

And then Simon would come down, his hand outstretched over the assembly of Israel, a blessing on his lips, and his heart proud to serve such a Master;

et iteravit orationem suam, volens ostendere virtutem Dei.

And he repeated his prayer, willing to shew the power of God.

and so fell to prayer again, for the better manifesting of God’s power.

Et nunc orate Deum omnium, qui magna fecit in omni terra, qui auxit dies nostros a ventre matris nostræ, et fecit nobiscum secundum suam misericordiam:

And now pray ye to the God of all, who hath done great things in all the earth, who hath increased our days from our mother’s womb, and hath done with us according to his mercy.

Bless we now his name who is God over all; wide as earth is his wondrous power, the God that has granted us life since first we were borne in the womb, and most mercifully used us.

det nobis jucunditatem cordis, et fieri pacem in diebus nostris in Israël per dies sempiternos:

May he grant us joyfulness of heart, and that there be peace in our days in Israel for ever:

Gladness of heart may he give us, and send Israel in our time peace that shall last for ever;

credere Israël nobiscum esse Dei misericordiam, ut liberet nos in diebus suis.

That Israel may believe that the mercy of God is with us, to deliver us in his days.

and still may it be Israel’s faith that God’s mercy is with us, ready, when his time comes, to grant us deliverance.

Duas gentes odit anima mea: tertia autem non est gens quam oderim:

There are two nations which my soul abhorreth: and the third is no nation, which I hate:

Two nations with all my heart I loathe; and a third I can name, that nation indeed is none;

qui sedent in monte Seir, et Philisthiim, et stultus populus qui habitat in Sichimis.

They that sit on mount Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people that dwell in Sichem.

the hill-tribes of Edom, and the Philistines, and the miscreant folk that dwell at Sichem.

Doctrinam sapientiæ et disciplinæ scripsit in codice isto Jesus, filius Sirach, Jerosolymita, qui renovavit sapientiam de corde suo.

Jesus the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem, hath written in this book the doctrine of wisdom and instruction, who renewed wisdom from his heart.

The lessons of discernment and of true knowledge in this book contained were written down by Jesus, the son of Sirach, of Jerusalem; his heart ever a fountain of true wisdom.

Beatus qui in istis versatur bonis: qui ponit illa in corde suo, sapiens erit semper.

Blessed is he that is conversant in these good things and he that layeth them up in his heart, shall be wise always.

Blessed is he who lingers in these pleasant haunts, and treasures the memory of them; wisdom he shall never lack;

Si enim hæc fecerit, ad omnia valebit, quia lux Dei vestigium ejus est.

For if he do them, he shall be strong to do all things: because the light of God guideth his steps.

and if by these precepts he live, nothing shall avail to daunt him; God’s beacon-light shews the track he shall tread.