1 Simon, Onias’ son, wasa great high priest.During his life, he repaired the houseand, in his time,strengthened the temple’s defenses.
2 He made the foundationfor the courtyard wall,a high fortification for thetemple enclosure.
3 In his time, he dug out a storage basinfor water,a reservoir with a circumferencelike a lake’s.
4 He gave forethought to keepinghis people from disaster,and he strengthened the cityagainst sieges.
5 How glorious he was as the people thronged around himwhen he came out from behindthe curtain and left the temple!
6 Like a morning starin the midst of a cloud,like the full moon at the time of a feast,
7 like the sun shiningon the temple of the Most High,like a rainbow gleamingin glorious clouds,
8 like a rose blossom in springtime,like lilies by streams of water,like a fresh shoot of the incense treein the summertime,
9 like fire and incensein an incense burner,like an object of hammered goldadorned with all sortsof precious stones,
10 like an olive tree sprouting fruit,and like a cypress toweringto the clouds.
11 When he put on his glorious robeand clothed himselfwith perfect splendor,when he stepped up to the holy altar,he brought glory to the courtsof the temple.
12 When he received the portionsof the sacrificial animalsfrom the priests’ hands,standing beside the altar’s hearth, surrounded by a wreath of brothers,he was like a new cedar of Lebanon,and they surrounded himlike palm-tree trunks.
13 All Aaron’s sons were in their glory,and they held the Lord’s offeringin their handsin front of the entire assemblyof Israel.
14 When he was finishing his serviceat the altar,after he had arranged an offeringto the Most High, the almighty,
15 he stretched out his handfor the cup used for drink offeringsand he poured a libation of wine.He poured it out at the baseof the altar,a pleasing aroma to the Most High,the king of all.
16 Then Aaron’s sons cheered;they blew trumpetsmade of hammered metaland caused a great sound to be heardas a reminder before the Most High.
17 Then all at once, all the peopleput their faces to the ground,bowing down to worship their Lord,the almighty, God Most High.
18 The singers, accompanied by harps,sang praises with their voices;they made a sweet melodywith a full-bodied sound.
19 The people of the Lord Most Highoffered prayers before the merciful oneuntil the order of the Lord’s servicewas completed,and they finished theirworship duties to him.
20 Then Simon came downand raised his handsover the entire assemblyof the Israelitesto give the Lord’s blessing from his lipsand to glorify his name.
21 And they bowed down to worshipa second time,to receive the blessingfrom the Most High.
22 Now bless the God of allwho everywhere does great things,who raises us up from our birthand deals mercifully with us.
23 May he give us gladness in our hearts,and may there be peace in our time,in Israel as in times past.
24 May he grant us his mercy,and may he rescue us in our lifetime.
25 My spirit takes offense at two nations,and the third is not even a nation:
26 those who settled on Samaria’s hills,the Philistines,and the foolish peoplewho dwell in Shechem.
27 Instruction in understandingand knowledgewere inscribed in this scrollby Jesus, Sirach’s son and grandsonof Eleazar the Jerusalemite.He poured forth wisdom from his heart.
28 Favored are those who devote their timeto these things;when they take them to heart,they will be wise.
29 Indeed, if they do these things,they will be up to any task,because the fear of the Lordis their path.