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,