Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 49
Commentary from 1 father
The remembrance of Josias is like the composition of the perfume that is made by the art of the apothecary: it is sweet as honey in all mouths, and as musick at a banquet of wine.
ΜΝΗΜΟΣΥΝΟΝ ᾿Ιωσίου εἰς σύνθεσιν θυμιάματος ἐσκευασμένον ἔργῳ μυρεψοῦ· ἐν παντὶ στόματι ὡς μέλι γλυκανθήσεται καὶ ὡς μουσικὰ ἐν συμποσίῳ οἴνου.
Па́мѧть і҆ѡсі́ева въ сложе́нїе ѳѷмїа́ма, и҆ состро́еное дѣ́ломъ мѷрова́рника:
He directed his heart unto the Lord, and in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of God.
κατεύθυνε πρὸς Κύριον τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἡμέραις ἀνόμων κατίσχυσε τὴν εὐσέβειαν.
и҆спра́ви ко гдⷭ҇ꙋ се́рдце своѐ, во дни̑ беззако́нныхъ ᲂу҆крѣпѝ бл҃гоче́стїе.
All, except David and Ezekias and Josias, were defective: for they forsook the law of the most High, even the kings of Juda failed.
Πάρεξ Δαυὶδ καὶ ᾿Εζεκίου καὶ ᾿Ιωσίου, πάντες πλημμέλειαν ἐπλημμέλησαν· κατέλιπον γὰρ τὸν νόμον τοῦ ῾Υψίστου, οἱ βασιλεῖς ᾿Ιούδα ἐξέλιπον·
Кромѣ̀ даві́да и҆ є҆зекі́и и҆ і҆ѡсі́и, всѝ прегрѣши́ша прегрѣше́нїемъ,
Therefore he gave their power unto others, and their glory to a strange nation.
ἔδωκαν γὰρ τὸ κέρας αὐτῶν ἑτέροις καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν ἔθνει ἀλλοτρίῳ.
да́ша бо ро́гъ сво́й и҆нѣ̑мъ и҆ сла́вꙋ свою̀ ꙗ҆зы́кꙋ чꙋжде́мꙋ,
They burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary, and made the streets desolate, according to the prophecy of Jeremias.
ἐνεπύρισαν ἐκλεκτὴν πόλιν ἁγιάσματος καὶ ἠρήμωσαν τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς ἐν χειρὶ ῾Ιερεμίου·
сожго́ша и҆збра́нъ гра́дъ ст҃ы́ни и҆ ѡ҆пꙋстоши́ша пꙋти̑ є҆гѡ̀ рꙋко́ю {по прⷪ҇ро́чествꙋ} і҆еремі́иною:
For they entreated him evil, who nevertheless was a prophet, sanctified in his mother’s womb, that he might root out, and afflict, and destroy; and that he might build up also, and plant.
ἐκάκωσαν γὰρ αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν μήτρᾳ ἡγιάσθη προφήτης ἐκριζοῦν καὶ κακοῦν καὶ ἀπολλύειν, ὡσαύτως οἰκοδομεῖν καὶ καταφυτεύειν.
ѡ҆ѕло́биша бо є҆го̀, и҆ то́й во чре́вѣ ѡ҆свѧще́нъ бы́сть прⷪ҇ро́къ и҆скорени́ти и҆ ѡ҆ѕло́бити и҆ погꙋби́ти, та́кожде созда́ти и҆ насади́ти.
It was Ezekiel who saw the glorious vision, which was shewed him upon the chariot of the cherubims.
᾿Ιεζεκιὴλ ὃς εἶδεν ὅρασιν δόξης, ἣν ὑπέδειξεν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ ἅρματος Χερουβίμ·
І҆езекі́иль, и҆́же ви́дѣ видѣ́нїе сла́вы, ю҆́же показа̀ є҆мꙋ̀ въ колесни́цѣ херꙋві́мстѣ:
For he made mention of the enemies under the figure of the rain, and directed them that went right.
καὶ γὰρ ἐμνήσθη τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐν ὄμβρῳ καὶ ἀγαθῶσαι τοὺς εὐθύνοντας ὁδούς.
помѧнꙋ́ бо врагѝ въ дождѝ, и҆ благосотвори́ти направлѧ́ющымъ пꙋти̑.
Ezekiel, whose name is translated “confirmed by God” and who, in Babylon, predicted to the sinful masses the coming imprisonment, though promising forgiveness of sins to those who would turn and do penance, points in a mysterious way to the Lord and Savior, who is the power and wisdom of God and was called by the prophet the arm of the Lord. He has visited us, we who were in the prison of this world, foretelling future punishments for sinners and promising eternal healing to those who were repentant.
On Ecclesiasticus 10:23
And of the twelve prophets let the memorial be blessed, and let their bones flourish again out of their place: for they comforted Jacob, and delivered them by assured hope.
καὶ τῶν δώδεκα προφητῶν τὰ ὀστᾶ ἀναθάλοι ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῶν· παρεκάλεσε δὲ τὸν ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ ἐλυτρώσατο αὐτοὺς ἐν πίστει ἐλπίδος. -
И҆ ѻ҆боюна́десѧте прⷪ҇ро́кѡвъ да процвѣтꙋ́тъ кѡ́сти ѿ мѣ́стъ свои́хъ: ᲂу҆тѣ́ши бо і҆а́кѡва и҆ и҆зба́вилъ ѧ҆̀ вѣ́рою наде́жды.
How shall we magnify Zorobabel? even he was as a signet on the right hand:
Πῶς μεγαλύνωμεν τὸν Ζοροβάβελ; καὶ αὐτὸς ὡς σφραγὶς ἐπὶ δεξιᾶς χειρός,
Ка́кѡ возвели́чимъ зорова́велѧ; и҆ се́й ꙗ҆́кѡ печа́ть на деснѣ́й рꙋцѣ̀:
How he is a seal in the right hand of Israel is what the prophet Haggai shows at the end of his book: “In that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant, says the Lord of hosts, and I will place you like a seal, because I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.” In the end, he is commanded to speak only to Zerubbabel, since he preceded Christ as his image, having assumed the flesh of the line of David. He is told, therefore, what will happen at the end, that this world will pass away and that he will destroy every principality, power and might, pull down the thrones of kings and destroy the power of kingdoms and nations, and the chariots, the horses and the riders. “In that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant.” He calls him “servant” because of the human body, since “then he also, the Son, will be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him,” and with all things subjected it will be seen that he also is subjected. But when all of this is fulfilled, God will put a seal in his hands. God the Father marks him, and he is the image of the invisible God, his imprint and his substance, and whoever will believe in God will be sealed as with a ring.
On Ecclesiasticus 10:25
So was Jesus the son of Josedec: who in their time builded the house, and set up an holy temple to the Lord, which was prepared for everlasting glory.
οὕτως ᾿Ιησοῦς υἱὸς ᾿Ιωσεδέκ, οἳ ἐν ἡμέραις αὐτῶν ᾠκοδόμησαν οἶκον καὶ ἀνύψωσαν λαὸν ἅγιον Κυρίῳ ἡτοιμασμένον εἰς δόξαν αἰῶνος.
та́кожде і҆исꙋ́съ сы́нъ і҆ѡседе́ковъ: и҆̀же во дни̑ своѧ̑ созда́ста до́мъ и҆ воздвиго́ста це́рковь ст҃ꙋ гдⷭ҇еви, ᲂу҆гото́ванꙋ во сла́вꙋ вѣ́ка.
And among the elect was Neemias, whose renown is great, who raised up for us the walls that were fallen, and set up the gates and the bars, and raised up our ruins again.
καὶ Νεεμίου ἐπὶ πολὺ τὸ μνημόσυνον τοῦ ἐγείραντος ἡμῖν τείχη πεπτωκότα καὶ στήσαντος πύλας καὶ μοχλοὺς καὶ ἀνεγείραντος τὰ οἰκόπεδα ἡμῶν. -
И҆ неемі́и на мно́зѣ (бꙋ́ди) па́мѧть, воздви́гшемꙋ на́мъ стѣ́ны па́дшыѧ и҆ поста́вльшемꙋ двє́ри и҆ завѡ́ры и҆ воздви́гшемꙋ до́мы па́дшыѧ на́шѧ.
But upon the earth was no man created like Enoch; for he was taken from the earth.
Οὐδὲ εἷς ἐκτίσθη οἷος ᾿Ενὼχ τοιοῦτος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἀνελήφθη ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς.
Никто́же со́зданъ бы́сть тако́въ, ꙗ҆́кѡ є҆нѡ́хъ на землѝ: то́й бо взѧ́тъ бы́сть ѿ землѝ.
What was set forth at first and again recapitulated concerning Enoch, if not that his being taken away prefigured the ascension into heaven of our Lord Jesus Christ, who became incarnate in the last days of the world and was testified to by all the patriarchs and prophets? It is rightly said of him that “no one was created on earth equal to Enoch,” which means consecration, as one who has consecrated his church, consecrating it with his blood. He came into the world without sin and was received into heaven in glory. Of him the psalmist says, “You are the most beautiful among the sons of men,” and, “Ascending on high, he took prisoners with him; he gave gifts to human beings.”
On Ecclesiasticus 10:27
Neither was there a young man born like Joseph, a governor of his brethren, a stay of the people, whose bones were regarded of the Lord.
οὐδὲ ὡς ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἐγεννήθη ἀνὴρ ἡγούμενος ἀδελφῶν, στήριγμα λαοῦ, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτοῦ ἐπεσκέπησαν.
Нижѐ ꙗ҆́кѡ і҆ѡ́сифъ бы́сть мꙋ́жъ, во́ждь бра́тїи, ᲂу҆твержде́нїе лю́демъ, и҆ кѡ́сти є҆гѡ̀ посѣщє́ны бы́ша.
Sem and Seth were in great honour among men, and so was Adam above every living thing in creation.
Σὴμ καὶ Σὴθ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐδοξάσθησαν καὶ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ζῷον ἐν τῇ κτίσει ᾿Αδάμ.
He behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people, and took away the abominations of iniquity.
αὐτὸς κατηυθύνθη ἐν ἐπιστροφῇ λαοῦ καὶ ἐξῇρε βδελύγματα ἀνομίας·
То́й ᲂу҆пра́вленъ бы́сть во ѡ҆браще́нїе люді́й и҆ ѿѧ́тъ ме́рзѡсти беззако́нїѧ,