Sirach 49
Josiah's memory is revered for his divinely directed repentance and removal of impiety, guiding his heart toward the Lord. In contrast, most kings of Judah abandoned the law and held contempt for God, leading to the desecration of Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah was consecrated from birth to prophesy and rebuild, while Ezekiel had a vision of glory with the chariot of Cherubim. The chapter also honors other notable figures, including the twelve prophets, Zerubbabel, Jesus son of Jozadak, Nehemiah, Enoch, Joseph, Shem, Seth, and Adam, for their virtuous faith and contributions to their people.
The memory of Josiah is like a blend of fragrances composed by the work of a perfumerHis remembrance will be sweet like honey in every mouth, and like music at a banquet of wineHe was divinely directed for the repentance of the nation, and he took away the abominations of impietyAnd he guided his heart toward the Lord. And during the days of sinners, he strengthened pietyOther than David, and Hezekiah, and Josiah, everyone committed sinFor the kings of Judah abandoned the law of the Most High, and they held contempt for the fear of GodFor they gave their kingdom to foreigners, and their glory to a strange peopleThey set fire to the chosen city of sanctity, and they made its streets desolate, in accord with the hand of JeremiahFor they treated him wickedly, though he was consecrated as a prophet from his mother’s womb: to overthrow, and to root out, and to destroy, and also to rebuild and to renewIt was Ezekiel who saw a vision of glory, which was revealed to him with the chariot of the CherubimFor it called to mind the enemies under the figure of rain, to do good to those who have revealed the upright waysAnd may the bones of the twelve prophets spring up from their place. For they strengthened Jacob, and they redeemed themselves with a virtuous faithHow will we magnify Zerubbabel? For he, too, was like a signet on the right handSo also was Jesus, the son of Jozadak, who in their days built the house, and raised up a holy temple to the Lord, as a preparation for everlasting gloryAnd may Nehemiah be remembered for a long time. He raised up for us the walls that had been torn down. And he made firm the gates and the bars. He raised up our housesNo one has been born upon the earth like Enoch. And he was also taken up from the earthAnd there was no one like Joseph, who was a man born to be foremost among his brothers, the firmament of his clan, a guide to his brethren, the mainstay of his peopleAnd his bones were visited, and after death, they prophesiedShem and Seth obtained glory among men. And above every soul, at the very beginning, was Adam
Share this chapter