From
Ben Sira: A Praise of the High Priest Simon ben Onias
Simon
Son of Onias
50
The leader of his brothers and the pride of his peoplea
was
the high priest, Simon son of Onias,
who
in his life repaired the house,
and
in his time fortified the temple.
2 He
laid the foundations for the high double walls,
the
high retaining walls for the temple enclosure.
3 In
his days a water cistern was dug,b
a
reservoir like the sea in circumference.
4 He
considered how to save his people from ruin,
and
fortified the city against siege.
5 How
glorious he was, surrounded by the people,
as
he came out of the house of the curtain.
6 Like
the morning star among the clouds,
like
the full moon at the festal season;c
7 like
the sun shining on the temple of the Most High,
like
the rainbow gleaming in splendid clouds;
8 like
roses in the days of first fruits,
like
lilies by a spring of water,
like
a green shoot on Lebanon on a summer day;
9 like
fire and incense in the censer,
like
a vessel of hammered gold
studded
with all kinds of precious stones;
10 like
an olive tree laden with fruit,
and
like a cypress towering in the clouds.
11 When
he put on his glorious robe
and
clothed himself in perfect splendor,
when
he went up to the holy altar,
he
made the court of the sanctuary glorious.
12 When
he received the portions from the hands of the priests,
as
he stood by the hearth of the altar
with
a garland of brothers around him,
he
was like a young cedar on Lebanon
surrounded
by the trunks of palm trees.
13 All
the sons of Aaron in their splendor
held
the Lord's offering in their hands
before
the whole congregation of Israel.
14 Finishing
the service at the altars,d
and
arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty,
15 he
held out his hand for the cup
and
poured a drink offering of the blood of the grape;
he
poured it out at the foot of the altar,
a
pleasing odor to the Most High, the king of all.
16 Then
the sons of Aaron shouted;
they
blew their trumpets of hammered metal;
they
sounded a mighty fanfare
as
a reminder before the Most High.
17 Then
all the people together quickly
fell
to the ground on their faces
to
worship their Lord,
the
Almighty, God Most High.
18 Then
the singers praised him with their voices
in
sweet and full-toned melody.e
19 And
the people of the Lord Most High offered
their
prayers before the Merciful One,
until
the order of worship of the Lord was ended,
and
they completed his ritual.
20 Then
Simonf
came down and raised his hands
over
the whole congregation of Israelites,
to
pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips,
and
to glory in his name;
21 and
they bowed down in worship a second time,
to
receive the blessing from the Most High.