^44:1 Let me praise men of piety;
our ancestors in their generations.
^44:2 Much honor the Highest apportioned them,
and greatened them from days of old.
^44:3 Ruling earth in their kingdom,
and men of renown in their glory;
Advising in their understanding,
and all-seeing in their prophecy.
^44:4 Princes of nations in their plans,
and nobles in their plots;
wise of speech in their tales,
and bards in their preserved works.
^44:5 Discovering psalms by decree,
masters of riddle by writ.
^44:6 Valiant men and firmly strong,
and quiet upon their foundations.
^44:7 For these are honored in their generations,
and their glory in their days.

^44:8 Some of them left a name,
to be paid attention to in their inheritance.
^44:9 And some of them have no remembrance,
and it ceased as they ceased,
As they were not, it was,
and their sons after them.
^44:10 And yet these too were men of piety,
and their hope is not cut off.
^44:11 With their seed their good is kept,
and their inheritance for their children’s children.
^44:12 In God’s covenant their seed as extended,
and their generations for their sake.^[2] Verse not found in Hebrew manuscript. 
^44:13 Until eternity their memory will stand,
and their righteousness will not be erased.
^44:14 And their bodies will be gathered in peace,
and their names live to each generation.
^44:15 Their wisdom the community will repeat,
and their praises the congregation will tell.

^44:16 Ḥanokh was found pure and walked with the CAUSE,
and was taken, a known sign for each generation.
^44:17 Noaḥ the righteous was found pure;
at a time of destruction was a replacement,
For his sake there was a remnant,
and by his covenant the deluge retreated.
^44:18 As an eternal sign cut with him,
never to destroy all flesh.

^44:19 Avraham a father of many nations,
no blemish found in his glory.
^44:20 Who kept the commandment of the Highest,
and went in the covenant with him;
Cut a law into his flesh,
and in testing found faithful.
^44:21 Thus, in an oath he was held up,
to bless the nations with his seed,
To inherit from the water to the sea,
and from the river to the end of the earth.

^44:22 And also, to Yitsḥaq it was held up,
for the sake of Avraham his father,
A covenant of the firstborn he gave.
^44:23 And a blessing, to rest on the head of Yisrael,
And he set him in glory,
and gave him his inheritance.
^44:24 And he established it to the tribes,
apportioning twelve,
And brought from them a man,
who found grace in the eyes of all life.

^45:1 Beloved of God and men,
Moshe, his memory be for good!
^45:2 And God glorified him like the holy ones,
and strengthened him with awe.
^45:3 By his word, the thaumaturges ceased,
and he was made strong before the king,
And commanded to the people,
and they saw his glory.
^45:4 In his trust and in his humility,
God chose him of all flesh.
^45:5 And made him hear the Divine Voice,
and drew him near to a cloud,
And placed the commandment in his hand,
a Teaching of life and understanding;
To teach Ya’aqov its laws,
and its precepts and judgements to Israel.

^45:6 And God raised to holiness Aharon of the tribe of Levi.
^45:7 And set for him an eternal law,
And gave him Divine beauty,
to minister to God in blessing,
And girt him in the wild-ox’s splendid light,
and clothed him in waving bells.
^45:8 And clothed him all in beauty,
and beautified him in glory and strength,
Breeches, tunic, and robe.
^45:9 And adorned him with bells
And many pomegranates surrounding,
to make sweet song with his steps,
To be heard in the inner sanctum,
as a remembrance before the people.
^45:10 Holy clothes, gold, purple and crimson,
crafted work,
A judgement breastplate, ephod, and belt.
^45:11 And a scarlet thread, woven work,
Precious stones upon the breastplate,
sealed and engraved in openings,
Each gemstone as a remembrance engraved writ
to the number of the tribes of Israel.
^45:12 A golden crown, robe, and turban,
and a headband on which is carved the Holy Name,
Splendid, glorious, praised and mighty,
pleasant to the eye and all beauty.
^45:13 Before him there was never another in existence,
and no stranger dressed like him,
Kept for him and his sons like this,
and his son’s sons forever.
^45:14 His offering was all smoked,
and every day the daily rite, twice.
^45:15 And Moses filled his hand,
and anointed him with the holy oil,
And he had an eternal covenant,
and for his seed, in the days of heaven.
^45:16 To minister and officiate for God,
and bless God’s people by the Divine Name.
^45:17 And he was chosen over all life,
to bring in the whole-offering and suet,
And smoke a sweet smell and memorial,
and to atone for the children of Israel.

^45:18 And God gave him all the commandments,
and had him lead in law and judgment,
And he taught his people law,
and judgement to the children of Israel.
^45:19 And strangers grew angry and jealous of him in the desert,
the men of Datan and Aviram,
And the community of Qoraḥ in mighty rage.
^45:20 And the CAUSE saw and was enraged,
and ended them in anger,
and brought to them a sign,
and consumed them all in fire.

^45:21 And raised Aharon in glory,
and gave him his inheritance,
the first of all holy, bread given him.
^45:22 The fires of the CAUSE consumed them,
for they apportioned the sacrifices of the CAUSE,
Given to him and his seed.
^45:23 Yet with his people he would not inherit,
Nor among them receive a portion.
^45:24 The first of the CAUSE are his and his seed,
In the midst of all Israel.

^45:25 And also Pinḥas son of El’azar,
In might a third of glory;
in his zeal for the God of All
He stood in the people’s breach
and set noble his heart,
and atoned for the children of Israel.
^45:26 Thus, for him as well law was set,
a covenant of peace to work the Temple,
which would be his and his seed,
a great priesthood forever.

^45:27 And the covenant with David,
son of Yishai of the tribe of Judah,
a fire-portion before God’s glory,
the portion of Aharon and all his seed.
^45:28 And now, please bless the good CAUSE,
who crowns you with glory.
^45:29 And gave you a wise heart,
that it does not forget your good,
in your generation, for eternal generations.

^46:1 A valiant warrior, Yehoshua’ son of Nun,
ministering to Moshe in prophecy,
Of whom, made to be in his days
was a great victory for the chosen ones,
To avenge the vengeance of the enemy
and possess Israel.
^46:2 How splendid as he stretched his hand,
waving his spear at a city!
^46:3 Who could stand before him?
The wars of the CAUSE he joined.
^46:4 Was it not by his hand the sun stood still?
One day became doubled!
^46:5 For he called to the Highest God,
as the enemies were lost around him,
and God answered him with hailstones,
big ones, and ice.
^46:6 And cast them down on a hateful people,
and with their fall the stressor was lost —
So that every banned people would know
that the CAUSE watches your wars —
And he was fully following God.

^46:7 And in the days of Moses he did piety,
he and Kalev son of Yefunneh,
standing in the rioting community,
turning back rage from the congregation.
^46:8 Thus, they both were promoted in their years,
over six hundred thousand foot-soldiers,
to bring them to their inheritance,
earth flowing with milk and honey.
^46:9 And gave to Kalev strength,
and until old age it stood with him,
To guide him on the heights of the earth,
and his seed as well received an inheritance.
^46:10 So that all the seed of Ya’aqov would know
that it is good to fully follow after the CAUSE.

^46:11 And the judges, each with their name,
each one who did not turn his heart,
Nor swerve from after God;
may their memories be blessed.
^46:12 Their bones like lilies will flower^[4] First verset not found in Hebrew manuscript. ,
and their names remain for their descendants.

^46:13 A monk, popularly beloved, desired by his Maker;
requested from his mother’s womb;
A monk of the CAUSE in prophecy,
Shmuel, judge and officiant,
Prophet of God, established the kingdom,
and anointed princes over the people.
^46:14 With his law the congregation was commanded,
and the God of Ya’aqov accounted for them.
^46:15 In whose Spirit a holy vision he envisioned,
and by his word faith was seen.
^46:16 And he as well called upon God,
who shattered all his enemies around him;
As he offered up lamb suet,
a whole-offering to the CAUSE.
^46:17 And God thundered from heaven,
with great crashes God’s thunder was heard.
^46:18 And he subdued the chiefs of the stressors,
and caused loss for the Philistine tyrants.
^46:19 As the time came to rest on his deathbed,
he testified “By the CAUSE and the anointed,
from whom did I take a bribe or hush-money?”
and nobody answered him.
^46:20 And also, until the end of his time,
he was found right in the eyes of the CAUSE,
And in the eyes of all life,
and also after he died he expounded,
And told the king his ways,
and his voice lifted from the ground in prophecy.

^47:1 And also, after him, Natan stood up,
to stand before David,
^47:2 For just as the suet is the holiest part,
so is David from Israel.
^47:3 For lions played like a kid goat,
and bears like Bashan cattle.
^47:4 In his youth he slayed a great one,
and chastised with eternal shame,
As he lifted his hand to the slingshot
and shattered the glory of Golyat.
^47:5 For he called to the Highest God who gave his hand strength,
to hold back an expert warrior,
And to raise the horn of his people.
^47:6 Thus, girls called back at him,
And he was set in blessing,
making war while crowned in a turban.
^47:7 And around him he subdued the stressors,
and gave it to the Philistine cities,
And to this day their horn is broken.
^47:8 In all his deeds he gave thanks
To the Highest God with honorable words;
with all his heart he loved his Maker,
And every day did great piety.
^47:9 Musical songs he established,
Beside the altar,
and the sound of sweet singing.
^47:10 And he gave the pilgrimages splendor,
and beautified the festivals in cheer,
In his praises of the Holy Name,
before the morning he would cheer in holiness.
^47:11 Also, the CAUSE passed by his sins,
and raised his horn forever,
And gave him the law of kingship,
and his throne set over Jerusalem.

^47:12 And for his sake stood up after him
a wise son, dwelling securely.
^47:13 King Shlomo, in days of tranquility,
and God gave him rest around,
Who established a house for the Divine Name,
and a temple to stand forever.
^47:14 How wise you were in your youth;
your ethics flowed like the Nile!
^47:15 Your soul knew the earth,
and You were lauded on high with song.
^47:16 To the far islands your name was told,
and they waited for your saying. ^[6] verse not found in Hebrew manuscript 
^47:17 In song, parable, riddle, and wordplay,
the peoples were astounded.

^47:18 You were called by the Glorious Name,
called over Israel,
And amassed gold like iron,
multiplied silver like lead.
^47:19 And you gave your vigor to women,
and they ruled you in pride.
^47:20 And you put a blemish on your glory,
and profaned your couch,
To raise ire against your descendants,
and mourning on your final bed.
^47:21 To apportion the kingdom to two tribes,
and from Efraim an impious regime.
^47:22 But God will not abandon kindness,
nor let Divine Words fall to the ground,
Nor will cut down grand-children or great-grandchildren,
nor God’s lovers will God destroy,
So God gave Ya’aqov a remnant,
and to David set down a root.

^47:23 And Shlomo lay down in despair,
and his seed left him;
wide in stupidity and lacking in wisdom,
R’ḥav’am making unruly the people from counsel,
until one arose — may he be unremembered!
Y’rov’am son of N’vaṭ who sinned and made Israel sin;
And he gave Efraim a stumbing block,
to force them from their land,
^47:24 And his sin grew great,
and to all evil he devoted himself.

^48:1 Until arose a prophet like fire,
and his words like a flaming oven.
^48:2 And he shattered for them a staff of bread,
and in his zeal lessened them.
^48:3 By the word of God he shut the heavens,
and brought down three fires.
^48:4 How awesome are you, Eliyahu!
Anyone like you would be praised.
^48:5  Who brought up a corpse from death,
and from the nether-realm by the CAUSE’s will.
^48:6 Who was made to hear reprobation at Sinai,
and words of retribution at Ḥorev.
^48:7 Who brought down kings to the pit,
and honorees from their beds.
^48:8 Who was taken up in a storm,
and in a fiery regiment heavenwards.^[8] in Hebrew manuscript the two prior verses are reversed:
Who was taken up in a storm,
and in a fiery regiment heavenwards.
Who brought down kings to the pit,
and honorees from their beds. 
^48:9 Writing true for the time,
to stop rage before the coming of the CAUSE’s day,
To return the hearts of fathers to their children,
and to establish the tribes of Israel.
^48:10 Content is who saw you and died in your coming,
for they will not die, but live, live!
^48:11 Elijah was taken in a storm,
and Elisha’ received prophecy,
A double portion, many signs, and wonders
all coming from his mouth;
From his days he never trembled before anything,
and nothing of flesh ever ruled his spirit.
^48:12 Nothing was too wondrous for him,
and from below him his flesh was created.
^48:13 In his life he did wonders,
and in his death powerful deeds.

^48:14 For all this, the people did not repent,
nor abandon their sins,
Until they were pulled from their land,
and scattered over all the earth,
And to Judah a few remained,
and still there was a ruler of David’s house.
^48:15 Some of them did upright,
and some of them were incredibly evil.
^48:16 Y’ḥizqiyahu strengthened his city,
bringing water into it,
Cutting through rock like bronze,
damming the mountains as a pool.
^48:17 In his days Sanḥeriv arose,
and sent Rav-shaqe,
And he lifted his hand against Tsion,
and blasphemed God in arrogance.
^48:18 And they were horrified at his prideful heart,
and quaked like a woman in labor.
^48:19 And they called to Highest God,
to whom they spread their palms,
and God heard the sound of their voice,
who saved them by the hand of Y’sha’yahu.
^48:20 And struck the camp of Assyria,
and they were shut down by the plague.
^48:21 For Y’ḥizqiyahu did good,
and was strong in the way of David,
Just as commanded Y’sha’yahu the prophet,
praised among the prophets.
^48:22 In his days the sun stood still,
and lengthened the life of the king.^[10] Torn off in Hebrew manuscript 
^48:23 In a mighty spirit he saw the end,
and comforted the mourners of Tsion.
^48:24 Until eternity he told what would be,
and secrets before they came.

^49:1 The name of Yoshiyahu like incense smoke,
spiced by the perfumer’s work;
Like honey on the palate his memory is sweet,
and like a song at a wine banquet.
^49:2 For he inherited over our turning back,
and stopped the worthless abominations.
^49:3 And he set his heart to God,
and in impious days did piety.

^49:4 Other than David and Y’ḥizqiyahu
and Yoshiyahu, they all were corrupted,
and abandoned the Teaching of the Highest,
the kings of Judah, to the last.
^49:5 And God set their horn to another,
and their glory to a brutish foreign nation.
^49:6 And they burned the Holy City,
and ruined its pathways.

^49:7 Per the hand of Yirmiyahu who they mistreated,
and he from the womb was made a prophet;
To uproot and pull down and destroy and overthrow,
also to build and plant and bring return.
^49:8 Y’ḥezqel saw a vision,
and told the specifics of the Chariot.
And also recounted Iyov of whom he prophesied,
who worked all the paths of right.
^49:9 And also the twelve prophets,
may their bones flower below them;
Who brought the dream back to Ya’aqov,
and saved him with the hope of truth.
^49:10 How could I praise Zerubavel?
As a seal on his right hand!^[12] Torn off in Hebrew manuscript 
^49:11 As well as Y’hoshua son of Y’hotsadaq,
who in distress established the altar,
And raised up the Holy Palace,
established for eternal glory.
^49:12 N’ḥemya, mighty his memory!
Who built up our ruins,
And healed our wounds,
and set up the double-doors and bolt.

^49:13 Few were made on Earth like Ḥanokh^[14] Hebrew manuscript reads כהניך “your priests”, most likely a scribal error for the similar-looking but comparatively rare כחנוך“like Ḥanokh.”  ,
and he was also taken to face.
^49:14 Has a man been born like Yosef?
Even his body was accounted for!
^49:15 And Shem and Seth and Enosh were accounted for,
and over all life the beauty of Adam.

^50:1 Greatest by his brothers, glorious by his people,
Shim’on son of Yoḥanan the Priest,
For in his generation the House was accounted for,
and in his days the Palace was strengthened.
^50:2 For in his days a wall was built,
mighty corners for the royal palace.
^50:3 For in his generation a pool was dug;
a reservoir like the sea^[18] Hebrew manuscript reads אשיח בם “I will meditate upon them”, which could be, per the Rev. Dr. Charles Taylor, a scribal error for the similar-lookingאשוח כים “a reservoir like the sea.” This is understandable because the word אשוח is otherwise a hapax legomenon found only in the Mesha Stele.  in its multitude.^[19] In Hebrew manuscript the two prior verses are reversed:
For in his generation a pool was dug;
I will speak of them in his multitude. [see prior note]
For in his days a wall was built,
mighty corners for the royal palace. 
^50:4 He protected his people from robbers,
and strengthened his city from stressors.
^50:5 How splendid, in his exit from the tent,
and his leaving from the curtain room!
^50:6 Like a shining star from among the clouds,
and like a full moon on the festival day.
^50:7 And like a sun shining on the Royal Palace,
and like a rainbow seen in the cloud.
^50:8 And like a blossom on its branch in its appointed time,
and like a lily on the water streams,
And like a Lebanon flower in summer days.
^50:9 And like myrrh fire upon grain-offering,
and like a golden cup, a quarter-log form,
encrusted with precious stones.
^50:10 Like a green olive tree full of olives,
and like an oil tree with abounding branches.
^50:11 When he dons his glorious clothes,
and is dressed in resplendent clothes,
And goes up to the splendid altar,
and brings grandeur to the Temple court.
^50:12 When he takes the portions from his brothers’ hand,
and he stands upon the woodpiles,
Surrounding him a crown of sons,
like young cedars in Lebanon,
And surround him like brook myrtles.
^50:13 All the sons of Aharon in their glory
And the fires of the CAUSE in their hand,
facing all the congregation of Israel.
^50:14 Until he finishes ministering the altar,
and arranging the woodpiles of the Highest.
^50:15 And he lifted his hand to the cup,
to libate the grape-blood,
And poured it on the base of the altar,
a sweet smell to the Highest God.^[20] Verse not found in Hebrew manuscript. 
^50:16 Thus the priests, the children of Aharon,
raise a shout, with the metal trumpets,
And raise a shout and make a great sound heard,
to be recalled before the Highest.
^50:17 All flesh together hurries
and they fall on their faces groundward,
To prostrate before the Highest,
before the Holy One of Israel.
^50:18 And he put song in his voice,
and over the multitude his light is equal.
^50:19 And all the people of the land cheered,
in prayer before the Merciful One,
Until he finished ministering the altar,
and his judgements came to them.
^50:20 Thus he went down and lifted his hands
upon all the congregation of Israel;
The blessing of the CAUSE on his lips,
and in the name of the CAUSE glorified.
^50:21 And they would repeat and fall again,
the blessing of God from his mouth.
^50:22 Now, please bless the CAUSE God of Israel,
doing wonders in the land,
Raising a person from the womb
and doing as God wills.
^50:23 May God give you a wise heart,
and may it be in peace among you.
^50:24 May God’s kindness be in faith with Shim’on,
and Pinḥas’s covenant established for him,
which should not be broken for him
or his seed all the days of heaven.

^50:25 Two nations aggravate me,
and the third is not even a people.
^50:26 The inhabitants of Seir and Philistia,
and the brutish people dwelling in Shechem.^[21] At the time of this composition, the Idumeans, Hellenes, and Samaritans respectively. Ben Sira repeats the claim first found in II Kings 17:24-41 that the Samaritan faith is just foreign appropriation of Israelite culture which the Jews preserved. Samaritans, on the other hand, claim that the Jewish faith is just a Babylonian adulteration of Israelite culture which the Samaritans preserved. We must keep in mind that at the time of Ben Sira, the Samaritans were the primary regional enemy of the Jews, with their competing claims of being the only true monotheists and inheritors of the covenant. Obviously things have changed dramatically since two thousand years ago.  

^50:27 Ethics, intelligence, and angelic wisdom
of Shim’on son of Yeshua’ son of Ela’zar son of Sira,
Which sprung forth with a resolute heart,
and expressed in wisdom.
^50:28 Content the man who meditates on these,
and gives wisdom to his heart.
^50:29 For if he guards them he will overcome anything^[23] First verset not found in Hebrew manuscript. ,
for the awe of the CAUSE is life.