Siracide 44

1Faisons donc l’éloge des hommes illustres, et des pères de notre race.

2En eux le Seigneur a opéré de glorieuses merveilles, il a manifesté sa grandeur dès l’origine.

3C’étaient des souverains dans leurs royaumes, des hommes renommés par leur puissance, des conseillers remplis de sagesse, annonçant la volonté divine par leurs prophéties,

4des guides du peuple par leurs conseils et leur prudence, des docteurs du peuple, qui l’instruisaient par de sages discours ;

5des hommes cultivant l’art des saintes mélodies, et qui ont mis par écrit de poétiques récits ;

6des riches ayant des biens en abondance, vivant en paix dans leurs demeures : tous ces hommes furent honorés par leurs contemporains,

7tous ont été la gloire de leur temps.

8Il en est parmi eux qui ont laissé un nom, pour qu’on puisse raconter leurs louanges.

9Il en est dont il n’y a plus de souvenir, ils ont péri comme s’ils n’avaient jamais existé ; ils sont devenus comme s’ils n’étaient jamais nés, et, de même, leurs enfants après eux.

10Les premiers étaient des hommes pieux, dont les vertus n’ont pas été oubliées.

11Le bonheur reste attaché à leur race, et un héritage est assuré à leurs enfants.

12Leur race se maintient fidèle aux alliances, et leurs enfants à cause d’eux.

13Leur race demeure éternellement, et leur gloire ne sera jamais effacée.

14Leur corps a été enseveli en paix, et leur nom vit d’âge en âge.

15Les peuples célèbrent leur sagesse, et l’assemblée publie leurs louanges.

16Hénoch fut agréable au Seigneur, et il a été transporté, exemple de pénitence pour les générations.

17Noé a été trouvé parfait et juste ; au temps de la colère, il fut la rançon de l’humanité. C’est pourquoi un reste fut laissé à la terre, lorsque le déluge arriva.

18Une alliance éternelle a été faite avec lui, afin que toute chair ne fût plus détruite par un déluge.

19Abraham est l’illustre père d’une multitude de nations, et il ne s’est trouvé personne qui l’égalât en gloire.

20Il a gardé la loi du Très-Haut, et il est entré en alliance avec lui. Il a institué cette alliance dans sa chair, et, dans l’épreuve, il s’est montré fidèle.

21Aussi Dieu lui assura par serment que les nations seraient bénies dans sa race ; il lui promit de le multiplier comme la poussière de la terre, d’élever sa postérité comme les étoiles, de leur donner en héritage depuis la mer jusqu’à l’ autre mer, depuis le fleuve jusqu’aux extrémités de la terre.

22De la même manière il confirma en Isaac, à cause de son père Abraham, la bénédiction de tous les peuples et l’alliance.

23Et il la fit reposer ensuite sur la tête de Jacob ; il eut égard à lui dans ses bénédictions ; il lui donna le pays en héritage ; il en fit diverses portions, et les partagea entre les douze tribus.

1[Laudemus viros gloriosos, et parentes nostros in generatione sua.

2Multam gloriam fecit Dominus: magnificentia sua a sæculo.

3Dominantes in potestatibus suis, homines magni virtute et prudentia sua præditi, nuntiantes in prophetis dignitatem prophetarum:

4et imperantes in præsenti populo, et virtute prudentiæ populis sanctissima verba:

5in peritia sua requirentes modos musicos, et narrantes carmina Scripturarum:

6homines divites in virtute, pulchritudinis studium habentes, pacificantes in domibus suis.

7Omnes isti in generationibus gentis suæ gloriam adepti sunt, et in diebus suis habentur in laudibus.

8Qui de illis nati sunt reliquerunt nomen narrandi laudes eorum.

9Et sunt quorum non est memoria: perierunt quasi qui non fuerint: et nati sunt quasi non nati, et filii ipsorum cum ipsis.

10Sed illi viri misericordiæ sunt, quorum pietates non defuerunt.

11Cum semine eorum permanent bona:

12hæreditas sancta nepotes eorum, et in testamentis stetit semen eorum:

13et filii eorum propter illos usque in æternum manent: semen eorum et gloria eorum non derelinquetur.

14Corpora ipsorum in pace sepulta sunt, et nomen eorum vivit in generationem et generationem.

15Sapientiam ipsorum narrent populi, et laudem eorum nuntiet ecclesia.]

16[Enoch placuit Deo, et translatus est in paradisum, ut det gentibus pœnitentiam.

17Noë inventus est perfectus, justus, et in tempore iracundiæ factus est reconciliatio.

18Ideo dimissum est reliquum terræ, cum factum est diluvium.

19Testamenta sæculi posita sunt apud illum, ne deleri possit diluvio omnis caro.]

20[Abraham magnus pater multitudinis gentium, et non est inventus similis illi in gloria: qui conservavit legem Excelsi, et fuit in testamento cum illo.

21In carne ejus stare fecit testamentum, et in tentatione inventus est fidelis.

22Ideo jurejurando dedit illi gloriam in gente sua, crescere illum quasi terræ cumulum,

23et ut stellas exaltare semen ejus, et hæreditare illos a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terræ.

24Et in Isaac eodem modo fecit, propter Abraham patrem ejus.

25Benedictionem omnium gentium dedit illi Dominus, et testamentum confirmavit super caput Jacob.

26Agnovit eum in benedictionibus suis, et dedit illi hæreditatem, et divisit illi partem in tribubus duodecim.

27Et conservavit illi homines misericordiæ, invenientes gratiam in oculis omnis carnis.]

1Let us now praise men of renown, and our fathers in their generation.

2The Lord hath wrought great glory through his magnificence from the beginning.

3Such as have borne rule in their dominions, men of great power, and endued with their wisdom, shewing forth in the prophets the dignity of prophets,

4And ruling over the present people, and by the strength of wisdom instructing the people in most holy words.

5Such as by their skill sought out musical tunes, and published canticles of the scriptures.

6Rich men in virtue, studying beautifulness: living at peace in their houses.

7All these have gained glory in their generations, and were praised in their days.

8They that were born of them have left a name behind them, that their praises might be related:

9And there are some, of whom there is no memorial: who are perished, as if they had never been: and are become as if they had never been born, and their children with them.

10But these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed:

11Good things continue with their seed,

12Their posterity are a holy inheritance, and their seed hath stood in the covenants.

13And their children for their sakes remain for ever: their seed and their glory shall not be forsaken.

14Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liveth unto generation and generation.

15Let the people shew forth their wisdom, and the church declare their praise.

16Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise, that he may give repentance to the nations.

17Noe was found perfect, just, and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation.

18Therefore was there a remnant left to the earth, when the flood came.

19The covenants of the world were made with him, that all flesh should no more be destroyed with the flood.

20Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and there was not found the like to him in glory, who kept the law of the most High, and was in covenant with him.

21In his flesh he established the covenant, and in temptation he was found faithful.

22Therefore by an oath he gave him glory in his posterity, that he should increase as the dust of the earth,

23And that he would exalt his seed as the stars, and they should inherit from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

24And he did in like manner with Isaac for the sake of Abraham his father.

25The Lord gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob.

26He acknowledged him in his blessings, and gave him an inheritance, and divided him his portion in twelve tribes.

27And he preserved for him men of mercy, that found grace in the eyes of all flesh.