Sirach 47 - Good News Translation (GNT)

Nathan

47 ^(A)After him came Nathan, who was a prophet at the time of David.

David

^{2 (B)}As the choice fat portion of the fellowship offering is reserved for the Lord, so David was chosen from among the Israelites. ³ He played with lions and bears as if they were lambs or little goats. ⁴ When he was still a boy, he killed a giant to rescue his people. He put a stone in his sling, took aim, and put an end to Goliath's bragging. ⁵ He prayed to the Lord, the Most High, and was given the strength to kill that famous soldier, so that the nations would have respect for the power of his people. ⁶ The people honored him for killing his tens of thousands, and when he was crowned king, they praised him for being chosen by the Lord. ⁷ He wiped out all his enemies and permanently crushed the Philistines, so that they never again became a threat.

⁸ In everything David did, he gave thanks and praise to the Holy Lord, the Most High. He loved his Creator and sang praises to him with all his heart. ⁹ He put singers at the altar to provide beautiful music. ¹⁰ He set the times of the festivals throughout the year and made them splendid occasions; the Temple rang with the Lord's praises all day long. ¹¹ The Lord forgave David's sin and established his power forever. He made a covenant with him that he and his descendants would reign in splendor over Israel.

Solomon

¹² David prepared the way well for his son, a wise man, to rule after him. ^{13 (C)}There was no war while Solomon was king. God gave him peace on all his borders, so that he could build for the Lord a Temple which would stand forever. ¹⁴ How wise you were, Solomon, when you were young! Your knowledge was like the Nile^[a] in flood. ¹⁵ Your influence reached over all the world; your proverbs and riddles were known everywhere. ¹⁶ You were famous everywhere, and people loved you for bringing peace. ¹⁷ Nations around the world held you in admiration for your songs, proverbs, parables, and witty sayings. ^{18 (D)}You gathered silver and gold as if it were tin or lead, all in the name of the Lord God of Israel.

^{19 (E)}But your lust for women was your downfall. ²⁰ You stained your reputation and that of your descendants. They suffered punishment for that foolishness of yours, which caused them so much grief. ^{21 (F)}It divided the nation, and a rival kingdom arose in northern Israel. ^{22 (G)}But the Lord will always be merciful and keep all his promises.^[b] He will never destroy the descendants of David, whom he chose and who loved him. So for Israel's sake he allowed David's family to survive.

Rehoboam and Jeroboam

^{23 (H)}Solomon followed his ancestors in death and left one of his sons to rule after him. This was Rehoboam, a man of little intelligence and great foolishness,^[c] whose policies caused a rebellion.

There was also the unspeakable^[d] Jeroboam, who led northern Israel in sinful ways. ²⁴ His people became so sinful that they were exiled from their land. ²⁵ They tried all kinds of wickedness until the Lord took vengeance on them.

Footnotes

1. Sirach 47:14 Hebrew the Nile; Greek a river.
2. Sirach 47:22 Hebrew keep all his promises; Greek will not destroy what he made.
3. Sirach 47:23 Hebrew great foolishness; Greek the people's fool.
4. Sirach 47:23 Hebrew the unspeakable (one); Greek Jeroboam son of Nebat.

Cross references

1. Sirach 47:1 : 2Sam 7:2; 2Sam 7:3; Sir 12:1
2. Sirach 47:2 : 1Sam 17:34-1Sam 18:7; 2Sam 5:7; Sir 8:1; Sir 12:13
3. Sirach 47:13 : 1Kgs 4:21-1Kgs 4:32
4. Sirach 47:18 : 1Kgs 10:21; 1Kgs 10:27
5. Sirach 47:19 : 1Kgs 11:1
6. Sirach 47:21 : 1Kgs 12:15-1Kgs 12:20
7. Sirach 47:22 : 2Sam 7:15
8. Sirach 47:23 : 1Kgs 11:43; Sir 12:10-Sir 12:30; 2Kgs 17:6; 2Kgs 17:18